This $909,800 Project Grant award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the National Estuary Program (CFDA 66.456) supports the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) through the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership (CBEP) in Maine. Key activities include:
Continuing the Habitat Protection Fund to support habitat protection projects; advancing plans to remove dams and address fish passage on the Royal River and Stroudwater River; enhancing the resilience of tidal wetlands to sea level rise; expanding capacity for on-the-ground habitat restoration and community resilience projects; developing new coastal modeling tools; assessing septic system impacts on water quality; and funding watershed planning and community grant programs. The award will also support increased CBEP staffing to build relationships with underserved communities. Sub-recipient details are not provided, but the grant appears designed to deliver a range of estuary protection, restoration, and community resilience outcomes across the Casco Bay region over the 7-year performance period ending September 2031.