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…

Environmental Protection Agency Region 3 awarded the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Inc., $850,000 on October 1, 2025, under the National Estuary Program (CFDA 66.456) to support implementation of the National Estuary Program Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for the Delaware Estuary. An additional $70,000 is contingent upon availability.

The recipient will conduct program implementation and reporting, financial and operations management, grant writing and administration in support of CCMP implementation, coordination of the Science and Technical Advisory Committee, website operations and maintenance, media outreach and the Estuary News newsletter, public education and outreach events, regional research tools and resilience projects, the Delaware Estuary Science and Environmental Summit, cultivation and promotion of educational partnerships, and scientific project coordination. Activities address key estuary challenges including assessing trends in water quality, habitats, natural resources and uses; coordinating CCMP implementation with state, federal, local agencies, stakeholders, NGOs, citizens, and partners; and monitoring the effectiveness of management conference-approved activities.

The total funding obligated is $2,741,361. The period of performance runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028. Work is performed in Pennsylvania. The assistance type is a Project Grant. No subawards are included in this assistance agreement.

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 the partnership for the delaware estuary for national estuary program (NEP) to support implementation of the NEP comprehensive conservation and management plan (ccmp) and EPA's pillar 1: clean air, land, and water for every american. Work to be accomplished includes: program implementation and reporting, public education and outreach, scientific project coordination, and regional resilience projects. This action provides federal funds of $850,000 and federal funds of $70,000 is contingent upon availability.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 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. Work to be accomplished includes: program implementation and reporting, financial and operations management, grant writing and administration in support of ccmp implementation, coordination of science and technical advisory committee, website operations and maintenance, media outreach and 'estuary news' newsletter, public education and outreach events, regional research tools and resilience projects, delaware estuary science and environmental summit, cultivate and promote new and existing educational partnerships, and scientific project coordination. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include: meetings with all partners and advisory committees within the watershed, publish two print issues of 'estuary news', 4 to 6 email blasts promoting estuary events and resources, 100+ media hits, 1 to 2 press events per year, coordinate or support 4 major environmentally-themed festivals and participate in 10, continue education engagement to schools, 1 to 2 spring cleanups, 3 to 4 volunteer trainings, 10 scientific presentations, and support living shoreline evaluation, design, and implementation at two or more sites. The expected outcomes include project implementation to support the ccmp, meet 1,500 acre habitat goal, maintain high number of page views on website (over 100,000) and first visitors (40,000 to 50,000), distribute 'estuary news' to approximately 28,000 people, work with partners to investigate opportunities for public engagement, promote activities to engage citizen scientists and volunteers and increase citizen involvement, and administer and facilitate collaboration between resilience practitioners the intended beneficiaries include citizens, local communities, students, and visitors in the states of new york, pennsylvania, new jersey, delaware, and this estuary directly benefit from this project.