Applications now being accepted for two dam grant programs
Weekly News Article Published: September 8, 2009 by the Central Office
Applications now being accepted for two dam grant programs
MADISON – Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank today announced the application period is now open for two dam grants funded in Governor Doyle’s budget. The budget Governor Doyle signed adds $4 million to this account, which has been at $0 for nearly a decade. This new state funding is available to help Wisconsin local governments maintain, repair, abandon or remove their dams.
“In the aftermath of last year’s flooding over a 30 county area, Governor Doyle made it a priority to replenish the dam repair and removal account, a critical public safety need,” Secretary Frank said. “We are moving quickly to accept applications and get this money working. We know that several communities were hit hard by flooding during 2007 and 2008 and could really benefit by these grants.”
June 2008 flooding in southern Wisconsin ranks as the state’s costliest natural disaster, with estimated damages of at least $765 million dollars to businesses, residences, farm crops and public property; August 2007 floods in southern Wisconsin also caused significant damages. DNR has ordered owners of some of the damaged dams to draw down water levels to reduce the risk of failure and damage if more flooding occurs before repair work or removal.
Applications due Oct. 15, 2009
A postcard was sent to municipal dam owners last month and to dam consultants this month to make them aware of the grant money and application process. Any Wisconsin city, town, village, county, tribe or public inland lake district that owns a dam may apply for financial assistance through the Municipal Dam grant program. Likewise, any Wisconsin city, town, village, county, Tribe, public inland lake district, or any other dam owner may apply for a grant to remove a dam under the Dam Removal grant program.
Application materials are now available on the Municipal Dam Grants page of the DNR Web site http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/cfa/Grants/Dammaint.html or by calling or e-mailing Eileen Trainor, Dam Grant Manager, (608) 267-0848 or Eileen.Trainor@Wisconsin.gov.
Applications must be received at the DNR building in Madison by Oct. 15, 2009, for consideration for the current funding cycle; forms received after that date will be held for consideration for future funding cycles should additional funds become available.
All eligible applications received by the application date will be scored and ranked. Ranked projects will comprise the priority funding list. Using the priority funding list, grants will be awarded until funds are depleted. Successful applicants will be notified as soon after Dec. 1, 2009, as possible.
Almost 60 percent of the dams in Wisconsin are owned by a company or private individual, about 9 percent by the State of Wisconsin, 17 percent by a municipality such as a township or county government, and 14 percent by other ownership types.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Meg Galloway (608) 266-7014; Bill Sturtevant (608) 266-8033
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