Distribution of Infrastructure Funding is Major Victory for Clean Water
(BALTIMORE, MD)—Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe, joined by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Representative Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Representative Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), and Representative John Sarbanes (D-MD), announced the first year’s appropriation of the $238 million designated for the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The funds, spread over five years, will increase the Bay Program’s budget by $47.6 million a year.
McCabe announced the following allocation of these funds:
$15 million: Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants
$15 million: State-based Implementation for the Most-effective Basins
$10 million: Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Grants
$7.6 million: Other programs
In response, Choose Clean Water Coalition Director Kristin Reilly issued the following statement:
"Following the historic investment in clean water through the bipartisan infrastructure bill, we are thrilled to see these funding allocations. In partnership with other members of the Choose Clean Water Coalition and the Chesapeake Bay Commission, we advocated for the distribution of funds to these programs as this allocation will support on-the-ground projects quicker than any alternative. At a critical juncture in the restoration of the rivers and streams that feed the Chesapeake Bay, it is crucial that we move without delay to complete projects that make a tangible difference for our local waterways.
"These grant programs support projects throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed such as planting riparian buffers on farms, upgrading sewage treatment facilities, and installing rain gardens in urban areas. These projects not only improve water quality but also deliver good jobs, stimulate local economies, and improve public health. Given these many benefits, we are encouraged the Bay Program will endeavor to select projects in communities that are disproportionally impacted by our changing climate.
"As we approach the 2025 deadline to have all pollution reduction practices in place as part of the Bay's restoration effort, the increased investment from the bipartisan infrastructure bill supporting these grant programs is a crucial step forward. Along with our more than 270 member organizations, the Choose Clean Water Coalition will continue to fight for investments like these that will help us leave a legacy of clean water to future generations."
The Choose Clean Water Coalition, an organization that harnesses the collective power of more than 270 local, state, regional and national groups to advocate for clean rivers and streams in all communities in the Chesapeake region.
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Media Contact:
Drew Robinson
443-927-8049
RobinsonAQ@nwf.org