Press Release Provided by Montana Department of Environmental Quality
HELENA—The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is seeking applications for approximately $1 million in funding for nonpoint source pollution reduction projects available under the Federal Clean Water Act. Nonpoint source pollution is the single largest cause of water quality impairment in Montana’s lakes and streams, and typically comes from diffuse sources that are not regulated under a discharge permit.
Common pollutants include sediment, nutrients, pathogens and toxic metals. In lakes, streams and wetlands, these pollutants can cause serious harm to aquatic life and can make the water unsafe for human recreation and consumption. DEQ monitors water quality in Montana’s lakes and streams and identifies water bodies that are impaired. This funding is one way that DEQ works to improve impaired waters across Montana.
This funding supports the implementation of locally developed watershed restoration plans. By working with local organizations, DEQ puts communities in the driver’s seat and leverages local knowledge to improve Montana’s lakes, rivers, and streams. Nonprofit or government organizations can submit applications for proposed projects that help reduce nonpoint source pollution. Examples of past projects include cost share for septic maintenance, restoring wetlands and native vegetation along streambanks, or working with farmers and ranchers to water quality best management practices while protecting their property from flood and drought impacts.
The recommended range for new applications is $10,000 to $250,000 per project, and 40 percent of the total project cost must be matched with non-federal funds. Approximately $500,000 of the available funding will be focused on projects in the lower Gallatin watershed. DEQ focuses funding on a specific watershed and rotates to a different watershed every two or three years. This targeted approach maximizes the cumulative impacts of water quality restoration projects within a watershed. The remaining $500,000 is open to projects across Montana. DEQ does prioritize some of the funding to administer mini-grant programs for low-cost nonpoint source pollution prevention activities and local capacity building.
The application form and instructions can be downloaded from DEQ’s website using the following hyperlinks:
- 2023 Call for Applications
- General and Focus Watershed Scoring Sheet
- Mini-Grant Program Scoring Sheet
- General and Focus Watershed Application Form
- Supplemental Project Application Form
- General and Focus Watershed Application Form Instructions
- Mini-Grant Application Form
- Mini-Grant Application Form Instructions
DEQ staff will be available, upon request, to provide feedback on project applications. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 7, 2022.
For more information on eligibility and to see current and recent applications, visit the DEQ website at: https://deq.mt.gov/water/Programs/sw#accordion4-collapse3
You may also call or email Mark Ockey at 406-444-5351 or [email protected]
