New funding opportunity for coastal watershed restoration in southeast New England

Boston — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing a request for initial proposals under the first round of grant funds dedicated solely to the Southeast New England Program for coastal watershed restoration. EPA expects to award up to $7 Million over the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years to eligible applicants to fund innovative projects that will improve coastal water quality and habitat.

"This request for proposals is an exciting opportunity to enhance collaboration and promote innovative thinking throughout the Southeast coastal New England region", said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. "The challenges here are great, and EPA is pleased and grateful there are resources available that will enable our communities and partners to develop and implement effective new solutions and approaches."

The Southeast New England Program (SNEP) for coastal watershed restoration seeks projects and partnerships that leverage multiple resources to generate strategic collaboration to foster, test, promote, and implement innovations and efficiencies in integrated ecosystem management. These innovations and efficiencies may emerge from a wide variety of approaches, partners, technologies and programs.

Priority areas highlighted in the request for initial proposals (RFIP) include projects that implement innovative restoration and protection approaches, provide strategic collaboration and regional impact, integrate habitat and water quality improvement, and focus on connectivity and ecosystem services and functions.

Initial applications are due January 22, 2016.

More information about SNEP and the RFIP is available at https://www2.epa.gov/snecwrp.