This action approves an award in the amount of $750,000 to the pensacola and perdido bays estuary program to support their efforts with improving the water quality of the gulf of america

Cooperative Agreement Award Summary

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 awarded $750,000 to the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program, Inc. under the Geographic Programs - Gulf of America Program (CFDA 66.475) effective October 1, 2025, with completion targeted for September 30, 2028. The primary product is the establishment of a Water Quality Monitoring Collaborative featuring a comprehensive network of 33 sentinel monitoring sites across the Pensacola and Perdido Bays watersheds in Florida and Alabama. The collaborative will deliver monthly water quality monitoring data on bacteria, nutrients, and standard physical parameters, with findings incorporated into updated State of the Bays Reports for 2027 and 2029, and made publicly accessible through a web-based data dashboard.

The award leverages subrecipient partnerships with local governments and tribes to support laboratory analyses and sample collection assistance. Key deliverables include the formal establishment of the collaborative agreement, comprehensive water quality monitoring datasets, updated watershed assessment reports, and a public-facing dashboard enabling community access to water quality information. The anticipated outcomes are sustained long-term monitoring capability, enhanced understanding of water quality trends in the bays, and adoption of water quality improvement plans by regional stakeholders, ultimately benefiting residents and communities throughout the Pensacola and Perdido Bays watersheds.

The purpose of this award is to form the water quality monitoring collaborative that will establish a comprehensive network of sentinel sites to assess water quality status and trends for the pensacola and perdido bays watersheds. Activities:the activities to be performed include establishing the collaborative (agreement); monthly water quality monitoring for bacteria, nutrients, and standard physical parameters at 33 monitoring sites located across the pensacola and perdido bays watersheds in florida and alabama; finalizing the water quality monitoring plan; updating the 2027 and 2029 state of the bays report; and creating a public dashboard for data. Subrecipient:subrecipient activities include laboratory analyses for water quality monitoring and sample collection assistance from local governments and a tribe. Outcomes:the anticipated deliverables (outputs) include establishment of the collaborative, water quality monitoring data, updated state of the bays reports, and publicly available water quality monitoring data via the dashboard. Expected outcomes are sustained monitoring, enhanced understanding of water quality trends, and adoption of water quality improvement plan. The residents and communities in pensacola and perdido bays watersheds will benefit from improved water quality.