The national oceanic and atmospheric administration is providing $3,719,626 in federal funding to the maryland department of natural resources financial and administrative services through the…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office for Coastal Management (CFDA 11.473) awarded $3.72 million to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources on October 1, 2025, for habitat restoration and land conservation projects within the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, a component of the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve—Maryland. The three-year project, scheduled for completion on September 30, 2028, will deliver shoreline and stream reach restoration services to protect coastal infrastructure and reduce downstream pollutant conveyance and flooding within coastal counties. Specific deliverables include construction of 530 linear feet of living shoreline vegetated with freshwater tidal marsh plants and restoration of 2,589 linear feet of an incised stream reach.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will implement the project through habitat restoration planning, engineering and design, habitat restoration implementation, and land conservation activities. A sub-award issued on October 31, 2025, will pass through project funds to the Friends of Jug Bay (FOJB) for Phase II of the Jug Bay Stream and Shoreline Restoration Project, supporting collaborative delivery of the restoration objectives.

The national oceanic and atmospheric administration is providing $3,719,626 in federal funding to the maryland department of natural resources financial and administrative services through the FY2024 and FY2025 national estuarine research reserve system habitat protection and restoration grant competition. This funding will increase the safety and productivity of coastal communities within coastal counties through habitat restoration planning, engineering and design projects, habitat restoration implementation projects, and land conservation projects. Specifically, the maryland department of natural resources financial and administrative services will use these funds for shoreline and stream reach restoration within the JUG BAY wetlands sanctuary, a component of the chesapeake BAY national estuarine research reserve - maryland. The project will result in 530 linear foot (LF) living shoreline, vegetated with freshwater tidal marsh plants, and the restoration of 2,589 LF of one severely incised stream reach to protect infrastructure and to significantly reduce downstream pollutant conveyance and flooding.