The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency announced $12.6 million in grants to fund cleanup efforts throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
“Runoff is critically important across the state of Maryland. Work is important everywhere, not just in Annapolis, which sits right there on the bay,” said Jake Reilly, executive director of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
Reilly said projects to limit runoff can be expensive and out of reach for local governments. The grant money can help leverage local efforts, he added.
“It’s really about making sure that all communities in Maryland are getting the benefit of stormwater improvements and green infrastructure,” Reilly said.
The grants will fund programs in all six states and D.C. that are in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Reilly added that the $12.6 million will combine with $20.8 million in matching grant money, for a total conservation impact of $33.5 million.
One of the organizations receiving grant money is the Maryland Black Mayors Association, a nonprofit that represents more than 15,000 residents in 16 municipalities across the state. The $267,461 will help coordinate projects aimed at helping reduce stormwater runoff.
Other groups receiving grant money include the Anacostia Watershed Society, which will build 12 outdoor classrooms in Prince George’s County, Maryland. And Trout Unlimited will get money to put toward improving water quality in the Upper North River in the Shenandoah Valley.
