Water quality grants available from state

HARTFORD — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) recently announced that the state has received approximately $1 million in funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that are available for communities, local conservation groups, and other organizations to improve water quality in lakes, rivers, and streams that are not meeting water quality standards. DEEP administers these grants and is now accepting proposals for fiscal year 2019.

“Protecting Connecticut’s waterways is at the core of our agency’s mission,” said DEEP Commissioner-designee Katie Dykes. “These funds will help to improve water quality by controlling nonpoint sources of water pollution, benefiting flora and fauna throughout our watersheds. Healthy and vibrant watersheds are key to ecotourism, which is a significant driver of economic activity in the state.”

The funding comes from Section 319 of the Federal Clean Water Act, which is a federal program to control nonpoint sources (NPS) of water pollution. Previous grants have supported projects for dam removals, conservation practices on farms, and treatments of polluted runoff. Proposals may be submitted by any interested public or private organization and must be received by April 3. Information can be found at http://www.ct.gov/deep/nps