The Montana Department of Environmental Quality Now Accepting Applications for Stimulus Funded Recycling Infrastructure Grants

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announced today that it is accepting applications for a $312,000 grant program to increase the types of materials recycled in the state, and divert more tonnage from the solid waste stream while saving energy. The funding for the grants comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The grant program is open to local governments, non-profit organizations and businesses. Individual grants will not exceed $25,000 and recipients must provide a five percent funding match. The competitive grants will be awarded to applicants who demonstrate that a project will result in a measurable increase in materials recycled and energy saved.

"Montana currently recycles about 18.5 percent of solid waste," DEQ Project Manager Kathy O’Hern noted. "Grants like this work to save precious space in our landfills while saving energy."

Communities that work together to collect and transport recyclable materials often mutually benefit from economies of scale, O’Hern said. Consequently, projects that create partnerships are highly encouraged. Proposed projects must include a sustainability plan for continued operation, she added.

Eligible projects for the grants might include the purchase of recycling storage bins or devices that bale recycled commodities such as cardboard or aluminum. "Really, just about anything that establishes or expands recycling in a community constitutes an eligible project," O’Hern said.

The deadline for submissions is December 15, 2009. A web seminar is planned to offer tips on project development and to offer instructions to complete the application package. For more information, visit the DEQ website at http://www.deq.mt.gov or call 406-841-5215.