Southwest Montana News

Applications for nonpoint source pollution reduction projects funding are now open with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). 

The department has $1 million worth of grants to award, according to a press release from the Montana government. 

“Nonpoint source water pollution stems from widespread sources and is often associated with specific land uses such as agriculture, forestry, urban and suburban development, and runoff from abandoned mine sites. Common pollutants include sediment, nutrients, pathogens and toxic metals,” Montana DEQ said in the press release. 

The deadline to apply is Oct. 14 at 5 p.m. The department is recommending contracts for $10,000 to $300,000 for each project. 

All applicants have to be a government organization or a nonprofit. 

“DEQ works closely with local watershed groups, conservation districts, and land owners to fund projects that address water quality issues such as grazing management, stream flow and riparian vegetation,” DEQ Water Quality Division Administrator Tim Davis said in the press release. “These projects protect and restore Montana’s waters and have a demonstrated ability to improve land management for producers, increase wildlife populations, and increase the community’s engagement with water quality issues.”