Opportunity Information: Apply for L17AS00200
The BLM-(MT) Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L17AS00200) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, focused on environmental monitoring in Montana. It is designed to support and extend statewide stream water quality monitoring, with particular emphasis on adding or strengthening monitoring in parts of eastern and northern Montana where BLM-managed lands are concentrated and where past data gaps have made it harder to manage water resources effectively. Water quality is treated as a required land health standard for BLM, so the monitoring supported through this opportunity is intended to directly inform whether that standard is being met and whether management actions are maintaining or improving stream conditions.
A central feature of the opportunity is that it builds on an existing, long-running monitoring framework in Montana rather than creating a stand-alone system. The BLM began supporting this statewide effort in 2002 specifically to stimulate additional sampling and analysis in areas that historically had less coverage. The grant continues that approach by emphasizing the need for ongoing, consistent monitoring over time, not just one-time sampling, because long-term datasets are essential for tracking trends, detecting changes associated with land use or management, and demonstrating compliance with BLM, state, and federal water quality requirements. Since the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) serves as the lead water quality monitoring agency for the state, the project places strong emphasis on producing data that meets DEQ standards and can be incorporated into Montana's statewide, publicly accessible water quality database.
The stated objectives focus on generating high-quality stream data that can be used for several practical regulatory and management purposes. First, the monitoring is meant to determine current water quality conditions in streams, establishing baseline information and identifying where conditions may be impaired or improving. Second, the data are intended to support the development or refinement of water quality standards and benchmarks that help evaluate whether land management strategies, including those used on or near BLM lands, are affecting water quality. Third, the project aims to evaluate how effective Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) implementation has been in restoring or protecting stream conditions, which is a key component of watershed restoration and compliance planning. Finally, the work is expected to improve understanding of the relationship between specific management actions and observed water quality outcomes, strengthening the ability of agencies and partners to make defensible, evidence-based decisions.
The public benefit described for this opportunity is broad, reflecting the fact that water quality conditions are influenced by entire watersheds, not just the boundaries of BLM-administered parcels. By increasing the amount and coverage of credible monitoring data, the project supports better public-land stewardship while also providing useful information to neighboring landowners, local stakeholders, and other agencies. The resulting data and analyses are expected to feed directly into water resource planning documents, technical reports, and site-specific environmental analyses. Because many common water quality measures reflect cumulative watershed processes, the monitoring results can help identify priority issues and opportunities for cooperative solutions, potentially leading to collaborative, cross-boundary restoration projects that target the problems revealed through the data.
In terms of basic grant structure, this opportunity was listed under CFDA 15.236 and was open to eligible applicants without restriction by entity type, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications contained in the full announcement. The award ceiling was $100,000, with one expected award. The opportunity was created on July 7, 2017, and originally closed on September 3, 2017.Apply for L17AS00200
- The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM-(MT), Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.236.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 07, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 03, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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FAQs: BLM-(MT) Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring (Funding Opportunity Number L17AS00200)
What is this grant opportunity?
This opportunity is the BLM-(MT) Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring grant (Funding Opportunity Number L17AS00200), a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It supports environmental monitoring activities focused on stream water quality in Montana.
What is the main purpose of the funding?
The purpose is to support and extend statewide stream water quality monitoring in Montana, with an emphasis on filling monitoring gaps and strengthening coverage in parts of eastern and northern Montana where BLM-managed lands are concentrated.
Which geographic areas are emphasized?
The opportunity particularly emphasizes adding or strengthening monitoring in eastern and northern Montana, especially in areas with concentrations of BLM-managed lands and where historical data gaps have made water-resource management more difficult.
What environmental topic does this grant focus on?
The project focus is stream water quality assessment and monitoring, producing credible monitoring data to evaluate conditions and inform management decisions.
How does this relate to BLM land management requirements?
BLM treats water quality as a required land health standard. Monitoring funded through this opportunity is intended to directly inform whether that land health standard is being met and whether management actions are maintaining or improving stream conditions.
Is the intent to create a new monitoring program?
No. A central feature is that it builds on an existing, long-running statewide monitoring framework in Montana rather than creating a stand-alone system.
When did BLM begin supporting this statewide monitoring effort in Montana?
BLM began supporting the statewide effort in 2002, with the goal of stimulating additional sampling and analysis in areas that historically had less coverage.
Why does the opportunity emphasize long-term monitoring instead of one-time sampling?
The opportunity emphasizes ongoing, consistent monitoring over time because long-term datasets are needed to track trends, detect changes associated with land use or management, and demonstrate compliance with BLM, state, and federal water quality requirements.
Which state agency is identified as the lead for water quality monitoring in Montana?
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is identified as the lead water quality monitoring agency for the state.
What data quality expectations are described?
The project places strong emphasis on producing data that meets Montana DEQ standards and can be incorporated into Montana's statewide, publicly accessible water quality database.
What are the stated objectives of the monitoring work?
The objectives include generating high-quality stream data to (1) determine current water quality conditions, (2) support development or refinement of water quality standards and benchmarks, (3) evaluate the effectiveness of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) implementation, and (4) improve understanding of relationships between management actions and observed water quality outcomes.
How will the monitoring data be used to describe current conditions?
The monitoring is intended to determine current water quality conditions in streams by establishing baseline information and identifying where conditions may be impaired or improving.
How does the opportunity connect monitoring results to water quality standards and benchmarks?
The data are intended to support developing or refining water quality standards and benchmarks used to evaluate whether land management strategies, including those used on or near BLM lands, are affecting water quality.
What is the role of TMDLs in this project?
The project aims to evaluate how effective TMDL implementation has been in restoring or protecting stream conditions, supporting watershed restoration and compliance planning.
What does the opportunity mean by linking management actions to water quality outcomes?
The work is expected to improve understanding of the relationship between specific management actions and observed water quality outcomes, strengthening the ability to make defensible, evidence-based decisions.
Who benefits from the monitoring supported by this grant?
The described public benefit is broad. The opportunity notes that water quality is influenced by entire watersheds, not just BLM parcel boundaries, so expanded monitoring data supports public-land stewardship while also providing useful information to neighboring landowners, local stakeholders, and other agencies.
Why does the opportunity emphasize watershed-scale value beyond BLM boundaries?
Because many common water quality measures reflect cumulative watershed processes, the monitoring results can help identify priority issues and opportunities for cooperative, cross-boundary solutions based on what the data reveal.
What kinds of products or uses are expected from the resulting data and analyses?
The resulting data and analyses are expected to feed into water resource planning documents, technical reports, and site-specific environmental analyses.
What funding program identifier is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity was listed under CFDA 15.236.
What type of award is described?
The opportunity is described as a discretionary cooperative agreement.
Who is eligible to apply?
The opportunity was open to eligible applicants without restriction by entity type, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications contained in the full announcement.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling was $100,000.
How many awards were expected?
One award was expected.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on July 7, 2017.
When did the opportunity close?
The opportunity originally closed on September 3, 2017.
What is the overall management rationale behind the monitoring emphasis?
The rationale described is that credible, consistent monitoring data over time is necessary to manage water resources effectively, address historical data gaps, evaluate compliance with applicable requirements, and support defensible planning and decision-making related to land and watershed management.
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