This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) (PL 117-58) to the delaware estuary program

This Project Grant award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the National Estuary Program (CFDA 66.456) provides $910,400 to the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Inc. (PDE) to support implementation of the Delaware Estuary's Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. The key products and services to be delivered include:

Construction of a freshwater mussel hatchery facility, continued support for the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Wetlands Assessment, the Philadelphia Shell Recycling Program, and the Delaware River Festival. Additional activities involve mussel rearing and expansion, support for the Delaware Resilient and Sustainable Communities League, and detailed tracking of project implementation. This work aims to improve water quality, protect natural habitats and living resources, and support sustainable human uses within the Delaware Estuary region. The project period spans January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2029.

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 implement projects with activities that include the establishment of a mussel hatchery, continued support of the mid-atlantic coastal wetlands assessment, supporting the delaware river festival, and more.activities:the work to be accomplished in this project includes construction of a mussel hatchery, support of the philadelphia shell recycling program, mussel rearing maintenance, and expansion, continued support of the mid-atlantic wetlands monitoring and assessment monitoring and public engagement program, support of the delaware resilient and sustainable communities league, and support of the delaware river festival.subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables and outcomes include: the start of construction of a freshwater mussel hatchery facility in philadelphia at bartram's gardens, collection and analysis of wetland data, continued and expanded participation in regularly scheduled shell collection in philadelphia and northern delaware, upgraded mussel stock infrastructure at partner locations, assessment of additional locations for potential freshwater mussel grow out, upgraded mussel stock infrastructure at existing mussel grow out locations, continued administrative lead of rascl meetings and events throughout 2025, plan and host delaware river festivals in all 4 urban waters federal partnership communities, ensured detailed tracking of project implementation. The intended beneficiaries of this work and this award include the communities within the delaware estuary study area. This work also benefits visitors to the delaware estuary.