GRAND ISLE — The Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) seeks proposals for projects that will reduce pollution from stormwater runoff in the Lake Champlain watershed. The LCBP will fund projects that install large-scale best management practices (BMPs) or provide planning and prioritization for future on-the-ground stormwater treatment projects.
As much as $500,000 in total is available to support projects through the Request for Proposals that was recently announced.
Projects eligible for funds in the BMP category might include construction of innovative projects for shoreline stabilization, green infrastructure, combined sewer overflow (CSO) reduction, or the purchase of equipment to be shared among organizations. Grants of $50,000 to $125,000 will be awarded for these projects.
Eligible planning and prioritization projects might include green infrastructure planning at a municipal level, CSO reduction strategies, or watershed-scale assessments and prioritizations. These projects do not include construction. Grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded in this category.
“Many important projects that reduce water pollution come with a high price tag,” said LCBP Program Director Eric Howe. “These grants allow municipalities and other organizations to implement important larger-scale projects that can’t be supported with smaller funding sources.”
The selected projects will further the goals of the Lake Champlain Basin Program’s long-term management plan Opportunities for Action. Support is provided with funds awarded to the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission on behalf of the Lake Champlain Basin Program by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.
Details about the Request for Proposals are available online at lcbp.org/grants or by calling the Lake Champlain Basin Program office at 802-372-3213. The deadline for applications is Oct. 3. Successful applicants will be notified by February 2020 for project initiation by May 2020.