Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 08/21/2023

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DEPARTMENT OF 2023 Shade Tree Program NATURAL RESOURCES Bonding Grants Priority Projects Ensuring fairness,precision,equity,and consistency in competitive grant awards is a policy of state of Minnesota.This includes implementing diversity and inclusion in grant making.The Policy on Rating Criteria for Competitive Grant Review establishes the expectation that grant programs intentionally identify how the grant serves diverse populations,especially populations experiencing inequities, disparities,or both. Priority will also be given to communities who have staff,plan to certify their staff during the grant period,or will contract with companies with staff with professional tree care credentials such as Minnesota Tree Inspector, International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist,etc.Any such credentials must be listed on the application to be considered. Projects that clearly benefit environmental justice priority populations and areas of concern for environmental justice(communities with higher populations of low-income residents,or people of color,including tribal communities,or both)will be rated higher. Please reference the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's interactive environmental justice map for more information.Applicants should describe how the proposed project activities benefit these communities. Eligible Project Expenses Eligible project expenses are those incurred through project activities that are directly related and necessary to produce the outcomes described in the project application.Grant funds can be used for, but will not be limited to: • Professional contracts for technical assistance or project implementation by individuals or organizations not a part of the local government unit • Site preparation and planting,including mulch,watering bags,staking materials,and tree wrap or guards • Equipment purchases less than$5,000 that are used to complete the project • Purchasing of trees for diversity Ineligible Project Expenses Ineligible project expenses include,but are not limited to: • Costs incurred prior to the start date on the fully executed grant agreement • Staff time for local government unit employees • Purchase of trees listed on the Minnesota Noxious Weed List,or the DNR's Invasive Terrestrial Plants list,including Amur cork tree,Amur maple,autumn olive,black locust,buckthorn, Norway maple,Russian olive,Siberian elm,and tree of heaven • Purchase of balled and burlapped trees,containerized trees larger than#20,and bareroot trees greater than 2"caliper diameter • Purchase of tree species that already make up 10%or more of the community's public trees,or whose family makes up 20%or more of the public trees • Purchase of chemicals for insecticide treatment • Gravel bed construction • Materials and staff time used to educate,engage,and conduct outreach to citizens • Purchasing of plants such as shrubs,living ground covers,sod,grass seed,and flowers • Purchasing of land or easements • Major soil and grade changes or construction • Capital expenditures(items with a unit cost of$5,000 or more),such as buildings,motor vehicles,or other permanent structures • Experimental practices not approved by DNR Page 4 of 8 July 2023