E.P.A. Awards $2.6 million to Protect Mid-Atlantic Region Wetlands. West Virginia is Among 6 Plans to be Funded

DOVER (October 1, 2014) - E.P.A. Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin announced today at an event in Dover, Delaware, that EPA's Mid Atlantic Region has awarded a total of $2,642,270 in Wetland Plan Development Grants to 6 recipients.

The West Virginia Department of Natural Resources (WVDNR) was one of the recipients and will gain $700,000 to develop a wetland functional assessment protocol for assessing impacts to wetlands. The WVDNR will also evaluate success in mitigating those impacts and evaluate wetland status statewide.

"Wetlands are one of our nation's most unique ecosystems and they play a significant role in protecting our nation's water supply," said E.P.A. Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. "West Virginia continues to advance wetland science which is essential for protecting and restoring these valuable resources and keeping our lakes, rivers and streams clean."

The Clean Water Act acknowledges the dangers of having pollution upstream. As water flows downstream, it carries pollutants with it. And because wetlands are instrumental in eliminating pollution, they have a huge impact on water downstream.

Grant recipients also included the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control ($443,233), Penn State University ($668,764), Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources ($400,000), the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences ($392,773) and the Maryland Department of Environment ($37,500).

Wetland Plan Development Grants are used to build and refine comprehensive wetland programs, with priority given to backing plans that address the 3 priority areas identified by the EPA: 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 about the wetlands grant program, go to: http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/wetlands/grantguidelines/index.cfm

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