Steele County

This listing is produced by the Minnesota State Lottery from information provided by project managers and the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources.  While we attempt to provide the most current information, specific project locations and allocations do change. Information on projects for the current biennium, in particular, should be regarded as preliminary.

Energy Efficient Cities – 2009
http://www.mncee.org
The Center for Energy and Environment, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit organization, will use this grant to develop residential energy conservation programs.  Programs will be developed for eight cities:  Apple Valley, Austin, Duluth, Minneapolis, Owatonna, Park Rapids, Rochester, and St. Paul.  Homeowners in these cities will have the opportunity to be trained in low-cost energy conservation strategies.  Selected homeowners will qualify for customized energy action plans, in-home visits by technicians, and assistance with major upgrades such as insulation and replacement of heating and air conditioning systems.  The Center hopes to significantly reduce energy use in at least 6000 homes by the conclusion of the project and to develop programs that will ultimately benefit many more.

Development and Rehabilitation of Minnesota Shooting Ranges − 2003-05 biennium. Through this appropriation, 28 recreational shooting organizations and archery clubs across the state received grants from the Trust Fund, along with matching grants from the Minnesota DNR Division of Enforcement, to make improvements to archery ranges and shooting ranges that are available for public use. In Steele County, grants were used to improve the archery and firearm ranges at the 20 Rifle & Pistol Club in Owatonna.

Local Grants Initiative Program: Outdoor Recreation Grants – 2001-03 biennium. Money from the Trust Fund as well as the Minnesota Future Resources Fund was allocated during the biennium for this project administered by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. As a result, grants were provided for more than 130 different local environmental initiatives under several different categories, each with their own requirements: the Natural and Scenic Area grants program, Regional Park grants, Local Park grants, Conservation Partner grants and Environmental Partnership grants. In Steele County, the Trust Fund portion of the allocation was used for grants to help the Owatonna Izaak Walton League clear buckthorn, box elder, poplar, sumac and brush from the northern eight acres in Ahlborn Woods and work on the Ulrich prairie restoration project in Owatonna.

Lakescaping for Wildlife and Water Quality Initiative - 1999-01 biennium. This Department of Natural Resources’ program helped lakeshore homeowners learn how to use native plants on the shoreline and in the water to enhance wildlife habitat and improve water quality in their lake. With assistance from the Minnesota Lakes Association, the department conducted a series of workshops for property owners and constructed demonstration sites throughout the state. In Steele County, a workshop was held on June 10, 2000, in Owatonna.

Local Initiatives Grants Program - 1999-01 biennium. Appropriations from the Trust Fund for this project allowed the Department of Natural Resources to fund the Natural and Scenic Area Grants program, the Conservation Partners Grants program and the Environmental Partnerships Grants program during the biennium. More than 140 different projects across the state were approved for matching grants from July of 1999 through June of 2001. In Steele County, grants were received by Merton Township to develop a wildflower garden at a stopping point on an auto tour being developed by the Steele County Futures Fair Board, to contract the services of the Ecology Bus for an aquatic survey of priority water resources in the county and by Minnesota Pheasants Inc. to purchase a native prairie seed drill for the Steele County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Minnesota River Basin Initiative: Local Leadership - 1999-01 biennium with an extension to June 30, 2002. The Minnesota River has been the subject of many studies and many projects over many years. This project, administered by the Minnesota River Basin Joint Powers Board, was designed to encourage local leadership within each of the 13 major Minnesota River watersheds, implement projects on a cost-sharing basis to improve the river’s water quality and display the results on the Minnesota River Basin Data Center website. Visit http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/index.html for more information about this project.

Mussel Resource Survey - 1999-01 biennium. During the first two years of this project (this biennium), biologists and other staff from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources sampled 886 sites in 32 Minnesota rivers, 64 tributaries and 12 lakes including one site on the LeSueur River in Steele County during September of 1999. According to the website for this project, http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/nhnrp/mussel_survey/index.html, freshwater mussels, commonly called clams, occur throughout the world but reach their greatest diversity in North America where about 300 species are found. Unfortunately, within the last 100 years mussel communities have declined in abundance and diversity due to dam construction, stream channelization, water pollution and sedimentation, over harvesting and the recent introduction of the exotic Zebra mussel. In response, groups such as the American Fisheries Society and The Nature Conservancy have identified mussels as the most imperiled group of animals in North America. The primary goal of this project is to build the information base necessary to sustain freshwater mussels in Minnesota. Building this base of information is expected to take about six years to complete.

Nongame Wildlife Management - 1999-01 biennium. The Department of Natural Resources’ Nongame Wildlife Program used this grant from the Trust Fund to help carry out more than 65 wildlife conservation projects during the biennium. Among the research, habitat management, information and education and planning activities were planting of lakescaping sites, development of bald eagle management plans, surveys of loon, hawk and owl populations, habitat improvements for endangered and threatened species and wildlife management workshops. In Steele County, turtle population surveys took place on the Straight River. The website for the Nongame Wildlife Program is http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/nongame/index.html

Organic Farming Training Project - 1999-01 biennium. The Minnesota Food Association of Arden Hills and Cooperative Development Services of St. Paul developed an ongoing mentoring program for farmers who want to use organic farming methods. Training farms for this project were established in Chaska, Rosemount, Hamel, Stillwater, Faribault, Owatonna, Waconia and at the University of Minnesota’s Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen. Training sessions were also held in Lamberton, Browerville, Stillwater and St. Paul. The project trained over 1,000 farmers during the biennium, many of them recent immigrants to Minnesota.

Accelerated Native Grass and Forbs on Road Rights-of-Way - 1995-97 biennium.  The way grasses and plants along roadsides are maintained significantly impacts soil and water quality, wildlife and rare plant habitats.  In Steele County, new technology was used to plant and manage native grasses along roadsides that will protect and improve biological diversity.  Lead agency:  Department of Natural Resources.

Cannon River Watershed Strategic Plan: Integrated Management - 1995-97 biennium.  The Board of Water and Soil Resources is working with the Cannon River Watershed Partnership to implement management activities in the Cannon River Watershed.  With local and technical help, the Partnership is improving water quality by reducing pollution and erosion, protecting sensitive areas and encouraging agricultural practices that do not effect the environment.

State Park and Recreation Area Acquisition, Development, Betterment and Rehabilitation - 1995-97 biennium.  This project is for the acquisition of new land for state parks and to develop and rehabilitate existing state parks.  In Steele County, the program provided interpretive signs and resource management at Rice Lake State Park.  Lead agency:  Department of Natural Resources.

Minnesota River Implementation Project - 1993-95 biennium.  This project works with landowners and governmental agencies to reduce the high amounts of pollution in the Minnesota River and its tributaries.  The goal is to use land management practices that reduce the amount of pollutants and runoff that empty into the river from a 30-county area.  The project includes an educational program being used by 15 high schools that brings attention to water quality.  Lead agency:  Pollution Control Agency.

Cannon River Watershed Grants - 1991-93 biennium.  The Cannon River is facing increasing industrial, agricultural and suburban pressures.  This project distributed grants to promote proper resource management techniques and enhance the watershed's natural systems for the Cannon River Watershed.  In Steele County, grants were given for manure management demonstrations and vegetative filter strips.  Lead agency:  Board of Water and Soil Resources.

Minnesota River Basin Water Quality Monitoring - 1991-93 biennium.  This project sought to identify the sources of nonpoint pollution threatening the water quality and uses of the Minnesota River and its tributaries including the LeSueur River in southwestern Steele County.  The results are used to direct state and local pollution programs.  Lead agency:  Pollution Control Agency.

South Central Minnesota Surface Water Resources Atlases and Data Bases - 1991-93 biennium.  This project gathered data to produce the following maps: general land survey, surface hydrology, weather station locations, point source pollution, incorporation of new land-use maps, population data from the 1990 census, county soil maps and cancer and epidemiology maps.  The Steele County project developed surface hydrology atlases and a database.  Lead agency:  Mankato State University.

09/25/09 - TM