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$13 Million to Flow to 16 Watershed Groups

On the shore of Tacoma's Commencement Bay in Washington, EPA's Assistant Administrator for Water today announced 16 organizations are finalists eligible to apply for a total of $13.36 million through EPA's Targeted Watersheds Grants Program. The selected organizations will implement a variety of activities to improve the health of their watersheds.

"These award-winning projects show the power of cooperative conservation and environmental innovation to protect watersheds across America," said Assistant Administrator for Water Benjamin H. Grumbles. "EPA's seed money will help grow grass-roots partnerships that support and sustain clean water and healthy ecosystems."

EPA initiated the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program in 2002 to encourage successful community-based approaches to protect and restore the nation's watersheds. Watershed health is important to providing clean, safe water where Americans live, work and play. Since 2003, more than $40 million has been provided through Targeted Watersheds Grants.

This year's finalist projects include plans to restore and enhance wetland and riparian habitats, support agricultural best-management practices, promote low-impact development, as well as a variety of innovative and incentive-based programs to mitigate toxics and promote financial sustainability.

The organizations invited to apply for the grant money made available today are:

Champlain Watershed Improvement Coalition of New York - Lake Champlain, N.Y.
Clear Creek Watershed Foundation - Upper Clear Creek, Colo.
Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes - Jocko River Watershed, Mont.
County Government of Maui - West Maui Watershed, Hawaii
Ducks Unlimited - Upper Klamath Basin, Ore.
Grand Traverse Band Ottawa & Chippewa Indians - Betsie Platte Otter Watershed, Mich.
Groundwork Yonkers - Saw Mill River Watershed, N.Y.
Heidelberg College - Honey Creek Watershed, Ohio
Kansas Department of Health and Environment - Marais Des Cygnes Basin, Kan., Mo.
Lewis & Clark County Government - Lake Helena Watershed, Mont.
Nisqually River Foundation - Nisqually River, Wash.
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission - Tri-State Connecticut River Watershed, Vt., N.H., Mass.
Rio Puerco Alliance - Torreon Wash, N.M.
The Elizabeth River Project - Money Point, Va.
The Sonoran Institute - Santa Cruz River, Ariz.
Upstate Forever - Saluda-Reedy Watershed, S.C.

More information on the finalists: http://epa.gov/twg/implementation.html

Source: U.S. EPA