This cooperative agreement provides funding to the university of new hampshire (UNH), host of the piscataqua region estuaries partnership (prep), to support implementation of the infrastructure…

The University of New Hampshire received a $909,800 Project Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 1 under the National Estuary Program (CFDA 66.456), effective October 1, 2025, through December 31, 2028. The award supports implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) through the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). The University will deliver discrete research and monitoring projects, land conservation initiatives, culvert implementation, and community engagement programs focused on improving water quality, protecting natural habitats and living resources, and supporting sustainable human uses in the estuary while addressing research, monitoring, data, and synthesis gaps.

Deliverables include ecosystem restoration and resilience activities coordinated through multiple sub-awardees. The Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire will receive $213,548 over two years for land conservation initiatives, while the Seabrook-Hampton Estuary Alliance will coordinate multi-municipal watershed efforts. PREP's Adapting Together subaward and technical assistance program will receive $80,000 over two years to increase capacity of small communities to address extreme weather impacts. Additionally, the award funds the Piscataqua Region Environmental Planning Assessment (PREPA) implementation grants to support local communities in pollution prevention, restoration activities, and natural resource protection. These coordinated efforts prioritize elimination of administrative costs while delivering pollution prevention and restoration activities across the estuary watershed.

This cooperative agreement provides funding to the university of new hampshire (UNH), host of the piscataqua region estuaries partnership (prep), to support implementation of the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) through the piscataqua region estuaries partnership comprehensive conservation and management plan (ccmp) to improve the water quality, protect the natural habitat and living resources, and support sustainable human uses in the estuary by restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the estuary and support its sustainable human uses through tasks outlined in this infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) workplan and its partners. Activities:the projects included will support work priorities that directly support recommendations in the comprehensive conservation and management plan (ccmp) including discrete research and monitoring projects, land conservation initiatives, and culvert implementation. IT also funds community engagement programs through the piscataqua region environmental planning assessment (prepa) implementation grants to protect natural resources and/or water quality or address the impacts of extreme weather. Prep's adapting together subaward and technical assistance program will work with local partners to adapt to extreme weather. Additionally, sub-awards will be provided to the southeast land trust for land conservation initiatives and seabrook-hampton estuary alliance for coordination between multiple municipalities in hampton-seabrook watershed. The cooperative agreement supports activities that prioritize filling research, monitoring, data, and synthesis gaps; provides funds to communities to implement pollution prevention and restoration activities; and eliminates administrative costs. Subrecipient:- $80,000 over two years in support of adapting together to increase the capacity of small communities to address issues related to extreme weather; - $213,548 over two years for piscataqua region environmental planning assessment (prepa) grants to provide on-the-ground implementation of identified best practices to protect watershed and estuarine health; - $60,000 to southeast land trust ($30,000 per year) for land conservation initiatives; and - $60,000 to seabrook-hampton estuary alliance ($30,000 per year) for coordination between multiple municipalities in hampton-seabrook watershed. Outcomes:deliverables and outcomes include new and improved culverts offering improved hydrology for the watershed; new mapping products that will be used for project prioritization, implementation, and other monitoring purposes; implemented projects from the hampton-seabrook estuary management plan; regular meetings and workshops of the hampton-seabrook estuary collaborative; detailed seagrass monitoring data for two sites and a prioritized listing of science activities for future funding opportunities; augmented time series for the lamprey river sub-watershed; data files containing estuarine water quality data and a final methods report for all monitoring stations; data for new potential indicators for great BAY estuary; a water quality and nitrogen loading report for great BAY estuary; compiled mussel watch data; a funding opportunity for maine and hampton-seabrook estuary communities to increase capacity for small communities to address extreme weather; and grant projects in communities for planning or regulatory projects to protect natural resources and/or water quality. Direct beneficiaries of this program include: residents of the piscataqua region watershed study area and the ecosystems and users of ecosystem services. Substantial federal involvement includes programmatic oversight and review and comment on all agreement activities and products, as identified in the workplan. These include but are not limited to web products, reports, and any drafted requests for proposals.