Greenfield, MA— The Connecticut River Watershed Council (CRC) is pleased to be one of seven partners receiving a $10 million federal grant funded through USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program. This new project brings together 7 partners to improve the health of Long Island Sound. The funding will be matched dollar for dollar by other local, state, and private funding sources.
Excess nutrients have been identified as the primary driver of hypoxic conditions (lack of oxygen) in Long Island Sound and are also impacting upland water resources within the watershed, which encompasses areas of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. This project will develop a comprehensive, whole-farm management certainty program for farmers in the area and use both working lands and easement programs to improve soil health and nutrient management, establish community resiliency areas with a focus on enhancing riparian areas, and institute a land protection program to protect agricultural and forestry areas.
“The Council is very pleased to be one of the many partners on this important project to improve the health of both the Connecticut River basin and Long Island Sound,” says CRC Executive Director Andrew Fisk. “Funding will allow CRC to continue working with landowners on restoration projects on their land that will improve our rivers and protect their investment in productive farm and forest land.”
The Connecticut River contributes over 70% of the freshwater to Long Island Sound and plays an important role in the health of the Sound. “We are proud to be working with landowners to help them do their part to restore and protect the public’s water,” notes Fisk. “Many individuals working together across the entire watershed will have a great impact to improve the health of our rivers and Long Island Sound.”
The Connecticut River Watershed Council works to protect the watershed from source to sea. As stewards of this heritage, we celebrate our four-state treasure and collaborate, educate, organize, restore and intervene to preserve its health for generations to come. Our work informs our vision of economic and ecological abundance. To learn more about CRC visit ctriver.org.
This project is one of more than 110 high-impact projects across all 50 states that will receive a portion of $370+ million as part of this new effort.
More information on the NRCS RCPP program and other awards is available at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/farmbill/rcpp/
