MassDEP has opened the application period for the Section 319 Nonpoint Source Competitive Grants program.

Section 319 of the Clean Water Act provides grants for implementation projects that address the prevention, control, and abatement of nonpoint source pollution to surface and groundwaters. Nonpoint source pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground – as the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and ground waters. Common types of nonpoint source pollution include phosphorus and nitrogen from lawn and garden fertilizers and agricultural operations, bacteria from pet waste and waterfowl, oil and grease from parking lots and roadways, and sediment from construction activities and soil erosion.

Eligible entities include any Massachusetts public or private organization: State and Federally Recognized Tribes, Regional Planning Agencies, Councils of Governments, Counties, Conservation Districts, Cities and Towns, other substate public planning agencies, and interstate agencies.

Key Dates:

• Deadline for submission of written questions from applicants: Friday, March 29, 2024
• Answers to questions posted on MassDEP website: Friday, April 5, 2024
• Grant Application Deadline:  Friday, May 24, 2024, at 5 PM

Additional information on the Section 319 Nonpoint Source Competitive Grant program, and other MassDEP watershed and water quality funding, can be found on MassDEP’s website.