319 Nonpoint Source Grant Program

NACD's mission is to serve conservation districts by providing national leadership and a unified voice for natural resource conservation.

Section 319 of the Clean Water Act established a grant program to assist in nonpoint source pollution mitigation efforts. States, territories, and tribes receive grants which support a variety of activities, including:

technical assistance
financial assistance
education
training

technology transfer
demonstration projects
monitoring

Section 319 of the Clean Water Act is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Types of Nonpoint Source Pollution
Nonpoint Source pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, eventually depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and underground sources of drinking water. These pollutants include:

Excess fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides from agricultural and residential areas
Oil, grease and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy production
Sediment from improperly managed construction sites, crop and forest lands, and eroding stream banks
Salt from irrigation practices and acid drainage from abandoned mines
Bacteria and nutrients from livestock, pet wastes and faulty septic systems

319 Funding Distribution
EPA 319 funds are provided only to designated state and tribal agencies to implement approved nonpoint source management programs. Each year, EPA awards 319 funds to states in accordance with a state-by-state allocation formula developed in consultation with states.

If a state’s funding plan is consistent with grant eligibility requirements and procedures, EPA then awards the funds to the state. Funds are then distributed by the states for management programs, such as increasing the utilization of agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as buffer strips, conservation tillage, and nutrient management.

NACD supports increased funding for the 319 grant program in the Fiscal Year 2008 Interior Appropriations Bill.

NACD Request for FY08
$250-300 Million

President’s Proposal for FY08
$194 Million

House Proposal for FY08
$204 Million

Senate Proposal for FY08 (committee)
$204.040 Million