$2.8M in grants for Chesapeake Bay watershed will help West Virginia communities

SENECA ROCKS, W.Va. (WBOY) — Five grants to conserve the West Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed were announced on Wednesday, including a near million-dollar grant to restore brook trout habitat.

The grants were through the Small Watershed Grants (SWG) program and include monies from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to a press release from the Chesapeake Bay Program.

The funding will support water quality improvements, habitat restoration and community stewardship efforts in the West Virginia section of the Chesapeake Watershed, which includes the Potomac River in the Eastern Panhandle from Pendleton County over to Jefferson County.

A breakdown of each grant recipient in West Virginia is available below:

• Chesapeake Research Consortium ($150,000) plans to engage diverse students through individually tailored programs and mentorship to advance leadership in the environmental and conservation fields. This project will recruit and mentor college students who are underrepresented in environmental research and management professions to create a generation that will not only significantly contribute to meeting the long-term goals for Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration but also build upon and sustain those efforts for generations.
• Chesapeake Stormwater Network ($330,000) will deliver core stormwater training programs to the stormwater management community across the Chesapeake Bay watershed, expanding focus on more diverse audiences of existing and emerging stormwater professionals. This project will strengthen the capacity of the stormwater sector through professional development and updated trainings to accelerate implementation and improve local stormwater programs through an emphasis on maintenance, climate resilience and community-based project planning.
• National Wildlife Federation ($320,000) will enhance capacity to advance watershed restoration projects and practices across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This project will increase collaboration and coordination among the nonprofit and stakeholder community in order to support the Bay restoration effort by bringing together leaders from local watershed organizations, environmental and conservation organizations, the philanthropic community, government officials and businesses for education, networking and enhanced coordination.
• Trout Unlimited ($997,500) plans to restore brook trout habitat and install conservation practices on private and public lands in the headwaters of the Potomac River in Virginia and West Virginia. This project will restore nine miles of riparian forest habitat, install 7.5 miles of livestock exclusion fencing and reconnect existing brook trout habitat populations to 12 miles of headwater habitat.
• University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science ($543,00) plans to improve the delivery and relevance to watershed residents of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Report Card by integrating socially relevant indicators and community perspectives on watershed ecosystem health. The project will engage a wide range of diverse stakeholders, enhance their understanding of the interconnected components of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, create new pathways for change, and foster partnerships and capacity-building for community and environmental improvement.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOWK 13 News.