Urban Nonpoint Source & Storm Water (UNPS&SW) Construction Grant Applications for CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS beginning in 2021 are now available on the DNR’s UNPS&SW webpage. For Construction grants, the total state reimbursement amount cannot exceed $150,000 for construction and engineering, plus an additional $50,000 for land acquisition.
Cities, villages, towns, counties, regional planning commissions, tribal governments and special purpose lake, sewage, or sanitary districts may apply. The local government must have either jurisdiction over the project area or be required to control storm water discharge with an inter-governmental agreement between the municipality and the Department of Natural Resources.Cities. Applicants have until April 15, 2020 to submit applications for 2021 construction projects.
This grant program offers local governments competitive grants to control pollution that is carried by storm water runoff from diffuse urban sources. The grants reimburse costs of construction projects that control this type of pollution. Eligible projects include:
- Construction of structural urban best management practices (BMPs) including detention, wet, infiltration, or wetland basins, or infiltration trenches.
- Engineering design and construction services for BMPs installation.
- Land acquisition and easement purchase, including appraisal cost.
- Storm sewer rerouting and removal of structures.
- Streambank and shoreline stabilization.
iThe Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage Distract (MMSD) submitted the draft Water Quality Improvement Plan (WQIP) to DNR on February 28th. DNR staff will begin review of the plan and provide feedback. We anticipate a TMDL Implementation Team meeting will be held to share review comments and suggested revisions in April/May of this year.
Milwaukee River Watershed Planning
Cedar, Pigeon, Mole, Ulao, L. Michigan Frontal Lobe Watersheds
The draft nine-key element plan for these watersheds has been reviewed by DNR and submitted to the EPA for this review of the 9 Key Elements required in the EPA Watershed planning process. Once their review is complete, EPA will return the plan, results of the review, and any comments that might need to be addressed.
Fredonia-Newburg Nonpoint Source Watershed Restoration
DNR staff are working with MMSD to begin the nine-key element review process. The final draft reports are available for download via the MMSD website:
The Kinnickinnic (KK) River Watershed Restoration 9-Key Element Plan has been reviewed by DNR, and is now under EPA review. The Menomonee River Watershed 9-Key Element Restoration Plan is being finalized and will be reviewed for 9-Key Elements once submitted to DNR.
Sector Team Updates
Karl and Robert Klessig, fifth generation dairy farmers in Cleveland, Wisconsin, manage the Saxon Homestead Farm on the southern edge of Manitowoc County. They partnered with NRCS to set up a managed rotational grazing system. In order to take advantage of the fertile soil of Manitowoc County, the farm historically used grazing and a free range system to feed their dairy cows.They installed fencing, planted high quality forages, improved trail and watering systems, and more. Download the story...
Madison, Wis. – USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) seeks public comments on its interim rule for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which helps partners develop and implement unique conservation solutions that engage farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. The rule – now available on the Federal Register – takes effect on publication and includes changes to the program prescribed by the 2018 Farm Bill. Read more...
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On December 10th, 2019, both Washington and Waukesha County submitted a three year grant request to the DNR for the AIS Education, Planning, and Prevention program. Like most grants, this program is extremely competitive; in the end Washington County was awarded partial funding, and Waukesha County was not awarded the grant. However, the DNR values the importance of this program and partnerships between the two counties and has offered Waukesha County funding through other sources. The good news is that each County has funding available to continue the program as it is until 2021. Special thanks goes to many lake groups that support this program through direct cash sponsorships, donations of equipment and time, or letters of support.
The Department of Natural Resources has submitted four Administrative Rule packages related to water quality standards to the State Legislature for their review. The Assembly and Senate committees that each rule was assigned to are shown at the bottom of the rule’s webpage under the “History” section. If public hearings are scheduled, they will be posted on the Legislature’s calendar at: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/calendar/rules.
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CR 19-014: Bacteria surface water quality criteria relating to updating Wisconsin’s water quality criteria for pathogens, specifically bacteria, to protect recreational uses; and updating related WPDES permit implementation procedures for the revised water quality standards to be consistent with EPA’s recreational water quality criteria. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/chr/all/cr_19_014
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CR 19-094: Waterbody assessments using biological metrics relating to processes for waterbody assessments and impaired waters listing, biological criteria for water quality standards, and biological confirmation of phosphorus impairments. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/chr/all/cr_19_094
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CR 19-093: Establishing a general process for developing site-specific criteria for phosphorus relating to the development of site-specific numeric phosphorus water quality criteria for surface waters. (Note: This rule is separate from the one for the Wisconsin River Basin below.) https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/chr/all/cr_19_093
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CR 19-083: Wisconsin River Basin site-specific criteria for phosphorus relating to site-specific phosphorus water quality criteria for Petenwell Lake located in Wood, Juneau, and Adams counties, Castle Rock Lake located in Adams and Juneau counties, and Lake Wisconsin located in Columbia and Sauk counties. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/chr/all/cr_19_083
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MADISON – Members of the Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality gathered today for a press conference to debut their final report and recommendations, including 13 new legislative proposals. Over the past year, the task force held a total of 14 public hearings across Wisconsin, hearing from hundreds of citizens, experts, organizations, and stakeholders about the water quality issues facing their communities and the state as a whole. The bicameral task force proved to be an unprecedented, bipartisan effort to address water quality issues and ensure clean water for future generations. The report and recommendations released today summarize and expand upon the task force’s findings and can be found on their website: waterqualitywi.com.
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City of Cudahy reduces impacts of road salt
Mary Jo Lange, PE, Director of Public Works for the City of Cudahy, explains, "Last [winter] season [2018-2019] when everyone ran out of salt, we only used 662 tons...Prior to our salt management program, we would have used 2000 tons and most likely ran out."
After having been told for over a decade the importance to reduce salt use, the City still struggled on how to do so. In 2013, it became the City's mission to figure out how to reduce salt usage. The first thing they tackled was calibrating their salting equipment correctly each season. They learned how to properly calibrate and test their equipment. Lange states that many people believe they know how to calibrate but they don’t. The same is true for new equipment. New equipment is not calibrated when it gets delivered to your agency. Cudahy did a test last spring upon delivery of a new truck with a Monroe spreader and Force Control equipment. It was registered that the equipment was placing 300 pounds of salt per lane mile, however upon testing, it actually was placing 575 pounds per lane mile. Lange said that in addition to calibration, the City has modified its pre-wetting system and uses brine application prior to most winter events. She suggests before investing in brine application, address your current equipment and calibrate. The biggest salt reduction and cost savings for Cudahy has been by simply calibrating its salting units annually and doing spot checks throughout the season.
Over the past five years Cudahy’s Public Works Department has reduced its salt usage by 56.25% with a cost reduction of roughly $241,400. Roughly $160,000 was generated from properly calibrated equipment. In the fall of 2018, the City of Cudahy took what they learned and shared it during a half-day presentation at the City’s facilities. The presentation can be viewed on the DNR Salt and storm water web page. The City of Cudahy has also offered to meet with other public works agencies to share their knowledge.
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The map depicting WPDES permit holders that have formally selected adaptive management or water quality trading as their preferred phosphorus compliance option is updated and available here. Select a pin on the map to view more information about the permit holder, including the Notice of Intent (NOI) submitted to the DNR. Permittees identify themselves by submitting either a Notice of Intent to Trade or an Adaptive Management (AM) Request Form to DNR.
Date: 03/17/2020
Location: Stevens Point, WI
The Symposium provides information on current issues related to biosolids and septage management, enabling municipal officials, plant operators, contractors and consultants to respond proactively to new challenges. The Symposium has a tradition of providing a forum for discussion and information exchange by assembling speakers who are recognized experts in their respective fields.
DOWNLOAD THE SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM AND GENERAL INFORMATION BROCHURE HERE
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Grant Information
For program year 2020, two grant options are being offered: watershed-scale projects and site-specific projects. Grants provided under this year’s program will focus on effective efforts to reduce phosphorus contributions to waters within the Great Lakes Basin and other efforts to achieve measure of progress under the GLRI Action Plan III, including restoration of streambanks and shoreline within the Basin. The maximum request for each application will be capped at no more than $200,000. Applicants must be nonfederal units of government, tribes, or incorporated nonprofit organizations. A 25 percent match will be required of each project.
The due date for applications is 5:00 p.m. EDT on April 6, 2020. Applications will be reviewed and assessed by the program’s Task Force made up of a representative from each Great Lakes state, plus representatives from NRCS and U.S. EPA. Final decisions on funded projects are anticipated in early summer 2020. Selected projects would begin on October 1, 2020 (with some potential for an earlier start) and may be up to three years in duration.
For more information, contact Nicole Zacharda at nzacharda@glc.org or 734-971-9135.
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