The Department of the Interior – Bureau of Land Management is seeking applications for the Montana/Dakota Aquatic Resource Management program.
Donor Name: Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
State: Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/01/2023
Size of the Grant: $100,000
Grant Duration: 5 years
Details:
Purpose of the Program
The Bureau of Land Management’s BLM Montana/Dakota Aquatic Resources Program conserves and restores riparian and wetland areas, aquatic habitats, and water resources (hereafter referred to as aquatic resources) to provide resource values and ecosystem services necessary to achieve the BLM’s multiple use mandate. The agencies aquatic resources and issues are diverse and include watersheds; riparian-wetland systems; springs, streams, rivers, and groundwater; ponds and lakes; fisheries; water quality; water rights and uses; and aquatic invasive species. These systems also support myriad species of plants, fish, and wildlife; provide ecosystem services such as drinking water, pollination, and nutrient cycling; attenuate wildfires, floods, and drought; and are key to the vitality of local economies and communities. The Program also works to support the thoughtful implementation of other aspects of BLM’s mission (e.g., locatable minerals, fluid minerals, range, forestry recreation, renewable energy), which could either impact aquatic resources or require restoration of such resources to achieve multiple-use and sustained yield management objectives. This program supports projects funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Section 40804 (b) Ecosystem Restoration. This program supports projects funded through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Sections 50221 Resilience, 50222 Ecosystems Restoration and 50303 DOI.
The BLM Montana/Dakota Aquatic Resources Program’s core functions include:
- Decision Support: Inventory, assess, and monitor aquatic resources to inform our understanding of condition and trend, guide the BLM’s management activities, and assess regulatory compliance.
- Conservation: Maintain and conserve the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of aquatic resources.
- Restoration: Restore aquatic resources affected by past and present impacts, aquatic invasive species, wildfire, drought, and floods; and increase their resistance, resilience, and adaptability to the impacts of climate change.
- Water Resource Sustainability: Identify the quantity and quality of water required to conserve and restore riparian and wetland areas and aquatic habitats, and secure water rights and protections so sufficient water is physically and legally available for all public land management purposes.
- Environmental Compliance: Ensure full compliance with applicable federal law, Executive Orders, regulations, and policy and with state laws where such compliance does not conflict with federal law mandates.
- Collaboration: Coordinate, cooperate, and consult with federal, state, tribal, and local governments and other programs, partners, and communities, to foster adaptive approaches to conservation and restoration and implement education and outreach programs.
The BLM Montana/Dakota Aquatic Resources Program continues to advance the Department of the Interior’s priorities to address the climate crisis, restore balance on public lands and waters, advance environmental justice, and invest in a clean energy future. Specific BLM Montana/Dakota Aquatic Resources Program focuses to implement the Department priorities include, but are not limited to those actions that: protect biodiversity; restore aquatic resources; increase resistance, resilience, and adaptability to climate change and help leverage natural climate solutions; contribute to conserving at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by the year 2030; engage communities of color, low income families, and rural and indigenous communities to enhance economic opportunities related to aquatics; and use the best science and data available to make decisions.
The BLM Montana/Dakota Aquatic Resources Program has an opportunity to work with partner organizations to assist with:
- Contributing to the above-described Program core functions.
- Combating climate change and habitat loss impacts to aquatic resources.
- Restoring and connecting degraded aquatic resources.
- Increasing ecosystem resistance, resilience, and adaptability to drought, wildfires, and floods.
- Determining acceptable levels of hydrologics and ecological change given BLM management objectives.
- Advancing inventory, assessment, and monitoring activities and tools.
- Preventing the establishment and spread of invasive species.
- Increasing public knowledge of aquatic habitats on BLM managed lands, including with a targeted focus on communities of color, low-income families, and rural and indigenous communities.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Funding Amount: $300,000
- Maximum Funding Amount: $100,000
- Minimum Funding Amount: $50,000
Period of Performance
Projects cannot be funded for more than a five-year period.
Eligible Applicants
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Independent school districts
- State governments
- County governments
- Special district governments
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- City or township governments
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
