Section 320 of the CWA authorizes the administrator of the EPA to convene management conferences to develop comprehensive conservation and management plans for estuaries of national significance…

The Environmental Protection Agency Region 2 awarded the Hudson River Foundation for Science & Environmental Research Inc. (operating as the New York-New Jersey Harbor and Estuary Program) $2.11 million on October 1, 2025, under the National Estuary Program (CFDA 66.456) to support implementation of the Harbor and Estuary Program's Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan and the Urban Water Federal Partnership for the Bronx/Harlem and Lower Passaic Rivers.

The award funds activities to assess trends in water quality, habitats, natural resources, and uses; coordinate CCMP implementation across state, federal, local agencies, stakeholders, NGOs, citizens, and partners; and monitor the effectiveness of activities under the management conference approved action agenda and annual workplan. The recipient will host and sustain multiple workgroups including the Water Quality Workgroup, Restoration Workgroup, Citizens Advisory Council, and Harbor Educators Workgroup to gather and circulate information and best management practices. The funding also supports the Urban Water Federal Partnership initiatives aimed at stimulating regional and local economies, creating local jobs, improving quality of life, and protecting health by revitalizing urban waterways.

Period of performance runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028. Work is performed in New York. The activities are specified in the New York-New Jersey Harbor and Estuary Program's FY 2026 Annual Budget and Workplan and support the program's 2017–2025 Action Agenda.

Description

Section 320 of the CWA authorizes the administrator of the EPA to convene management conferences to develop comprehensive conservation and management plans for estuaries of national significance that are threatened by pollution, development, or overuse. The agreement provides funding to hudson river foundation for science and environmental research INC./new york-new jersey harbor and estuary program (HEP) to support implementation of HEP's comprehensive conservation and management plan (CCMP) to improve the water quality, protect the natural habitat and living resources, and support sustainable human uses in the estuary. This agreement also supports the urban water federal partnership (specifically for the bronx/harlem and lower passaic rivers partnerships) which aims to stimulate regional and local economies, create local jobs, improve quality of life, and protect american's health by revitalizing urban waterways.activities:the projects included will support activities 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 new york-new jersey harbor and estuary program, 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 action agenda and annual workplan. The activities to be performed are specified within the new york-new jersey harbor and estuary program's FY 2026 annual budget and workplan attached to this funding recommendation, and support the new york-new jersey harbor and estuary program 2017-2025 action agenda. Actions include hosting and sustaining several workgroups that gather and circulate information and best management practices between agencies and the public (such as the water quality workgroup, restoration workgroup, citizens advisory council, harbor educators workgroup, public access workgroup), supporting the implementation of green infrastructure, advancing the means and methods for public notification of combined sewer overflow events, supporting continuous water quality monitors, advancing the understanding of water quality in the analysis of hazard mitigation and coastal resilience projects, increasing investment in restoration projects, assessing and interpreting shoreline and shallow-water habitat condition and value, support and sustain the urban water partnership ambassadors in the passaic and bronx/harlem rivers, advancing opportunities for increasing public access to the water, and supporting city of water day.subrecipient:the following subawards are: 1. City of water day grants and expenses ($20,000) - will provide support for city of water day grants and expenses. 2. Sponsorship of other events ($5,000) - will support sponsorship of other events. 3. Support partner engagement in HEP management ($18,948) - will support partner engagement in HEP management committee agendas and minutes. 4. Hudson river foundation research support ($350,000 match) - will provide support for research on the hudson river and estuary with final reports. 5. Sturgeon net conservation benefit program ($670,000 match) - will provide support to monitor location and fish movements in and near new york harbor. 6. Nysdec/neiwpcc resilient communities ($50,000 match) - will provide support for a needs assessment and empower community stakeholders to use the best available data and decision-making tools from state and agencies to create resilient communities.outcomes:anticipated deliverables and expected outcomes and intended beneficiaries included in the FY 2026 workplan include: 1) quarterly water quality workgroup meetings and continuous monitoring practitioners subcommittee, including minutes. Government, scientist and public stakeholders. 2) continue to maintain non-governmental water quality monitoring database. All stakeholders in