$7.7 million Awarded to Regional Organizations to Reduce Nutrient Pollution to the Chesapeake Bay

Harrisburg, Pa. (May 2, 2006) - Ten watershed-based partnerships today received grants of $500,000 to $1 million to help improve the quality of local waters and the Chesapeake Bay. A total of $7.7 million from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chesapeake Bay Trust were awarded to Bay watershed organizations.

The Chesapeake Bay Targeted Watersheds Grants, announced today by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Donald Welsh and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Director of Conservation Programs Tom Kelsch, will help regional organizations to implement innovative programs designed to reduce the amount of nutrients flowing into the Chesapeake Bay

“Nutrient pollution from agricultural and stormwater runoff is the greatest challenge facing the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort,” said EPA's Welsh. “These projects demonstrate how we can rise to that challenge by engaging farmers, homeowners, governments, businesses, academics and nonprofits in developing and implementing sustainable, cost-effective solutions.”

The ten projects will reduce more than nine million pounds of nitrogen and nearly seven million pounds of phosphorous annually to the Bay. The projects reduce pollution from a range of sources and explore market-based incentives to encourage more widespread implementation of pollution-fighting programs.

“By taking a serious look at cost effectiveness and market-based incentives, these projects have the potential to be expanded and replicated throughout the Bay watershed,” said the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation's Kelsch. “These grants can dramatically improve the health of the Bay – its water quality, its habitat, and its fish and wildlife.”

At today's Annapolis awards ceremony, Chesapeake Bay Trust Executive Director David O'Neill said, “The Chesapeake Bay Trust is pleased to be a partner in this program that has challenged grantees to take a comprehensive look at the nutrient problem in their watersheds, and to develop innovative techniques to implementation and marketing that will chart the course for the Bay restoration effort into the future.”

Examples of projects funded include managing nutrient runoff from manure through precision feeding and identifying markets for manure as fertilizer; integrating farm stewardship with ecosystem restoration activities; and implementing various “low-impact development” and “social marketing” approaches to address urban/suburban stormwater in cost-effective ways.

Proposed projects are reviewed by a steering committee convened by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation . Projects are selected based on criteria established jointly by the Foundation and steering committee.

Primary funding for the grant program is provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through its national Targeted Watersheds Grants Program, and its Chesapeake Bay Program. The Chesapeake Bay Trust provides additional funding for Maryland recipients. Grant recipients must provide at least 25 percent in matching funds and in-kind services to support the projects.