Federal and state environmental agencies, alongside officials from New England and New York, recently collaborated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to announce that they will provide $12 million in grants aimed at enhancing the Long Island Sound. These funds represent part of an extensive effort to protect and improve the water quality and overall health of this vital estuary.
The EPA news release stated that representatives from both the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were present during this announcement. They clarified that these funds originate from a collection of 39 grants, set to be distributed among local municipalities and organizations. Furthermore, an additional $8 million donated by the grantees themselves will bolster these efforts, contributing towards a total conservation impact worth $20 million for projects across Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont.
"Everyone that lives, works, and plays on the Sound deserves clean water and equitable access. By investing in America, these grants, along with the huge investment in the Sound from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law put us on the right path," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "Because of these investments, EPA is making good on its promises to uplift communities, make them more resilient to climate change, and improve the health of the Sound as a whole."
According to another segment of this EPA news release, these investments will fund developments aimed at enhancing water quality by preventing approximately 2.7 million gallons of stormwater runoff and 101 thousand pounds of nitrogen pollution from contaminating Long Island Sound waters. Additionally, this measure is projected to eliminate around 120 tons of marine debris from the Long Island Sound while also establishing plans for rehabilitating roughly 880 acres of coastal habitat and 102 miles of river corridor critical for local fish populations and wildlife.
"EPA's continued investments in locally based programs in and around Long Island Sound will tackle water quality improvements, reduce nitrogen pollution and restore coastal habitat," affirmed Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia of EPA Region 2. "EPA is proud to support these innovative and impactful projects that will improve the health and resilience of this vital estuary for generations to come and ensure that all communities have a voice and a role in the protection and restoration of the Sound."
