For Immediate Release: Monday, July 11, 2022
Media Contact: Brian Walsh, [email protected]
DANR Accepting Applications for Water Quality Projects
PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) is accepting applications for projects eligible for federal Clean Water Act, Section 319 nonpoint source control grants. The application deadline is October 1, 2022.
Eligible applicants include governmental agencies; state government subdivisions, such as conservation districts, water development districts, counties, and municipalities; universities; certain nonprofit organizations; and federally recognized Indian tribes. Other groups may participate by applying through one of the eligible entities as a project partner.
Interested parties are encouraged to contact DANR at (605) 773-4254 or obtain application guidance at:
https://danr.sd.gov/Conservation/WatershedProtection/Section319/Guidance.aspx.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grants require 40 percent local match.
Section 319 of the federal Clean Water Act provides grants to reduce water pollution from nonpoint sources, such as polluted runoff from urban, agricultural, and forest lands. Historically, DANR has used Section 319 funds primarily to develop and implement projects designed to reduce nonpoint source pollution to meet Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). South Dakota water bodies in need of TMDLs are listed in the “2022 Integrated Report for Surface Water Quality Assessment”. Copies of the report are available online at:
https://danr.sd.gov/OfficeOfWater/SurfaceWaterQuality/docs/DANR_2022_IR_approved.pdf
Nonpoint source pollution originates from many sources, including urban runoff, agricultural fields, small livestock operations, and natural sources, such as highly erosive soils. The primary nonpoint source pollutants in South Dakota are sediment, phosphorus, nitrogen, and E. coli bacteria.
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