U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) announced today the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has awarded funds to 50 habitat restoration projects through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. Two of the 50 competitive grants have been awarded to wetland projects in Maryland.  

As Chairwoman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science that funds NOAA, Senator Mikulski included $167 million in the ARRA to improve the condition of our nation’s coasts as well as local economies. 

 “Shovel-ready projects don’t just mean paving roads and fixing bridges," Chairwoman Mikulski said. “Restoration projects on our coastlines, estuaries and rivers are ready to go and ready to improve the environment as well as create local jobs.”  

In response to solicitation for the new grants, NOAA received more than 800 proposals from across the country, totaling more than $3 billion in project requests. The projects were selected through a highly competitive process that included evaluation on a variety of biological and economic criteria. 

Two Maryland projects totaling more than $5 million have been selected.   

The first project is the Patapsco River Restoration. American Rivers, Inc., will receive more than $4 million to fund their proposal to remove the Union and Simkins Dams on the Patapsco River, opening eight miles of river to the alewife, blueback herring, and American eel. This project is part of a larger coastal conservation initiative to restore the Patapsco River Watershed and resident fish species.   

The second Maryland project is the Piscataway Park Living Shoreline. NOAA awarded more than $1 million to the Alice Ferguson Foundation, Inc. for their proposal to restore shoreline along the Potomac River, provide fish habitat, take erosion protection measures, preserve 30 acres of freshwater wetland, and protect Native American archeological sites. 

“I’m proud that these Maryland projects made it through NOAA’s competitive process, and that our local communities can begin the important work of restoring shorelines, creating new habitats and protecting against erosion,” Chairwoman Mikulski said. 

More information about Maryland projects can be found at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/restoration/restorationatlas/recovery_map.html