This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) (PL 117-58) to louisiana universities marine consortium (lumcon) for the national estuary program (NEP)

This Project Grant award of $909,800.00 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Estuary Program (CFDA 66.456) supports the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) in implementing the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program's (BTNEP) Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. Key activities include:

A) Water quality monitoring and a home sewage assistance program in the Upper Bayou Terrebonne watershed

B) Evaluating the long-term impacts of stormwater diversion on water quality and wetlands

C) Providing a web-based platform for youth groups to develop environmental justice action plans

D) Fostering the ecological-cultural economy in six target communities within the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary

The award also includes several sub-grants to support specific project components, such as research on biological control agents for the emerald ash borer by Louisiana State University Agricultural Center. The project aims to maintain, restore, and improve water quality and natural resources within the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary.

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: a. Water quality monitoring and a home sewage assistance program in the upper bayou terrebonne watershed -- develop a home sewage assistance program (hsap) similar to the bayou folse hsap to reimburse homeowners in disadvantaged areas for repair to their onsite sewage disposal system. B. Evaluation of long-term impacts of storm water diversion of water quality and wetlands -- evaluate the effectiveness of stormwater addition as a restoration technique by quantifying the long-term impacts of stormwater on wetland sediment characteristics (metals and organic matter concentration, soil shear strength and bulk density) surface water quality (nutrient concentrations, pathogens, dissolved oxygen, PH, and salinity), wetland surface elevation, primary productivity (above- and belowground biomass) and change in areal coverage since project inception. C. Journeys to justice -- provide a web-based interactive pathway for youth groups in coastal louisiana to develop and implement youth-driven action plans for their communities in response to environmental injustices, including impacts from pollution, environmental hazards, and the escalation of these hazards due to climate change. D. Building a barataria-terrebonne ecological-cultural economy -- foster the existing ecological-cultural economy in six target communities with the barataria-terrebonne estuarine system (btes), and to develop new ecological and cultural amenities in two pilot communities, by creating educational and experimental tours showcasing the history, culture, opportunities, and challenges with the btes. E. The catalyst catalog -- develop a comprehensive library of documentation concerning the btes. The collection will capture the diversity of the btes and culture, heritage and industries that depend on IT. F. Native/invasive, the podcast and radio show highlighting the work of barataria-terrebonne national estuary program (btnep) - produce a podcast as well as radio segment for btnep. Stories will originate and be grounded in btnep's work with both native and invasive species and will include interviews with btnep's employees, volunteers, and partners. The purpose of the stories will be to draw in a diverse listenership by crafting stories embodying the scientific and cultural concepts our human work with these species reveals. G. Identification of critical attractants to improve monitoring of classical biological control agents of the emerald ASH borer within the btes - investigate chemical compounds found in ASH leaves and their effects on the behavior of the parasitoids, with the goal of optimizing the effects of the biocontrol program. Activities:all activities focus on maintaining, restoring, and/or improving water quality. The activities to be performed by barataria terrebonne national estuary program (btnep) include the following: a. Water quality monitoring and a home sewage assistance program in the upper bayou terrebonne watershed b. Evaluation of long-term impacts of storm water diversion of water quality and wetlands c. Provide a web-based interactive pathway for youth groups in coastal louisiana to develop and implement youth-driven action plans for their communities in response to environmental injustices. D. Foster the existing ecological-cultural economy in six target communities with the barataria-terrebonne estuarine system (btes), and to DEV