Cooperative Agreement 00E03741

This Cooperative Agreement award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 provides $138,962 in funding to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) under the Regional Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDG) program (CFDA 66.461). The funding will support WDNR's efforts to develop training, guidance, and standard operating procedures for the effective launch and early promotion of a newly issued, legislatively mandated Hydrologic Restoration General Permit (HRGP) in Wisconsin. WDNR will collaborate with the Wisconsin Wetlands Association and other partners to create and deliver informational resources to help external agencies and organizations plan, design, and secure approval for HRGP-eligible projects. The anticipated deliverables will focus on how the HRGP simplified the approval process for hydrologic restoration projects and the benefits realized through their completion, with the goal of increasing investments and implementation of these projects to improve wetland, stream, and watershed health across the state.