Monitoring of starry stonewort control projects grant program

Program purpose

Starry stonewort is an invasive aquatic plant that was first confirmed in Minnesota in 2015. The effects of available control methods on starry stonewort are still not well understood. In order to assess the effectiveness of starry stonewort control projects, pre- and post-treatment monitoring is required by the DNR for all Invasive Aquatic Plant Management (IAPM) and public waters permits to control this plant. This offer is an opportunity for local entities such as lake associations, watershed districts, cities, and counties to receive a basic level of funding from the DNR to help pay for this required monitoring, and to receive additional funding to help pay for any additional monitoring that is proposed by the permittee and approved by the DNR. In general, monitoring must be performed by a third party with experience designing and conducting plant surveys.

Grant offer and grant process

Approximately $30,000 is available for this grant program in 2018. These grant funds must be used to help pay for DNR approved monitoring of starry stonewort control projects.

Grant amounts

$2,000 will be available to support the basic required monitoring associated with an Invasive Aquatic Plant Management (IAPM) or public waters permit that has been issued to control starry stonewort. Required monitoring will be included in the permit conditions.

An additional $1,000 is available to support additional monitoring as agreed upon by the permittee and specialist that is associated with the permit issued to control starry stonewort. Additional monitoring must be approved by the local Regional Invasive Species Specialist and will be included in a treatment or monitoring plan that the permit applicant has agreed on with the invasive species specialist. Additional monitoring must use a published, or at least well-tested, methodology. Examples of additional monitoring that may be eligible for this additional funding include:

bulbil sampling (above-ground or sediment), and
biomass of starry stonewort

The maximum grant amount any organization can receive is $6,000. This includes:

$2,000 for basic required monitoring of a pesticide control project, plus
$1,000 for additional monitoring of that project, plus
$2,000 for basic required monitoring of a mechanical or physical removal control project, plus
$1,000 for additional monitoring of that project.

In order to receive funding under this grant program, you must be awarded a grant, you must obtain an IAPM or public waters permit for control of starry stonewort, and your pre- and post- treatment monitoring plan must be approved by your local Regional Invasive Species Specialist.

Grant review process

After a grant application is submitted and the grant applicant applies for an IAPM or public waters permit, the DNR will review the permit application for control of starry stonewort and any proposed additional monitoring, and will issue or deny a permit for control of starry stonewort. If a decision is made to issue a permit, the specialist will inform the grant coordinator of the terms of the permit and a grant agreement will be written for the monitoring associated with the permit that was issued. If a decision is made to deny the permit, the grant coordinator will be notified and the grant request will be denied.

Grant payments

This is a reimbursement grant. The grantee must arrange for the monitoring, pay up front, and then request reimbursement for their costs. The DNR will reimburse grantees for all eligible costs associated with the monitoring up to their grant amount. Eligible costs include the cost of all pre- and post-treatment monitoring that is required by an IAPM or public waters permit and additional proposed monitoring that is approved by the Regional Invasive Species Specialists. The DNR will not reimburse the costs of monitoring that is not approved.

The DNR cannot reimburse costs for work done before the grant agreement is signed by all parties or work that is found by the DNR to be unsatisfactory or performed in violation of federal, state, or local law. In addition, a grantee may not receive reimbursement for costs that have already been reimbursed by another external funding source.

Grant application

Read and submit the 2018 starry stonewort monitoring grant application.

Questions

For assistance with grant and permit applications:
Regional Invasive Species Specialists

For assistance with the grant process:
Angelique Dahlberg, Research and Grants Coordinator, 651-259-5164, can answer questions about the grant process.