Earlier this month, the
U.S Environmental Protection Agency announced more than $11 million in grant funding for projects promoting a Healthy and Resilient Gulf of Mexico watershed, with $448,625 to Lamar University for conjunctive deployment of distributed stormwater infiltration and Bioretention infrastructures to mitigate flooding and related non-point source pollution in Beaumont and Port Arthur, according to an EPA press release.
These awards will improve water quality, habitat, community resilience and environmental education in the Gulf of Mexico watershed. A total of 26 projects were awarded in three EPA regions (Region 4: 14 projects, Region 6: 11 projects, and Region 7: one project).
"EPA is very excited to recognize all of the projects across the Southeast promoting a healthy and resilient Gulf Coast for this year," said EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman. "From advanced contaminant tracking in Coastal Alabama to pollution source reduction at public places in Tennessee, these projects will go a long way toward improving community health and the environment across the Gulf of Mexico watershed. "
EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister said, "EPA's decision to expand the Gulf of Mexico watershed to include Region 7 states is a critical step to tackling the issue of marine litter. The community-driven work to reduce trash that will be supported by this grant will positively affect not only our local Midwestern environments, but also downstream communities all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. "
The Healthy & Resilient Gulf of Mexico grants are administered by the U.S EPA's Gulf of Mexico Division. The Gulf of Mexico Division is a non-regulatory program of EPA founded to facilitate collaborative actions to protect, maintain, and restore the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico in ways consistent with the economic well-being of the region.
To carry out its mission, the Gulf of Mexico Division continues to maintain and expand partnerships with state and federal agencies, federally recognized tribes, local governments and authorities, academia, regional businesses and industries, agricultural and environmental organizations, and individual citizens and communities.