On June 7, The Buzzards Bay NEP announced, through EEA and MCZM, $95,419 in federal grant awards for land protection and water quality projects in the Buzzards Bay watershed. The funding will help the Towns of Rochester and Gosnold protect critical habitat and allow the Town of Mattapoisett and its partner, the Buzzards Bay Coalition, to continue important water quality monitoring in Buzzards Bay. The three grants are being matched by $79,540 in private contributions and in-kind services that will support the protection of important habitat in the region.

The Town of Rochester, and its partner the Rochester Land Trust, will receive $45,000 to purchase and permanently protect 20.9 acres of undeveloped land in the Mattapoisett River aquifer, which provides drinking water to four communities in the Buzzards Bay watershed. The property, which is mostly wooded with a perennial stream, contains designated habitat for rare species. Once acquired, the land will be owned and managed by the Rochester Land Trust, which will provide access to the public for passive recreational activities.

The Town of Mattapoisett, and its partner the Buzzards Bay Coalition, will receive $30,000 to continue the Baywatchers monitoring program, which measures nutrient pollution in Buzzards Bay. For 27 years, this long-term monitoring program has collected basic water quality, nutrient, and algal pigment information at over 200 locations around Buzzards Bay during the summer months. The program also educates the public on their local water quality. The data collected is used by both state and local natural resource managers to make informed water quality related decisions.

The Town of Gosnold, and its partner the Buzzards Bay Coalition, will receive $20,419 toward the permanent protection of over 300 acres of undeveloped land on the island of Cuttyhunk. The funding will help match other state grants to acquire and protect 79 acres of privately owned, undeveloped land and secure a permanent conservation restriction on approximately 230 additional donated acres. The project area contains designated habitat for rare species. This project will also protect more than five miles of coastal shoreline and the island’s only drinking water supply.

See this EEA press release for more information.

Buzzards Bay Municipal Mini-Grant Program– The Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program is seeking proposals for another round of the Buzzards Bay Watershed Municipal Mini-Grant Program. $95,418 in funding is available for this grant round. Projects (up to $50,000 per project) must implement a recommendation(s) in the Buzzards Bay Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan to protect and restore water quality and living resources in Buzzards Bay and its surrounding watershed. Eligible projects include stormwater remediation designs for discharges affecting marine waters, wetland/open space/habitat acquisition, migratory fish passage restoration, construction of boat pumpout facilities, and many other activities that support the management plan. A 33 percent match of requested funding is required, and only municipalities are eligible to apply. For more information, to view the RFR, and download required forms, see our funding information page. Proposals are due by Monday, May 6 at 4:00 p.m.