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EPA Seeks a Partner for New Bay Watershed Grants Program

Release Date: 3/10/2005
Contact Information: Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543

Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program is looking to team up with an organization to help award and administer nearly $8 million in watershed grants to reduce non-point source nutrient pollution in the bay watershed.

“These regional watershed efforts can yield dual benefits, both for the local watershed and for the Chesapeake Bay as a whole,”according to Chesapeake Bay Program Office Director Rebecca Hanmer. “EPA is seeking an organization that will help us maximize the nutrient and sediment reductions that these important efforts can achieve,” Hanmer said.

The request for proposals published today on EPA’s regional website outlines a cooperative agreement EPA will award to an organization whose mission is to support bay watersheds in reducing excessive nutrients through cost effective approaches. Public-private partnerships and market-based approaches, including nutrient trading, are two effective methods.

The cooperative agreement will allow the organization selected to serve as an intermediary to advertise, select, and manage a competitive watershed grants program with $7,936,000 in grant funds for 2005. The organization selected will also provide technical support to sub-grantees, monitor their progress, and report on results and lessons learned.

The targeted watersheds grant program is a competitive grant program designed to protect and restore water resources through a holistic watershed approach to water quality management. The intermediary organization can award sub-grants to states, watershed organizations and non-profit organizations to improve water quality through a sustainable watershed approach.

Applications must be received by EPA by April 25, 2005. EPA plans to award the cooperative agreement by July 1, 2005. Please send questions by email to [email protected]. The announcement and frequently asked questions are available at https://www.epa.gov/region3/chesapeake/grants.htm.