Department of the Interior

Orphaned Well Site Plugging, Remediation, and Restoration Program ($4.7M)

Description: Orphaned oil and gas wells jeopardize public health and safety by contaminating groundwater, seeping toxic chemicals, emitting noxious gases, and harming wildlife. These funds will invest in an Energy Community Revitalization program to help plug and restore these abandoned sites.
Eligible applicants: States and Tribes
Application Deadline: TBD

Western Water Infrastructure (administered by the Bureau of Reclamation) ($1B)

Description: Provides grant funding for water recycling and reuse projects, including $450 million for large water recycling projects; and establishes a competitive grant program for large water recycling projects.
Eligible applicants: For the Title XVI grant program, eligibility shall be determined by the Secretary of the Interior if the project reclaims and reuses municipal, industrial, domestic or agricultural wastewater, or impaired ground or surface waters. For the large water recycling program, eligible applicants include a State, Indian Tribe, municipality, irrigation district, water district, wastewater district, other organization with water or power delivery authority, or an agency established under State law for the joint exercise of powers.
Application Deadline: March 15, 2022
Apply or learn more: To apply for funding or to learn more about the program, CLICK HERE

Desalination project ($250M)

Description: Provides grant funding for desalination projects.
Eligible applicants: Eligibility shall be determined by the Secretary of the Interior for water desalination projects and related activities in accordance with the Water Desalination Act of 1996.
Application Deadline: March 15, 2022
Apply or learn more: To apply for funding or to learn more about the program, CLICK HERE

WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants ($400M)

Description: Provides grant funding for projects to improve water and energy efficiency, including a $100M set aside for natural infrastructure projects. Eligible applicants: Any State, Indian tribe, irrigation district, water district, any organization or entity with water or power delivery authority, or any nonprofit conservation organization acting in partnership with and with the agreement of an entity described above, or nonprofit conservation organizations that use grant funding for projects to improve the condition of a natural feature or nature-based feature on Federal land.
Application Deadline: March 15 – March 31, 2022
Apply or learn more: To apply for funding or to learn more about the program, CLICK HERE

Cooperative Watershed Management Program ($100M)

Description: Provides grant funding for collaborative watershed planning and management projects.
Eligible applicants: Grant recipients include a watershed group that the Secretary of the Interior has selected to receive a grant in accordance with subtitle A of Title VI of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (16 USC 1015 et seq.)
Application Deadline: March 31, 2022
Apply or learn more: To apply for funding or to learn more about the program, CLICK HERE

Multi-benefit watershed projects ($100M)

Description: Establishes a competitive grant program to provide grants for multi-benefit projects that improve watershed health in a river basin that is adversely impacted by a Bureau of Reclamation water project.
Eligible applicants: A State, Tribal or local government, an organization with power or water delivery authority, a regional authority or a nonprofit conservation organization.
Application Deadline: TBD

Small water storage and groundwater storage projects ($100M)

Description: Establishes and provides funding for a competitive grant program for small water storage and groundwater projects (this $100M is a set-aside within the larger $1.15B water storage pot).
Eligible applicants: Eligibility shall be determined by the Secretary of the Interior.
Application Deadline: TBD