This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) to the state of indiana

Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 awarded $2.514 million to the Indiana State Department of Agriculture on October 1, 2025, under the Support for the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan program (CFDA 66.485) to implement Indiana's nutrient reduction strategy aligned with the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan.

The award funds expansion of a soil sampling program to increase 4R stewardship and nutrient use efficiency on Indiana farmland, reducing non-point source pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while improving water quality. The recipient will continue staff support for Gulf Hypoxia Program fund management and increase outreach to landowners and stakeholders through educational opportunities. The award supports the Indiana Nutrient Research and Education Program (INREP) to continue and expand the Indiana Science Assessment, which measures the efficiency of conservation practices on water quality. The recipient will provide financial support for USGS super gages on the Wabash River at New Harmony, Indiana, and on the Iroquois River at Foresman, Indiana, to monitor nutrient loading in the Kankakee River watershed.

INREP functions as a sub-recipient, with pass-through funding supporting salary and benefits for an INREP manager overseeing program and education efforts and a research associate conducting research synthesis and data analysis for the Science Assessment. Sub-recipient funds also support grants for research projects advancing nutrient loss reduction and conservation practice effectiveness research.

Performance period runs October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030, with all work performed in Indiana.

The purpose of this agreement is to support and advance the gulf hypoxia action plan through implementation of the recipient's nutrient reduction strategy. These programs will aim to increase the frequency in which landowners soil sample as well as improve nutrient use efficiency. This program will allow for continued management and research analysis under indiana's science assessment to determine efficiency of conservation practices on improving water quality. Activities:the activities include: 1) continue efforts connected to staff support to oversee the management of GHP funds, and increase outreach effectiveness towards stakeholder/landowner-led educational opportunities. 2) expansion of the current soil sampling program established during first workplan aimed at increasing 4R stewardship, nutrient use efficiency on indiana farmland, non-point source pollution reduction, greenhouse gas reductions, and water quality improvements. 3) support of the indiana nutrient research and education program (INREP) to continue and expand the work of the indiana science assessment. 4) financial support for USGS super gages on the wabash river and in the kankakee river watershed. Support will be for the super gages on the wabash river at new harmony, in and on the iroquois river at foresman, in. Subrecipient:the continuation of the indiana nutrient research and education program. The costs include salary and benefits for the continued employment of an INREP manager who will manage the program and education efforts; for a research associate who will conduct research and synthesis for the science assessment and assist in developing databases and analyzing data. Costs also include providing funding to support grants for necessary research projects to advance nutrient loss reduction research and conservation practice effectiveness research. Funding will focus on making data accessible for use in the science assessment and for other research syntheses. Lastly, funds are also requested for professional services such as publication design, layout, and illustrations. The support of the USGS super gages. This budget covers all cost for the operation and maintenance of the continuous water-quality monitors and sensors at the wabash river at new harmony, in, the iroquois river at foresman, in and continuous nitrate monitors at the kankakee river davis and dunn's bridge super gages. This includes salary and travel, standards, equipment repair and maintained, data review and approval, and surrogate model validation and discrete sampling cost at the iroquois and kankakee sites.outcomes:the deliverables to be provided under this agreement are: produce an annual report of INREP activities and collaborations for external audiences. Continue to develop the database that includes the data from funded projects. Develop a series of purdue extension expert-reviewed, accessible publications on the findings about conservation practice effectiveness. The expected outcomes include: consistent soil testing and 4R stewardship; nutrient management plan development and improved nutrient use efficiency aimed at positive impacts for water quality; understanding how to better quantify impacts of agricultural conservation practices that are strategic to addressing the state nutrient reduction strategy (SNRS). The intended beneficiaries include residents of the state of indiana