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Pokegama Lake Association asks Pine County to be fiscal agent for $3 million grant to test nanobubble system
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Summary
The Pokegama Lake Association requested Pine County act as fiscal agent for a proposed $3 million LCCMR grant to install two floating nanobubble barges; the board approved a resolution allowing the association to apply and said long-term operation would be handled by a proposed Lake Improvement District.
The Pokegama Lake Association on Feb. 17 asked Pine County to serve as fiscal agent for a Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) grant application seeking about $3,000,000 to deploy a full-lake nanobubble system on Pokegama Lake.
Kathy Nielsen, representing the association, told commissioners the group had strong visual results from a pilot project in the North Bay and is preparing a full grant application for 2027. "We are requesting about $3,000,000," she said, describing a system made of two large floating barges carrying containers with equipment; she said the equipment has a life expectancy of "30 to 40 years." Nielsen said the association would pursue forming a Lake Improvement District to fund long-term maintenance and operations if the capital grant is awarded.
Commissioners asked about county liability and administration workload; county staff said serving as fiscal agent would likely involve only minimal invoice processing (one or two invoices) if the grant were awarded. One commissioner expressed concern about who would carry ongoing operation costs after grant-funded capital is installed; Nielsen said the lake association intends to establish a Lake Improvement District contingent on award to cover maintenance.
After discussion the board approved the resolution (2026-06) allowing the association to list Pine County as the fiscal agent for the grant application. County administration will provide the necessary fiscal-agent paperwork and return to the board for any subsequent requirements if the grant is awarded.
The association said the equipment would be anchored in locations that are not popular fishing spots and that the barges would be serviced by boat; if funded, the association expects to decide on final siting and operational details during subsequent planning.
