The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency are seeking applicants for a new Resident Work Group to help plan a grant process as part of the 3M Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) settlement.
About $20 million in grant funds will be available for projects designed to restore or enhance aquatic resources, wildlife, habitat, fishing, resource improvement, and outdoor recreational opportunities. These grants are Priority 2 of the 3M PFAS Natural Resource Damage Assessment settlement. Priority 1 is dedicated to drinking water projects in the Twin Cities east metropolitan area.
Priority 2 funding will focus on natural resource and outdoor recreation projects in the east metropolitan area and downstream areas of the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers that have been affected by PFAS released by 3M. Priority 2 projects will be solicited and selected through a public Request for Proposals process. The DNR and MPCA will engage communities, stakeholders, and technical experts to gather feedback regarding Priority 2 goals and planning processes.
The Resident Work Group will complement separate community and technical groups, with all three groups providing feedback on the goals for Priority 2, the evaluation criteria that will be used to guide project selection, and Request for Proposals solicitation scope and language.
Applicants must:
- Reside in Washington, Ramsey, or Dakota counties.
- Attend meetings during business hours every other month for six months, with the possibility for additional meetings thereafter.
- Have experience or interest in engaging with government programs or projects.
Interested residents should complete and submit the application on the 3M PFAS Settlement web portal (3msettlement.state.mn.us). Applications will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 21. The DNR and the MPCA will review applications and select work group members. In addition to seeking the participation of individuals with relevant knowledge and experience, the DNR and the MPCA are seeking individuals with diverse backgrounds. To that end, the DNR and the MPCA will consider information related to the following aspects of an applicant’s background when selecting Resident Work Group members: race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, mental or physical ability, life experience, ideas, knowledge, and learning styles.
Submit any questions about Priority 2 work groups or grant processes to 3MPriority2@state.mn.us.
