Gulf Hypoxia Program
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a historic $50 billion in funding for EPA to support states and Tribes invest in clean and safe water. For the first time, this funding will allow EPA to invest in strategies to improve water quality in the Mississippi River/Atchafalaya River Basin and the Gulf of Mexico and reduce the hypoxia zone in the northern Gulf.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a total of $60 million for actions that support the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force's Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan, with $12 million per year for five years.
Through the Gulf Hypoxia Program, Task Force member states, Tribes, sub-basin committees, and Land Grant Universities will have the resources to make significant progress toward reducing nutrient loads. These efforts will improve water quality in the Gulf and throughout the Mississippi River/Atchafalaya River Basin and track the results. Through improved water quality, communities across the basin will benefit from safer drinking water, protected fisheries, and a more stable economy. Partnerships will provide farmers and urban communities with a more resilient landscape and improved local water quality as they have the support they need to implement watershed plans and expand business plans to include conservation systems.
The annual funding levels for recipients of the Gulf Hypoxia Program are provided in the table below.
| FY 22 $ | FY 23 $ | FY 24 $ | FY 25 $ | FY 26 $ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Annual Total | 11,580,000 | 8,980,000 | 8,980,000 | 8,980,000 | 11,580,000 |
|
Each State (Total/12) |
965,000 |
748,333 |
748,333 |
748,333 |
965,000 |
| Eligible Tribes | - | 2,000,000 | 2,000,000 | 2,000,000 | - |
| Sub-Basin Committees | - | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | - |
| Land Grant University Consortium | - | 200,000 | 200,000 | 200,000 | - |
| EPA 3% Set Aside | 360,000 | 360,000 | 360,000 | 360,000 | 360,000 |
| EPA 0.5% Inspector General Set Aside | 60,000 | 60,000 | 60,000 | 60,000 | 60,000 |
Supporting BIL GHP documents can be downloaded from the links below:
FY 22 Guidance for State Cooperative Agreements – Read the press release
- Memorandum: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Gulf Hypoxia Program FY 22 Guidance for State Cooperative Agreements (pdf) (June 2022)
- Fact Sheet: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Gulf Hypoxia Program State Cooperative Agreements (pdf) (June 2022)
- Infographic: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Summary (pdf) (March 2022)
Gulf Hypoxia Program Guidance for Tribal Cooperative Agreements Consultation and Coordination
- Notification: Tribal Consultation and Coordination (pdf) (July 2022)
EPA will continue to update this webpage as state projects get underway.