Contact: Mary Juhl; mary.juhl@state.mn.us, 651-215-9008
ST. PAUL — Funding is now available from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) for conservation easements and local government land purchases designed and located to protect drinking water sources across the state.
BWSR is opening two opportunities today via the recently revamped Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Drinking Water Program, formerly known as the RIM Wellhead Program.
The RIM Drinking Water Program uses state funds to establish perpetual or 25-year conservation easements on private lands as well as to fund land purchases by local governments. The program focuses on protecting land from pollution in vulnerable Drinking Water Supply Management Areas (DWSMAs).
BWSR recently updated the program to offer competitive easement payments, permit additional land use flexibility, and simplify and streamline the land purchase agreement process.
“Limiting the application of nitrogen on cropland acres with sensitive geology offers clear benefits for drinking water sources,” said BWSR Executive Director John Jaschke. “These new options available through the RIM Drinking Water Program will offer landowners a fair payment to voluntarily enroll land into conservation easements that protect our most vulnerable surface and groundwater sources.”
A total of $11 million from the Clean Water Fund is available for the following opportunities:
RIM Drinking Water Easements:
Description: Private landowners who meet requirements can enroll land in perpetual conservation easements held by BWSR
Eligible applicants: Private landowners
Deadline(s): Applications are accepted continuously and reviewed monthly.
How to apply: Interested landowners can work with their local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to apply.
Drinking Water Protection Partner Agreements:
Description: Funding is available for local governments to purchase land that protects drinking water sources.
Eligible applicants: Cities, townships, counties, public water suppliers, soil and water conservation districts, watershed districts, tribal governments, joint powers authorities
Deadline(s): Applications are accepted continuously and reviewed monthly.
How to apply: Application materials can be found here on BWSR’s website. Eligible applicants should email their applications to bwsr.rim@state.mn.us.
For more information, see BWSR’s website.
