DNRC Reclamation and Development Grants Program - Project Grant

DNRC Reclamation and Development Grants Program - Project Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation
Amount: Up to US $500,000
Last Updated: March 10, 2026

Summary

The Reclamation and Development Grants Program (RDGP) Planning Grants support projects aimed at restoring environmental damage caused by non-renewable resource extraction. Funded by the state, these grants assist local governments in planning projects that repair, reclaim, and mitigate ecological harm, ensuring the sustainability of public resources. Grant amounts vary by project type, with funding available for reclamation, drought management, and hazard mitigation, reflecting a commitment to preserving Montana's natural heritage.

Overview

General Information The Reclamation and Development Grants Program (RDGP) is a state-funded grant program designed to fund projects that protect Montana citizens from the effects of mineral development on public resources, and that meet other crucial state needs, serve the public interest, and benefit the total environment of the people of Montana. The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) administers the program. Program Purpose The purposes of the RDGP are: To repair, reclaim, and mitigate environmental damage to public resources from non‑renewable resource extraction; To develop and ensure the quality of public resources for the benefit of all Montana citizens. Eligible Projects Proposed projects must provide benefits in one of two categories: mineral development (reclamation of impacts from non-renewable resource extraction, also called reclamation projects) orcrucial state need. Mineral development impacts and crucial state need projects will be given equal preference in the ranking process. Projects not fitting into either of these categories will not be eligible for RDGP funding. DNRC will conduct a review and screening of all applications to determine eligibility under these two categories. Reclamation (Mineral Development) To be considered a reclamation project, the project goals and objectives must achieve at least one of the following: Reclaim land, water or other resources adversely affected by mineral development.Mitigate damage to public resources caused by mineral development.Research, demonstrate, or provide technical assistance to promote the wise use of Montana minerals, including efforts to make processing more environmentally compatible. Investigate and remediate sites where hazardous wastes or regulated substances threaten public health or the environment.Research to assess existing or potential environmental damage resulting from mineral development. Crucial State Need Projects that meet a crucial state need must prevent or eliminate severe and unacceptable damage to natural resources or capture extraordinary public benefit that would otherwise be lost. They must have a regional or statewide importance. Public benefit from implementation of this type of project must directly relate to natural resources. The critical and urgent nature of the proposed project must be clearly demonstrated in the application. Crucial state need projects must fit into one of the following categories: Drought MitigationProjects that address drought as the main purpose of the project and have been identified in an existing plan such as a drought management plan or watershed management plan that ties the need for the project to a specific watershed or region of the state.  High Hazard DamsHigh hazard dam (Montana Dam Safety Act, MCA 85-15-106) projects that will mitigate damage to natural resources as a result of failure.  Other Crucial State Need: Other projects that meet the criteria of a crucial state need project as described above. Projects must clearly be identified in an existing plan that identifies the need for this project to a specific watershed or region of the state, or include a letter of support from a knowledgeable and authoritative source, preferably a state agency, describing the need for this project for a specific watershed or region of the state.

Eligibility

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