FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 21, 2016
DEP SOLICITS PROPOSALS FOR TWO
WATER-QUALITY RESTORATION
GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
~Grant program helps improve water quality and educate citizens~
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is soliciting applications for two grant opportunities for projects to restore impaired waterbodies. The Nonpoint Source Management Program administers grant money received from the U.S. EPA through Section 319 of the Federal Clean Water Act. The application deadline for both Section 319 grant opportunities is March 15, 2017.
"The department encourages communities with eligible nonpoint source pollution projects and education and outreach projects to apply for this valuable financial assistance," said Trina Vielhauer, director of the Division of Water Restoration Assistance. "Nonpoint source pollution is a leading cause of water pollution in Florida today and this funding can help restore local waterbodies in communities, large and small, throughout the state."
The Section 319 Nonpoint Source Grant solicitation is for proposals for up to
$6 million in water-quality restoration grants for projects that reduce or eliminate nonpoint source pollution. These 319 grant funds are available to implement projects that reduce nonpoint source pollution and restore impaired springs, rivers, lakes and estuaries to meet Florida's stringent water-quality standards.
The new Section 319 Nonpoint Source Education Grant solicitation is for proposals for up to $1 million in funding for education and outreach projects that target reducing nonpoint source pollution in adopted basin management action plan (BMAP) areas. Developing BMAPs that will be adopted by summer 2017 can be considered adopted for the purposes of this solicitation.
Nonpoint source pollution results from many widespread sources rather than a single, distinct origin including stormwater runoff from urban surface areas and agricultural operations, septic tanks and erosion. As stormwater runoff moves, it carries natural and human-made pollutants with it, depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands and coastal waters.
In recent years, the EPA has awarded between $5-6 million of Section 319 funds annually to Florida for projects and activities designed to reduce the impacts of nonpoint source pollution. This is the first time an additional $1 million of Section 319 funds has been offered for nonpoint source education and outreach projects.
Solicitation guidance, application, eligibility criteria, instructions and evaluation criteria for each of these grant opportunities can be found at http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/nonpoint/319h.htm.
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