The court-approved agreement settling the natural resources damage lawsuit specifies how the grant from 3M can be spent by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the Minnesota Department of Natural resources (DNR). The second priority under the Settlement is to enhance aquatic resources, wildlife habitat, and outdoor recreational opportunities in the east metropolitan area, or downstream of the area on the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers. Priority 2 projects were solicited via a competitive, public Request for Proposals (RFP) process. See the DNR grant webpage for more information about the Priority 2 Grant Program.
MPCA and DNR have selected 26 projects to receive Priority 2 grant funding. The following list are those projects selected for funding. The DNR is continuing to work with grant recipients to finalize grant awards. This webpage will be updated with additional details about the funded projects in Fall 2026.
APPLICANT | PROJECT |
|---|---|
| Baztec Fishing and Outdoors | Fishing related educational programming |
| Belwin Conservancy | Improvements to Oxbow Trails in Afton |
| City of Cottage Grove | Development of Mississippi Dunes Park |
| City of Newport | Development of Riverfront Park at Cedar Lane |
| City of Oakdale | Improvements to Passages of Oakdale, a park in the city of Oakdale |
| City of Oakdale | Habitat restoration in nine city parks |
| City of Woodbury | Improvements to La Lake Park, North Campus |
| City of Woodbury | Habitat restoration in Tamarack Nature Preserve |
| Dakota County | Habitat restoration in Spring Lake Park Reserve |
| Dakota County | River access improvements, Kaposia Landing in South St. Paul |
| Fishing For Life | Fishing related educational programming |
| Freshwater | PFAS testing and development of consumption guidelines for several plant and fish species, in partnership with Prairie Island Indian Community |
| Friends of the Mississippi River | Habitat restoration in Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park |
| Middle St Croix Watershed Management Organization | Habitat and trail restoration, Valley View Park in Oak Park Heights |
| Rainbow Research, Inc. | Expand PFAS awareness within African American communities and development of guidance materials, in partnership with MDH |
| Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Department | Beaver Lake County Park Fishing and Recreation improvements |
| Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Department | Invasive phragmites control throughout Ramsey County |
| Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Department | Habitat/shoreline restoration in Beaver Lake County Park |
| Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Department | Habitat/shoreline restoration in Kohlman Creek and Lake Watershed |
| Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Department | Habitat/shoreline restoration in Keller Regional Park and Lake Gervais County Park |
| Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Department | Habitat restoration in Battle Creek Regional Park |
| Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District | Stream restoration of tributary of Fish Creek in Maplewood |
| South Washington Watershed District | Island creation and habitat restoration in Grey Cloud Slough, in partnership with USACE |
| Valley Branch Watershed District | Chloride reduction/source control throughout watershed |
| Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi (legally Lower Phalen Creek Project) | Daylighting of Lower Phalen Creek and associated park improvements, Phase 1 |
| Washington County | Development of 10 miles of singletrack trails at Lake Elmo Park Reserve |