This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) (PL 117-58) to the new york-new jersey harbor and estuary program (HEP)/hudson river foundation

EPA Region 2 awarded the Hudson River Foundation for Science & Environmental Research Inc. $1.819 million on October 1, 2025, under the National Estuary Program (CFDA 66.456) to implement the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary.

The award funds activities including data collection and development of a pilot project for urban shallow water habitat enhancement; identification of parameters and potential for establishing a monitoring program to assess impacts of extreme weather on water quality variables; technical and direct support for piloting American eel monitoring projects; and small grants in support of community-based stewardship and educational programming. The recipient will support implementation of green infrastructure opportunities in combined sewer overflow and MS4 communities, advance understanding and consideration of water quality in the analysis of hazard mitigation and coastal resilience projects, assess and interpret shoreline and shallow-water habitat condition and value, increase understanding of safety and risk associated with direct contact with water, and advance conservation planning for potential mitigation sites.

Sub-recipients will support implementation of green infrastructure opportunities in CSO and MS4 communities, identify parameters and potential for establishing a monitoring program to assess impacts of extreme weather on water quality variables, provide grants to support community engagement and participation in resiliency initiatives that would address water quality issues, and provide grants to support enhancement of one or more sites recognized by the Hudson River region.

The period of performance runs through September 30, 2028, with place of performance in New York.

The recipient will support implementation of the comprehensive conservation and management plan (CCMP) 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 support implementation of green infrastructure opportunities in combined sewer overflow and MS4 communities, advance understanding and consideration of water quality in the analysis of hazard mitigation and coastal resilience projects, assess and interpret shoreline and shallow-water habitat condition and value, increase understanding of safety and risk associated of direct contact with water, and advance conservation planning for potential mitigation sites. Activities:the activities include data collection and development of a pilot project for urban shallow water habitat enhancement, identification of parameters and potential for establishing a monitoring program to assess impacts of extreme weather on water quality variables, provide technical and direct support for piloting american EEL monitoring projects, and provide small grants in support of community-based stewardship and educational programming. Subrecipient:subaward activities to be funded under this cooperative agreement include: 1) support implementation of green infrastructure opportunities in CSO and MS4 communities, 2) identify parameters and potential for establishing a monitoring program to assess impacts of extreme weather on water quality variables, 3) provide grants to support community engagement and participation in resiliency initiatives that would also aim to address water quality issues, 4) provide grants to support enhancement of one or more sites recognized by the hudson raritan estuary comprehensive restoration plan, 5) support collection of baseline data and develop pilot urban shallow water habitat enhancement projects, 6) evaluation of pilot shoreline monitoring data from natural and nature based features following the new york state measuring success framework and conduct additional monitoring, 7) provide technical and direct support for community partners piloting american EEL monitoring projects, 8) demonstrate benefits of habitat restoration projects on water quality, 9) assess and advance opportunities and challenges for the harlem river greenway, 10) provide small grants in support of community-based stewardship and educational programming, 11) clarify process and access challenges in permitting new bathing beaches, 12) elevate local government efforts to improve public access sites impacted by extreme weather, 13) advance conservation planning for potential mitigation sites, 14) provide community-based organizations with tools, research, communications, technical assistance, and training, and 15) advance improvements to the lower passaic river shoreline.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables and expected outcomes include: identification of data gaps in the understanding of the ecology of shoreline and shallow water areas, additional monitoring protocols designed for structured reef habitats, development and construction of new eelgrass restoration pilot projects, common agreement on how to address concerns though the establishment of protocols for ecological enhancement and other benefits, improved restoration projects, increased resident understanding of green infrastructure, reduced number of combined sewer overflow events, input from water quality experts on the potential impacts of resiliency projects in the estuary, and build civic and scientific capacity in local communities. The direct beneficiaries of this program include the general population who live and recreate throughout the new york-new jersey harbor EST