Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 awarded $909,800 to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality under the National Estuary Program (CFDA 66.456) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030. This award, funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), supports the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership in implementing comprehensive coastal and estuarine resource protection activities. The primary products and services include establishing water quality standards, identifying polluted waters, developing restoration plans, managing point and nonpoint source pollution discharges, protecting wetlands and coastal waters, and supporting large aquatic ecosystem management through the National Estuary Program framework.

Deliverables encompass summary reports on spatial targeting, estuarine spatial planning assessments, community demonstration projects, and comprehensive conservation and management plan (CCMP) implementation documentation. Key outcomes include developing a strategy to identify funding opportunities for CCMP implementation, improving the scientific basis for coastal habitat restoration decisions, facilitating informed estuarine resource management, accelerating CCMP action implementation through dedicated facilitation and support, restoring coastal habitats, and increasing regional stewardship. The grant benefits North Carolina citizens through enhanced coastal water protection, habitat restoration, and community participation in estuarine conservation initiatives.