Project Grant 96268724

DESCRIPTION:THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT (IIJA) (PL 117-58) TO OCEAN COUNTY COLLEGE. THE RECIPIENT WILL SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2021 COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN (CCMP) AND THE POLICY COMMITTEE-APPROVED FFY24-26 IIJA WORKPLAN (IIJA FFY24-26 WORKPLAN) 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 THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS: - COUNTY/MUNICIPAL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT GRANT PROGRAM, PROVIDING A GRANT-FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TO FUND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS; - WATER QUALITY MONITORING INFRASTRUCTURE, ENABLING REPLACEMENT AND UPGRADES TO THE WATER QUALITY MONITORING EQUIPMENT TO CONTINUE THE MONITORING PROGRAM; - SAV HEALTH ASSESSMENT PROJECT, ENABLING SEAGRASS MAPPING AND PROVIDING A DEMOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT; - JERSEY-FRIENDLY YARDS (JFY) PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION, TO FURTHER GROW AND EXPAND THIS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM TO IMPROVE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND REDUCE NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION BY EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES; - MINIMUM ECOLOGICAL WATER FLOW ASSESSMENT, TO DETERMINE MINIMUM ECOLOGICAL FLOWS TO MAINTAIN BAY ECOLOGY; - ADVANCING SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES FOR AQUACULTURE LEASES, IMPLEMENTING CONSERVATION SCENARIOS FOR OYSTERS; - HABITAT PROTECTION AND RESTORATION PLAN DEVELOPMENT; - WETLAND AND RIPARIAN MAPPING; - WETLAND ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION AND; - IMPLEMENTATION CAPACITY BUILDING, PARTIALLY SUPPORTING BBP STAFF, INCLUDING A DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR, SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR, STEWARDSHIP SPECIALIST TO HELP IMPLEMENT CCMP PRIORITIES.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDE: - IMPLEMENTATION OF ONE OR MORE STORMWATER PROJECTS; - REPLACEMENT AND UPGRADES OR REFURBISHMENT OF COMPONENTS OF THE BBP WATER QUALITY MONITORING NETWORK TO ALLOW THE CONTINUED COLLECTION OF WATER QUALITY DATA; - MAPPING OF SEAGRASS TO UPDATE THE 2009 BAY-WIDE MAPPING CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AND ASSESSING THE HEALTH OF SEAGRASSES WITHIN THE BAY; - HIRING OF A FULL-TIME BBP STAFF PERSON TO ASSIST WITH JERSEY-FRIENDLY YARDS (JFY) EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROJECT TO EDUCATE ABOUT BEST LANDSCAPE PRACTICES; - DETERMINATION OF MINIMUM WATER FLOWS ESSENTIAL FOR MAINTAINING THE ECOLOGY OF THE BAY; - IMPLEMENTATION OF CONSERVATION SCENARIOS TO RAISE OYSTERS TO BE PLACED ON A RESTORATION REEF; - DEVELOPMENT OF A HABITAT PLAN THAT WILL PRIORITIZE ENHANCEMENT AND RESTORATION PROJECTS; - WETLAND AND RIPARIAN ZONE MAPPING; - UTILIZE STREAM CROSSING AND WETLAND ASSESSMENT DATA TO ASSESS INTERTIDAL WETLANDS TO DEVELOP RESTORATION PROJECTS WITH PARTNERS AND; - PARTIALLY SUPPORT THE HIRING OF ADDITIONAL BBP PROGRAM STAFF, INCLUDING A DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR, SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR, STEWARDSHIP SPECIALIST IN ORDER TO GROW THE CAPACITY OF THE BBP PROGRAM OFFICE.SUBRECIPIENT:$795,000 WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO MUNICIPALITIES THROUGH A GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TO ENABLE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ONE OR MORE STORMWATER IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS TO REDUCE NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION INTO BARNEGAT BAY AND INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THE BAY AND INCREASED COMMUNITY RESILIENCE. $460,000 WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO USGS TO ADVANCE THE WORK TO ASSESS AND IDENTIFY MINIMUM WATER FLOWS NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN THE BAY'S ECOLOGY UNDER DIFFERENT CLIMATE SCENARIOS. OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES ARE: - THE COMPLETION OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROJECTS THAT WILL REDUCE NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION AND FLOODING AND INCREASE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE; - CONTINUATION OF THE COLLECTION OF WATER QUALITY DATA TO DETERMINE THE STATUS AND TRENDS OF WATER QUALITY IN THE BAY AND ASSESS THE EFFORTS TO REDUCE NONPOINT SOLUTION. - DEVELOPMENT OF MAPS OF SEAGRASS DISTRIBUTION WITHIN THE BAY AND A DEMOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT REPORT THAT WILL BE USED TO IDENTIFY FUTURE REST