NOAA Awards More Than $2.2 Million To The Delaware Department Of Natural Resources And Environmental Control To Purchase Estuarine Lands

NOAA AWARDS MORE THAN $2.2 MILLION TO THE DELAWARE
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL
CONTROL TO PURCHASE ESTUARINE LANDS

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded $2,226,324 to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to support the acquisition of land near the Blackbird Watershed. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The grant will fund the purchase of the land as one of Delaware’s two National Estuarine Research Reserves. The estuary is one of the most undisturbed natural ecosystems in the state and is home to many endangered plants and animals. Once acquired, the land will be used for estuarine research initiatives, waterfront access for the public and boat launching.

“Funding from this NOAA grant will ensure the protection of this estuary, creating a haven for endangered species and provide researchers with the tools they need to effectively assess the area,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “NOAA and the Bush Administration are working to improve the understanding of our environment and to strengthen estuarine protection initiatives like those of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.”

Each year, NOAA awards approximately $900 million in grants to members of the academic, scientific and business communities to assist the agency in fulfilling its mission to study the Earth’s natural systems in order to predict environmental change, manage ocean resources, protect life and property and provide decision makers with reliable scientific information. NOAA’s goals and programs reflect a commitment to these basic responsibilities of science and service to the nation for the past 34 years.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources. To learn more about NOAA, please visit http://www.noaa.gov.

On the Web:

NOAA - http://www.noaa.gov