Florida DEP to award $6m for water quality restoration projects

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in US is soliciting applications for up to $6m in water quality restoration grants.

The US Environmental Protection Agency annually awards each state a formula-based grant to protect and restore watersheds affected by nonpoint source pollution (pollutants carried by urban and agricultural stormwater runoff), including fertilisers, pesticides, animal waste, and septic tank discharges.

DEP environmental assessment and restoration director Tom Frick said: "The 319 grants offer local governments and other potential sponsors the chance to leverage their own resources to improve local water quality."

Eligible types of projects are urban storm water retrofits, septic tank pollution abatement, silviculture (forestry) best management practices (BMPs), other agricultural BMP development, monitoring or evaluation, erosion / sediment control, low-impact development and BMP training.

Funding will be given for construction, project-related monitoring, and project-related public education, while project design, engineering, land acquisition, and activities required by federal permit, such as an NPDES storm water permits, are not eligible for the grant.

The deadline for applications is 23 May.