About the San Francisco Bay Program Office

EPA’s Pacific Southwest (Region 9) implements and enforces federal environmental laws in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands, and 148 Tribal Nations.

Screen capture of the SFBWQIF Story Map
Tour Projects that Protect and Restore San Francisco Bay and its Watersheds

The San Francisco Bay Area is made up of 9 counties and is home to approximately 7.5 million people.

EPA manages a competitive grant program to support projects to protect and restore San Francisco Bay. This grant program, originally known as the San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund (SFBWQIF), began in 2008. EPA has awarded over $128 million to 91 grants. These projects include over 100 partners who are contributing an additional $248 million to restore wetlands and watersheds and reduce polluted runoff. Current and future grant funding is managed under the SF Bay Program Office.

Additional Resources

Project Gallery

  • Grasses and other plants planted among stones instead of bare soil in a median strip with traffic on both sides.

    Bioswale reduces polluted stormwater runoff along Cesar Chavez Street in San Francisco, 2014. Photo: Ananda Hirsch.

  • Sears Point Post Levee Breach view from a distance of the work area, now flooded wetlands, with the Richmond Bridge and San Francisco in the distance.

    Sears Point Post levee breach view from a distance of the work area, now flooded wetlands, with the Richmond Bridge and San Francisco in the distance. Photo: Corby Hines.

  • Aerial view looking down on an earthmover digging a breach in the levee at sears point. Water is pouring through the breach from right to left and flooding a pool.

    Sears Point levee breach overhead View, 2015. Photo: Corby Hines.

  • Construction equipment moving away after breaching a levee: water is pouring through the breach and flooding a lower area.

    Sears Point levee breach levee view, 2015. Photo: Corby Hines.

  • Napa River, Rutherford Reach 6 during restoration construction: laying back eroding bank, 2014. Photo: Jeremy Sarrow.

  • Napa River, Rutherford Reach 6 after construction, 2014. Photo: Jeremy Sarrow.

  • South Bay Salt Pond A17 mudscape. Photo: Chris Benton.

  • South Bay Salt Pond A17 near completion, 2012. Photo: Judy Irving

  • Aerial photograph of salt ponds and sloughts

    Breuner Marsh during construction, 2014. Photo: Syd Temple, Questa Engineering.

  • Breuner Marsh during construction, 2014. Photo: Syd Temple, Questa Engineering.

  • Breuner Marsh after construction, 2014. Photo: Syd Temple, Questa Engineering.

  • Breuner Marsh after construction, 2014. Photo: Syd Temple, Questa Engineering.

San Francisco Bay Program

Contact Us about the San Francisco Bay Program
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on May 6, 2025