EPA invests $22.4 million in continuing effort to clean up Chesapeake Bay

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will invest $22.4 million in projects that are part of a continuing effort to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay.

The money will be distributed to 13 recipients that include community nonprofits that are partnering with the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program office as well as state and local governments to focus on restoring water quality in the bay for wildlife, farmers and recreation.

Funding is made available through the Innovative Nutrient & Sediment Reduction grant program, which addresses numerous problems the bay faces, such as excess nutrients and sediment that pollute the water, invasive species that crowd out native plants and animals and effects that are due to climate change.

Since 2006, the INSR program has provided more than $200 million to over 250 projects that have reduced 36 million pounds of nitrogen, 9 million pounds of phosphorus, and nearly 800,000 tons of sediment across the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the EPA said.

The program is administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through a grant from the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program Office.

The grants will leverage $35.3 million in matching contributions to generate a total conservation impact of $57.7 million, the EPA said.

“These grants reflect our continuing commitment to protect the Chesapeake Bay and preserve our nation’s environmental legacy for future generations,” said EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office Director Martha Shimkin. “It is inspiring to be working with so many awardees who have long been committed to preserving, protecting, and enhancing the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.”

The Chesapeake Bay watershed covers parts of Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

Organizations receiving grants include:

Chesapeake Conservancy, INC. – Accelerating Stream Delisting in Central Pennsylvania
Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley – Accelerating Clean Water and Conservation Outcomes in Shenandoah Valley
James River Association – Growing Riparian Partnerships to Improve Water Quality in the James River Watershed
Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District – Stream Corridor Restoration in the Upper Susquehanna Watershed
Sustainable Chesapeake – Improving Manure and Nutrient Management in the Chesapeake Bay Region
Friends of the Rappahannock – Advancing Climate-Smart Conservation Through Innovation and Collaboration
Conservation Foundation of Lancaster County – Reducing Runoff and Reaching New Leaders in Lancaster
Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake – Developing Community Partnerships for Green Infrastructure and Equity Enhancement
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Inc. – Sustainable Dairy Partnerships and Corporate Investment in the Chesapeake Bay
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources – Implementing Forestry Best Management Practices in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Inc. – Increasing Riparian Forest Buffer Adoption Across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Trout Unlimited, Inc. – Improving Water Quality Through Riparian Restoration Practices The Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association – Accelerating Water Quality Outcomes through Stronger Nutrient Stewardship Partnerships