Merkley, Wyden announce $900,000+ grant to improve water quality

Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden recently announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership $909,000 for the implementation of their Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP).

The CCMP aims to improve water quality, protect natural habitats, and support infrastructure for increased public use in the lower Columbia River area. The announcement was made on July 30.

“The health of Columbia River estuaries is vital to Oregon’s ecosystems and communities,” Merkley said. “This Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will empower the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership to collaborate with local partners on innovative projects that restore habitats, improve water quality, and enhance public access, ensuring the estuary thrives for generations to come.”

“Providing Oregonians and visitors to our state more access to the lower Columbia while stepping up protections for the estuaries of this natural treasure adds up to a big win,” Wyden said. “The investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to accomplish all those objectives proves yet again how this landmark legislation continues to make Oregon an even better and healthier state to live and work.”

Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this EPA grant will help the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership work with community partners to design habitat restoration initiatives, enhance public access to the lower Columbia River, build stormwater and green infrastructure, and conduct assessments and monitoring to improve water quality and expand knowledge of the estuary’s ecosystem.

“Our Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan lays an ambitious and necessary path to improve water quality, protect and restore important habitat, and engage schools and community organizations as valued partners in the restoration of our region. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for National Estuary Programs has been essential in quickly moving projects forward that help the lower Columbia region meet these goals – it is critical to advancing floodplain restoration, building green stormwater projects, and providing environmental education for students. The ripples of benefit from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are just beginning to be seen throughout the lower Columbia River and they will carry on for decades to come,” LCEP Executive Director Elaine Placido said.