New grants available for small communities to protect against ... - Detroit Lakes Tribune

New grants available for small communities to protect against climate change - Detroit Lakes Tribune | News, weather, sports from Detroit Lakes, Minnesota

New grants available for small communities to protect against climate change

The MPCA has $500,000 available to support climate-planning projects in communities with populations of less than 10,000.

The effects of climate change are being felt across the state, from overwhelmed infrastructure, damaged property, dying trees and culturally important native species, to excessive heat, and other health threats.

Minnesota state government is partnering with local communities to assess needs, develop climate-adaptation plans, and make changes so that we are ready for what lies ahead. The MPCA has $500,000 available to support climate-planning projects in communities with populations of less than 10,000.

This funding will help communities assess vulnerabilities and plan for the effects of Minnesota’s changing climate in three areas:

- Improving stormwater resilience and reducing localized flood risk.
- Improving the resilience of wastewater systems.
- Reducing human health effects and adapting community services, ordinances, and public spaces.

Tribal nations, cities, counties, towns/townships, soil and water conservation districts, water management organizations, and water districts that have or serve populations of less than 10,000 are eligible to apply. Applications are due no later than 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023.

The MPCA will host a webinar to share information and answer questions about this grant on Tuesday, Aug. 8 at 1 p.m.

Any questions about this grant must be submitted to grants.pca@state.mn.us with the subject line “FY 24 Small Community SWC Resilience Grants” no later than Thursday, Sept. 7.

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The MPCA is also currently offering grants for planning and design projects to update aging waste-and-stormwater infrastructure in environmental justice communities. Learn more about those grants here.

More climate resilience funding for larger Minnesota communities will be made available later in the fall of 2023. The MPCA will also be distributing a survey in the coming weeks to better understand how to direct historic funding for climate resilience passed by the legislature this year. Stay tuned for more details.

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