EPA Awards $537,000 to Maryland to Protect Wetlands

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David Sternberg

EPA Awards $537,000 to Maryland to Protect Wetlands

Philadelphia, MD (Dec. 8, 2016) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it has awarded $537,000 to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) for a project creating a web-based system for submitting wetland permit applications, photographs, and plans for restoration projects electronically.

“Wetlands play a significant role in protecting our nation’s water supply,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “By taking action to protect and restore these valuable resources, MDE is protecting sources of drinking water, preventing flooding, and making us more resilient to climate change.”

“Wetlands are workhorses for protecting the Chesapeake Bay and increasing the quality of our lives throughout the state,” said Maryland Secretary of the Environment Ben Grumbles. “Web-based permitting for wetlands will improve customer service and deliver environmental results, such as cleaner water, healthier habitat, and more resilient communities.”

The Clean Water Act recognizes the dangers of upstream pollution sources. As water flows downstream it can carry pollutants with it. Wetlands are instrumental in eliminating or treating pollution, and can have a huge impact on receiving waters located downstream.

In 2016, EPA’s mid-Atlantic region awarded approximately $2.8 million in Wetland Program Development Grants. Grant recipients also included the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Wetland Program Development Grants are used to build and refine comprehensive wetland programs, with priority given to funding projects that address: developing a comprehensive monitoring and assessment program; improving the effectiveness of compensatory mitigation; and refining the protection of vulnerable wetlands and aquatic resources.

For more information: http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/wetlands/grantguidelines/index.cfm