PROTECT Formula Program in Minnesota
The Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Formula Program was authorized under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021. The $7.3 billion PROTECT Formula Program provides funding to help make surface transportation more resilient to natural hazards, including climate change, sea level rise, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters through support of planning activities, resilience improvements, community resilience and evacuation routes, and at-risk coastal infrastructure. The current federal appropriation for this program in Minnesota is approximately $115 million or $23 million annually over federal fiscal years 2022-2026 and requires a non-federal match. Applications for formula funds will be administered by the applicable Area Transportation Partnership (ATP) and/or Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).
Distribution of funds
MnDOT will distribute 70% of funds from the PROTECT Formula Program to the Districts for resilience improvements to the Trunk Highway System and 30% to the Area Transportation Partnerships (ATPs) for resilience improvements to any road or street under the jurisdiction of and maintained by a public authority and open to public travel. This funding distribution applies to funds targeted to Districts and ATPs for State Fiscal Years (FY) 2027 and 2028. PROTECT formula funding requires a 13% local match if a project is listed within the Minnesota Resilience Improvement Plan (RIP) or a 20% local match if a project is not listed within the RIP.
Eligible applicants include states (or a political subdivision of a state), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), local governments, special purpose districts or public authorities with a transportation function, Tribal governments, and federal land management agencies (FLMAs), when applying jointly with states.
Obligation of funds
To obligate funds, project(s) and project element(s) selected for PROTECT funding will need to be amended into the applicable Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and subsequently into the Minnesota Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
- Fiscal Year 2027 funds must be included in the applicable TIP and STIP and federally obligated no later than June 7, 2027.
- Fiscal Year 2028 funds must be included in the applicable TIP and STIP and federally obligated no later than June 7, 2028.
Eligible places to invest PROTECT funds
- Highway projects
- Public transportation facilities or services
- Port facilities (including facilities that connect ports with other modes of transportation, improve the efficiency of evacuations and disaster relief, or aid transportation)
Eligible projects
Per PROTECT Formula Program guidance, eligible resilience improvement activities must improve the ability of an existing surface transportation asset to withstand one or more elements of a weather event or natural disaster, or to increase the resilience of surface transportation infrastructure from the impacts of changing conditions. Eligible activities must either improve the resilience of existing surface transportation infrastructure or be designed for resilience purposes.
The Minnesota Resilience Improvement Plan (RIP) identifies top climate hazards in Minnesota. Eligible projects must address resilience to at least one of the seven climate hazards outlined in the RIP:
- heavy precipitation and flooding;
- extreme temperatures;
- freeze-thaw changes;
- abnormal winter weather;
- wildfire;
- landslides; and/or
- coastal erosion (along Lake Superior’s north shore)
The RIP also identifies specific resilience project categories that address each climate hazard or a combination of hazards. Within each category are specific projects types or resilience improvements that are eligible for funding. To see which climate hazards correspond to which project categories and types, refer to Table 1 in Chapter 4 of the RIP or the solicitation materials below.
PROTECT solicitation materials
Reach out to the MPO or ATP in your area for more specific information on the timeline of the PROTECT solicitation in your area.
- PROTECT FY27-28 Application Packet
- Includes program information, eligibility requirements, Letter of Intent (LOI) worksheet, and solicitation application template.
- PROTECT FY27-28 Solicitation Project Selection Guidance
- Includes information on distribution and obligation of funds and guidance for project evaluation and selection.
Project evaluation resources
- 2019 Minnesota State Hazard Mitigation Plan
- Floodplains process
- MnDOT Bridge Info Interactive Map
- North Shore Coastal Erosion Hazard Mapping Project
- MnDOT Slope Vulnerability Assessments
Timeline
FY2027, 2028 & 2029 solicitations
- Monday, Oct. 7, 2024 – Announce TA solicitation process and open Letter of Intent period
- Monday, Oct. 14, 2024 – Office Hours for TA, CRP and PROTECT LOIs
- Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 – Deadline for applicants to submit LOI
- Monday, Nov. 4, 2024 – LOIs distributed to RDO/MPO/MnDOT Districts for review
- Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024 – Deadline for RDO/MPO/MnDOT Districts review of LOIs and recommendation to proceed with full application given to applicants
- Monday, Dec. 2, 2024 – Official start of full application period
- Friday, Jan. 10, 2025 – Deadline for applicants to submit full applications
- Monday, Mar. 31, 2024 – Deadline for ATPs to select TA projects