NOAA Awards More Than $2.1 Million To Chesapeake Appreciation, Inc. For Oyster Restoration

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration granted $2,178,289 to Chesapeake Appreciation, Inc. to fund oyster restoration activities in Maryland. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The grant will support a cooperative agreement created to further the restoration of oyster stocks and the conservation of oyster reef habitat in Maryland's portion of the Chesapeake Bay. The multiple restoration efforts proposed will significantly enhance the ongoing efforts by NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Office to fund, facilitate and leverage outside funding for aquatic oyster reef restoration and its associated activities.

“Funding from this NOAA grant supports efforts to bring oyster populations back to abundance levels in the Chesapeake Bay,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “This is another example of NOAA’s and the Bush Administration’s strong commitment to species conservation and environmental stewardship.”

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.