EPA Awards nearly $230k to University of Delaware for wetlands project

The following press release was published by the US EPA on Oct. 12. It is reproduced in full below.

EPA awards nearly $230K to University of Delaware

for wetlands project

PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 12, 2021) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a $228,556 grant today to the University of Delaware for a project to improve wetlands restoration.

“Wetlands are an important component of the environment for Delaware and the entire mid-Atlantic Region,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Acting Regional Administrator Diana Esher. “This award will help the University of Delaware expand the continuing effort to protect water quality and natural resources.

The project – titled “Back from the past? Assessing potential of relict, hydric soils for wetland and floodplain restorations” – will characterize the attributes of historic hydric (saturated) soils and how they can be leveraged to enhance water quality and ecological health of floodplain and wetland restorations.

Currently, there is no guidance on the use of historic hydric soils in ecosystem restorations, and they are typically removed from restoration sites. In the absence of such guidance, states may be losing valuable native microbiome and seedbanks at restoration sites. This project will not only help Delaware, but also be useful in protecting wetlands in neighboring states including Pennsylvania and Maryland.

The funds were provided through EPA’s Wetland Program Development Grant program, which enables state, local and tribal governments and others to conduct a range of projects that promote research and pollution reduction efforts related to wetlands.

For more information on the program, visit: https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/wetland-program-development-grants-and-epa-wetlands-grant-coordinators.

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Source: US EPA