News

MPCA celebrates the role communities have in water quality. Toolkit available to help spread the message

In continued celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has created a special set of tools for cities and counties to use in explaining their critical role through wastewater treatment and stormwater collection in preserving and protecting water quality.

Visit the MPCA’s Clean Water Act anniversary page https://www.pca.state.mn.us/business-with-us/clean-water-act-50th-anniversary to download promotional tools for use in your communications throughout the year to showcase your role with clean water and the importance of the Clean Water Act.

Resources for wastewater treatment facilities

• The wastewater process. Download a WW treatment visualization for posters, web banners, newsletter articles, social media graphics and more (see graphic above).
• Wastewater through history. Another graphic for promotional and educational use.
• What not to flush toolkit. Use our existing what not to flush toolkit to set up a special web page or make a flyer regarding what not to flush, or include this information in your statements to residents. Here’s a good example from the Metropolitan Council.

The Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program provides $10,000 in funding for resident-driven groups in small cities and towns to start the Community Heart & Soul model. Grant funding requires a $10,000 cash match from the participating municipality or a partnering organization. 

LEARN MORE AND APPLY

MnTAP and Minnesota Rural Water Association (MRWA) are partnering to support no cost assistance for water efficiency in Minnesota cities. The program provides training and technical assistance resources to help your community and your business evaluate the best way to start, continue or improve your water conservation efforts. MnTAP and MRWA will:

Education Workshops – We will come to you!

• Attendees learn easy water saving techniques for work and home
• Industrial, commercial, and/or residential focus
• Presentation customized to your target audience
• Public and private workshops available

Technical Assistance Process

• Meet virtually to identify and discuss priorities
• Collect data and observe processes onsite
• Present water conservation workshop for staff customized to your business (optional)
• Research opportunities and analyze resource use
• Present recommended actions, potential savings, and payback period
• Provide follow-up support for two years

Benefits of Working with MnTAP

• 30+ years of water conservation experience
• Experienced team of engineers and P2 specialists
• Confidential support at your pace
• Money-saving solutions for environmental challenges
• Grant-funded projects (no cost to your organization)

LEARN MORE AND APPLY

Need help?

• Check out the League of Minnesota Cities Grant Navigator.
• Identify potential Federal Funding Sources for Municipal Sustainability and Climate Action using the National League of Cities tool. 
• The Local Infrastructure Hub empowers local leaders to access federal infrastructure dollars with a Grant Search, learning opportunities, and technical assistance. 
• Reach out to your regional development commission/organization if located within one. 
• MN Council of Nonprofits grant writing/seeking courses are open to the public (filter using "Fundraising & Grantseeking"). 
• Connecting Rural Communities with Historic Federal Clean Energy Investments (ACEEE and Great Plains Institute)
• Federal Funding Opportunities for Local Decarbonization (American Cities Climate Challenge)

Federal Programs: 

• Now Open

• Opening Soon 

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA): Also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, became law on November 15, 2021. The IIJA authorized $1.2 trillion in funding opportunities across a wide variety of infrastructure subject areas, including:

• Energy - Funding opportunities authorized under IIJA include grid modernization, new electric transmission, energy system resiliency and reliability updates, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, improvement to the energy efficiency of buildings, smart manufacturing, carbon capture and carbon utilization projects, renewable energy technologies and demonstration projects and other innovative initiatives. 
  • MN Dept. of Commerce: available grants, email updates, and opportunities to partner on funding.
• Transportation - provides higher funding levels and many new formula and discretionary grant programs that will expand the definition of transportation infrastructure and address health and community-driven outcomes. 
  • MnDOT: available grants and information about formula funding. 
  • DOT Navigator, US DOT: technical assistance to help communities understand the best ways to apply for grants, and to apply for and deliver transformative infrastructure projects and services. 
• Water Infrastructure 
• More resources: 
  • IIJA Guidebook: a roadmap for all available funding for state, local, tribal, and other territorial leaders. See also the Tribal and Rural playbooks. 
  • MN Senate Fiscal Issue Brief: provides an overview of IIJA funding coming to Minnesota. 

Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): became law on August 16, 2022. The IRA authorized billions of dollars in funding opportunities across a wide variety of investment subject areas, including: 

• Energy security and climate change investments - The bill includes funding for climate protection, household tax credit/rebates for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, and investments in clean energy production and other projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 
  • CERTs: The IRA, what you need to know about residential and commercial incentives 
  • Clean Energy Economy Minnesota's IRA breakdown 
  • CleanEnergy.gov: Find IRA tax credits or rebates by activity, as well as incentives available in 2022 vs. what's coming in 2023. 
  • Rewiring America's Savings Calculator
  • Climate action and the Inflation Reduction Act: A guide for local government leaders (Climate Mayors and C40)
  • Funding for Tribes in the Inflation Reduction Act (The White House)
  • Inflation Reduction Act Miniguide (Urban Sustainability Directors Network)
  • The Inflation Reduction Act and Cities - City Climate Corner podcast
  • How Cities Can Make the Most of IRA Dollars — Local Energy Rules podcast

DSIRE is the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewable energy and energy efficiency in the United States. Established in 1995, DSIRE is operated by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at N.C. State University. 

Find policies, programs, and incentives by state - including biomass, fuel-cells, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, wind, and energy-efficiency. 

LEARN MORE and SEARCH. 

Upstream Nutrient Reduction: MnTAP has launched a project geared towards working with facilities upstream of wastewater treatment plants to help them better-manage wastewater effluent.

Through this project, at no-cost, MnTAP staff and interns can help identify strategies for upstream nutrient reduction, which can:

• Decrease load to local wastewater treatment ponds and plants
• Reduce the burden on our local bodies of water and wildlife
• Minimize pressure and costs for businesses that discharge wastewater

The Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) is an outreach program at the University of Minnesota that helps Minnesota organizations develop and implement industry-tailored solutions that prevent pollution at the source, maximize efficient use of resources, and reduce energy use and costs to improve public health and the environment.

See current grant opportunities as part of the LMC Resource Library - https://www.lmc.org/page/1/current-grant.jsp

The Clean Water Partnership (CWP) program offers zero-interest loans to local units of government for implementing nonpoint-source best management practices and other activities that target the restoration and protection of a water resource such as a lake, stream, or groundwater aquifer.

Eligible projects include:

• Urban green infrastructure such as rain water reuse, green roofs, porous pavement, or any stormwater best management practice (BMP)
• Buffers: purchase of native seeds and vegetation
• Septic system upgrades and replacements
• Technical assistance, outreach, and education
• Equipment such as conservation tillage equipment
• Any nonpoint source BMP
• Feedlot upgrades and replacement  

Funding: Up to $2 million, 0% interest
Timing: Accepted on a rolling basis
Link: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/cwp-loans

The Minnesota State Program Navigator was developed in 2018 by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy to compile information and program offerings across state agencies that, specifically, rural communities might be interested in accessing. The Navigator includes technical (staff support, education, etc.) and financial (loans, grants, etc.) resources that incentivize or support rural communities in making environmental, sustainability, and community resilience improvements. Programs may be accessed by residents, farmers, businesses, educators, public entities and local governments. 

The State Program Navigator was developed in response to the 2016 Rural Climate Dialogue State Convening. The convening gathered rural residents from three counties (Stevens, Itasca, and Winona) and staff from over ten state agencies to discuss how the state government could better integrate rural priorities into their planning, and how rural residents and communities could better access state resources. Participants agreed that accessing state financial and technical resources was difficult given the breadth of programs across different agencies.

LEARN MORE and ACCESS THE REPORT (appendix).