Federal Grant Award Summary

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 awarded $850,000 to the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program under the National Estuary Program (CFDA 66.456) to support implementation of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) for Sarasota Bay. The award, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2030, with total obligations of $1.7 million, funds water quality monitoring and ecosystem assessment activities designed to ensure designated uses for drinking water, shellfish harvesting, swimming, and fishing while supporting healthy aquatic life and protecting outstanding Florida waters.

Key deliverables include updating the ecosystem health report card, refining pollutant load reduction goals through the reasonable assurance plan process, and implementing ongoing monitoring programs including the Eyes on Seagrass program and fish population surveys conducted with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The award also supports habitat restoration and protection activities, including construction of restoration projects, artificial reef restoration initiatives, development of concept plans and permits for future projects, and programs to monitor and protect threatened and endangered wildlife species. These activities are coordinated across state, federal, local, and non-governmental stakeholders to implement the estuary's management conference-approved workplan and assess the effectiveness of conservation and restoration efforts in Sarasota Bay.