October 30, 2024
CONTACT: Bonnie Yoshizaki, Nonpoint Source Coordinator, bonnie.yoshizaki@deq.idaho.gov
BOISE – The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is hosting a Basin Advisory Group Chair meeting to evaluate nonpoint source projects that are eligible for federal funding.
The meeting will be held in person and via Teams on November 13, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Mountain Time. The in-person option will be held at DEQ’s State Office in Boise, Idaho. The public is encouraged to attend. See DEQ’s Events page for more information.
The funding is made available through Section § 319 of the Clean Water Act, which established a grant program under which states, territories, and tribes may receive funds to support a wide variety of nonpoint source pollution management activities. The Basin Advisory Group Chairs, which represent the six basin advisory groups statewide, are responsible for prioritizing nonpoint source project submissions for the upcoming fiscal year.
Nonpoint source pollution includes runoff from roadways, yards, construction sites, septic systems, and other sources, and is a significant concern for Idaho’s waterways. DEQ’s Nonpoint Source Management Program aims to prevent and eliminate pollution from nonpoint sources by implementing water quality improvement projects, which are designed to protect and restore beneficial uses (such as swimming and fishing) and prevent further water quality degradation.