This action provides funding in the amount of $909,800 to sarasota BAY national estuary program (sbep) under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) (PL 117-58)

The Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 awarded $909,800 to Sarasota Bay Estuary Program under the National Estuary Program (CFDA 66.456) on October 1, 2025, funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The recipient will implement habitat restoration at Fish Preserve Phase IV and GT Bray Park, deploy specially designed artificial reefs to supplement ecosystem health, and coordinate stakeholder efforts to develop a locally led water quality and ecosystem restoration program aligned with the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. Activities include community and school engagement meetings, student field trips, and project management and public education and outreach for each restoration site. The award supports a transition from design and permitting phases to direct project implementation, leveraging existing efforts to accelerate on-the-ground work.

Work is performed in Florida with a period of performance from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2030. The recipient, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, a local government and inter-municipal entity headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, will manage pass-through activities including Fish Preserve management and public education, GT Bray Park project management and public education, artificial reef management, and design, permitting, construction, and public education for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park and Longboat Key Bayfront Park Seawall improvements.

The recipient will support implementation of the comprehensive conservation and management plan (ccmp) and strategic plan to improve water quality, protect the natural habitat and living resources, and support sustainable human uses. The projects proposed for funding via the bipartisan infrastructure law (BIL) will leverage existing efforts. Specifically, the recipient will leverage existing efforts, so that the sbep will spend BIL dollars on project implementation, rather than the earlier stages of design and permitting. Activities:the activities include continuing efforts to coordinate efforts among our stakeholders to develop a locally led, scientifically sound water quality and ecosystem restoration program for the BAY. To complete habitat restoration efforts at two sites, fish preserve phase IV and GT bray park, and to allow the sbep to continue its long running efforts to supplement the BAY's ecosystem health through the deployment of specially designed artificial reefs. Each project is described below in terms of its relevance to ccmp goals, a summary budget, a brief description of the project, the leads and/or partners involved in the project and estimated milestones. Subrecipient:fish preserve management; fish preserve public education and outreach; GT bray park project management, GT bray park public education and outreach; and sarasota BAY artificial reefs management. DR. Martin luther king, JR. Memorial park - design and permitting, DR. Martin luther king, JR. Memorial park - construction and management, DR. Martin luther king, JR. Memorial park - public education and outreach, longboat key bayfront park seawall - design and permitting.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include community school engagement meetings and workshops, school field trips for students, created school environmental curriculum and public outreach to be coordinated by sbep. The expected outcomes include increasing public access to an important tributary to sarasota BAY, treat urban stormwater runoff, improve the quality of tidal creek habitats and allow intertidal communities to migrate 'upslope' within the project boundaries. The intended beneficiaries include the citizens of the state of florida.