Politics & Government

Congressman Engel: Grant Funds Available for Wetland, Beach Restoration Projects

Federal grants of up to $5 million are available for projects designed to rebuild and enhance wetlands, beaches and other natural systems.

From United States Rep. Eliot Engel (D-16th):

Congressman Eliot Engel announced that competitive grants from $250,000 to $5 million will be awarded to projects that assess, restore, enhance or create wetlands, beaches and other natural systems. The grants are designed to better protect communities, as well as fish and wildlife species and habitats, from the impacts of future storms and other naturally occurring events.

The grants will be awarded to programs that stabilize marshes and beaches, restore wetlands, and improve the resilience of coastal areas. “This will not only create opportunities for people to connect with nature and support jobs through increased outdoor recreation, but can provide an effective buffer to protect communities like the Sound Shore in Westchester from powerful storm surges and devastating floods, like Sandy,” said Rep. Engel.

The Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency Competitive Grants Program will award more than $100 million in grants in states that officially declared a natural disaster as a result of Hurricane Sandy, including New York, 11 other states, plus the District of Columbia.

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Rep. Engel said the grants are now available from the Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency Competitive Grant Program. The program, funded by the Hurricane Sandy disaster relief appropriation, is administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Applicants can download the Request for Proposals here.

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The grants program was announced Tuesday by Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell.

The money will fund innovative projects by states, local communities, tribes, non-profit organizations and other partners to rebuild, restore, and research these natural areas along the Atlantic Coast. The program will be coordinated by several Department of the Interior bureaus, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.


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