Project Grant 02D42125

The Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 awarded $909,800 to the County of Charlotte under the National Estuary Program (CFDA 66.456) on October 1, 2025, to support implementation of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan and Strategic Plan for the Coastal and Heartland National Estuary Program in Florida.

Funded activities include protecting and restoring critical habitats including wetlands; supporting water quality protection and restoration through total maximum daily load plan implementation; monitoring and addressing toxics, pathogen loads, and contamination; implementing stormwater management practices to reduce non-point source pollution; promoting green and nature-based infrastructure approaches; preventing and managing aquatic invasive species; developing and implementing nutrient reduction strategies; measuring and implementing coastal resilience and adaptation strategies; and increasing opportunities for disadvantaged communities to access waterways, participate in ecosystem restoration, and engage in educational activities. The recipient may also support organizational and financial capacity-building projects identified in the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan.

The award obligates $909,800 for the five-year period from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030, with performance in Florida. Sub-recipients deliver Charlotte County Vulnerability Assessment, Polk County Vulnerability Assessment, Pine Island Flatwoods Restoration, CHNEP Water Atlas, and maintenance and improvements work, among other vulnerability assessments and restoration activities.