This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) (PL 117-58) to delaware center for inland bays

EPA Region 3 awarded $910,000 to Center For Inland Bays on April 1, 2026, under the National Estuary Program (CFDA 66.456) to implement ecosystem restoration and habitat enhancement projects across the Delaware Inland Bays estuary through March 31, 2031.

The recipient will deliver oyster reef recruitment through an experimental larval oyster settlement trial, submerged aquatic vegetation habitat assessment and expansion, land acquisition to promote stewardship and habitat conservation, a native plant nursery program, improvements to infrastructure at the James Farm Ecological Preserve, and capacity building for education, outreach, volunteer science programming, and monitoring. These activities support implementation of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan and Strategic Plan to improve water quality, protect natural habitat and living resources, and support sustainable human uses. The anticipated outcomes include improved shoreline resilience, nutrient reduction, and habitat restoration across the estuary.

Center For Inland Bays, a Delaware-based tax-exempt nonprofit, is the direct recipient. No subawards are included in this assistance agreement. Work is performed in Delaware.

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 IIJA will leverage existing efforts. Specifically, the recipient will implement projects that include oyster reef recruitment, submerged aquatic vegetation expansion, staff hirings, capacity building, outreach and engagement, and land acquisition. Activities:the activities include projects that address the key challenges facing the estuary including assessing trends in water quality, habitats, natural resources and uses; coordinating implementation of the ccmp by the NEP, along with the state, federal, local agencies, stakeholders, ngos, citizens, partners, and others; and monitoring the effectiveness of activities conducted under the management conference approved ccmp and annual workplan. Specifically, the recipient will implement projects that include oyster reef recruitment, submerged aquatic vegetation expansion, staff hirings, capacity building, outreach and engagement, and land acquisition. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include: promote and support stewardship and communication of important habitat conserved by land acquisition, establishing an experimental larval oyster settlement trial, assessing and establishing submerged aquatic vegetation habitat, increasing capacity for education, outreach, and monitoring, strengthen the center's volunteer science program, improving the infrastructure at the james farm ecological preserve, and developing a native plant nursery program. The anticipated outcomes include: improved shoreline resilience, nutrient reduction, and habitat connectivity through preservation of natural buffers and floodplain systems, quantifiable increases in wild oyster populations in the inland bays, nitrogen phosphorus loads reduced through populated oyster reef creation, 1.12 acres of quality reef habitat for fish, crabs, and other aquatic invertebrates, expanded acreage of healthy SAV meadows and reduced nutrient concentrations through biological update and sediment stabilization within the inland bays, improved capacity to collect, manage, and interpret scientific data related to water quality and habitat condition, increased capacity to recruit, train, and retain volunteer scientists across the watershed, improved long-term safety and accessibility for visitors at the james farm ecological preserve through a durable, ADA-compliant boardwalk replacement, reliable access to high-quality, locally adapted native plant materials for restoration and education, and offer environmental education opportunities to youth and adults to help improve academic achievement, encourage environmental stewardship, and strengthen communities. The intended beneficiaries include citizens, local communities, and visitors in the state/territory of delaware and this estuary directly benefit from this project.