Five-Star Urban Grants Award $1.7 Million to Help Restore Urban Waters and Streams
WASHINGTON (August 28, 2019) - Today, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced grants totaling $1.7 million under NFWF’s Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program. The grants support public-private partnerships that help restore wildlife habitat and urban waters across the country.
“EPA is pleased to continue our support for this innovative public-private partnership that encourages community stewardship and incentivizes local solutions to today’s environmental and public health challenges,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “These projects will help local communities improve water quality, restore wetlands and protect wildlife while creating additional recreational opportunities for the surrounding areas.”
“The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program supports community partnerships that restore and enhance our nation’s fish and wildlife, while at the same time improving water quality and habitat for plants and animals,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “The 46 grants announced today will help local communities thrive by increasing resilience, improving green infrastructure and supporting the people and wildlife that call these places home.”
NFWF’s Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program supports projects that develop community stewardship of natural resources and address water quality issues in priority watersheds across the country. In total, the Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program is awarding 46 grants this year. EPA’s funding will go toward 24 of those projects in 16 states and the District of Columbia. Program wide, grantees have committed an additional $4.4 million in local project support, generating a total conservation investment of more than $6.1 million.
The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration program supports community partnerships that conserve wildlife and restore river, wetland, riparian, forest and coastal ecosystems. Support for the 2019 grants are provided by the Wildlife Habitat Council, and major funding by EPA, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fedex, Shell Oil Company, Southern Company and BNSF Railway.
The 2019 grant winners were selected from a highly competitive pool of more than 190 applications. A full list of 2019 projects are available here.
For more information about the Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant program, visit https://www.epa.gov/urbanwaterspartners/five-star-and-urban-waters-restoration-grant-program-2019.