DIVISION OF CONSERVATION SERVICES Drinking Water Supply Protection Grant Program Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

Drinking Water Supply Protection Grant Program Eligible applicants: municipal public water suppliers and districts Eligible projects: land acquisition Maximum award: $350,000 Reimbursement rate: 50%

Land acquisition – eligible interests  Fee simple  Conservation Restriction (CR)  Watershed Preservation Restriction (WPR)

3 Project types 1.Land to protect existing wells/intakes Must be in Zone I (pre-1990) II or III/ A, B, or C / IWPA 2.Land to protect planned new wells/intakes Must be in anticipated Zone and be identified by appropriate planning process 3.Land to be used for groundwater recharge Must have suitable location and soils and be identified by appropriate planning process

Ineligible projects  Zone I designated after 1990  Land that is already protected  Land that is already owned by the municipality for any reason  Land with inappropriate soils (recharge)

DWSP Grant pays for:  Acquisition  Recording fees  Title research and certification  Property survey  Baseline Documentation Report & Land Management Plan

Application contents  Appraisal  TWO appraisals if the first is >$750,000  Maps  Itemized budget  Project narrative  Supporting plans and documentation

Grant procedures  All projects must have board of water commissioners vote of approval for total cost  Do not purchase property until after contract execution  Project-specific DEP approval is still required  Contracts will be for fiscal year 2015 or 2016  Reimbursement payments are contingent upon completing all requirements  Only documented municipal/district expenditures will be reimbursed

Evaluation criteria  Demographics Population served Environmental Justice  Resource Management Rate of water use % unaccounted for water Water rate structure  Project Quality Importance (differs by project type) Resource protection (current zoning, level of threat, planned)  Size  Public access

Post-completion Responsibilities  All sites that receive DWSP funding are protected by Article 97: land must remain as water supply land in perpetuity  Reasonable public access  Maintain natural vegetation cover  Sign

Other DCS Grant Programs  LAND grant For: conservation commissionsMax award: $400,000 To: acquire land/CRs Application due: summer  Landscape Partnership grant For: conservation commissions, water Max award: $1,500,000 departments, non-profits, and state and Application due: summer/fall federal agencies To: acquire 500+ acres land/CRs/APRs/WPRs  Conservation Partnership grant For: non-profits Max award: $85,000 To: acquire land/CRsApplication due: summer  Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant For: conservation commission/parks depts Max award: $ varies To: acquire land/CRs; develop parks

About those other grant programs...  Partnerships are encouraged! Interests overlap  Opportunity for water suppliers to help shape the kinds of uses taking place in water supply areas

Celia Riechel (617) or Application materials available at: or