CELCP | CELCP In Depth
CELCP: In Depth
The Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) provides grants to eligible state agencies and local governments to acquire property or conservation easements from willing sellers within a state's coastal zone or coastal watershed boundary.
The CELCP program is administered as a three-stage process: development of a state CELCP plan, a state competitive process to identify top projects (run by the state's lead agency), and a national peer-review competition.
The East Sandusky Bay Preserve is a 1,200 acre project involving the purchase of wetlands and marshes, wooded areas and other uplands such as meadows. The site is managed for habitat and is open to the public for recreation purposes.
CELCP Guidelines
Final Guidelines for Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, published in the Federal Register in June of 2003, establish the eligibility, procedural and programmatic requirements for the CELCP, including criteria for financial assistance. The guidelines also outline the criteria and process for developing state coastal and estuarine land conservation plans, selecting and nominating land conservation projects from states to a national competitive process, and the national project selection process. NOAA plans to update the guidelines in 2008 in order to clarify certain provisions and consider other changes. A Federal Register Notice requesting comments and suggested revisions to the guidelines was published in April (73 Fed. Reg. 19, 193, April 4). Comments on the CELCP guidelines are requested by June 9, 2008.
Eligibility
Coastal states with a coastal management program or national estuarine research reserve approved under the Coastal Zone Management Act may participate in the CELCP. According to the CELCP guidelines, a state must have an approved CELCP plan in order to compete for funding. Most coastal states are currently developing CELCP plans. To find out if your state is participating in the CELCP, contact your state CELCP lead. State CELCP leads run the state selection process and eligible state and local governments should contact their state CELCP lead for more information on the state's selection process.
Eligible state and local governments, as defined in the CELCP guidelines, may receive funds and hold title to land under the CELCP. A project must be located within a state's designated coastal zone, coastal watershed boundary, or other boundary established by the state consistent with the CELCP guidelines. Every state defines its own CELCP boundary. A property (or conservation easement) must be held by an eligible public entity, be managed for long-term conservation, and provide public access or other public benefit. The CELCP guidelines specify eligible and ineligible uses of CELCP funds, as well as long-term uses that are considered consistent or inconsistent with conservation under the program.
Potential CELCP recipients can find out more about the process for applying for and accepting CELCP funds at For Recipients.
Successful CELCP Projects
Between 2002 and 2007, the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) provided nearly $200 million for more than 150 projects to protect and conserve coastal and estuarine lands. CELCP projects often accomplish multiple goals including protecting wetlands and other significant coastal habitats, reducing coastal water pollution, and providing the public with recreational access to the coast. The following are just a few examples of successful projects CELCP has supported:
Wetland Protection - The State of California and Marin County acquired more than 2,300 acres within California's Sonoma Baylands, located at the northern end of San Pablo Bay. This area, which once functioned as a tidal marsh, was diked and drained for agricultural use. The area is now targeted for restoration and tidal flows will be returned to these historic wetlands. The public acquisition of this site will also enable the state to add 8,000 feet to the San Francisco Bay trail for public recreational access.
Reducing Coastal Water Pollution - The Town of Hampton, New Hampshire, acquired a conservation easement on 98 acres of a 151-acre farm to protect shoreline habitat and wetlands along the Taylor River. This easement provides a buffer between agricultural activities and reduces polluted runoff to coastal waters. The town also acquired an easement on the remainder of the property through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, enabling the owners to continue farming the remaining 50 acres, and protecting the rural landscape and economy.
Public Access - In Louisiana, the Saint Tammany Parish Government acquired a 106-acre property with one mile of shorefront along Bayou Liberty that had served for decades as a Boy Scout Camp. The camp had since closed and was targeted for a housing development. The parish acquired the property to maintain it as an open space and create a new public park for recreational activities, including nature trails, to ensure future generations will continue to have access to the coast.
For questions or additional information, contact Elaine Vaudreuil at 301-713-3155 x103.