Federal and state officials will announce more than $12 million in grants to fund 31 projects in the Long Island Sound watershed. The grants, provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Long Island Sound Study, and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) through the Long Island Sound Futures Fund grant program, will support water quality improvement, habitat restoration, and public engagement projects to restore the Long Island Sound. 

WHO: 

• U.S. Representative Joe Courtney, Connecticut’s 2nd Congressional District (Co-chair Long Island Sound Caucus) 
• David Cash, Regional Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 1 
• Javier E. Laureano, PhD, Director of EPA Region 2’s Water Division  
• Sean Mahar, Interim Commissioner, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 
• Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection representative 
• Mary Alice Lee, Director, NYC Playground Program for the Trust for Public Land 
• Barbara Zahm, Treasurer, and, Sally Connolly, Chair, City Island Oyster Reef 

WHEN: Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, 11:00 a.m. ET  

WHERE: Virtual Event. Click here to register. 

WHY: Learn more about the grants, including grants to the Trust for Public Land and the City Island Oyster Reef. The Trust for Public Land grant will be used to involve residents in environmental education and to engage students in project design to prevent stormwater runoff into local waterways. This will culminate in the construction of a 22,000 sq. ft. green infrastructure schoolyard in an underserved community in the South Bronx, New York. The grant to the City Island Oyster Reef will continue to expand the stewardship, oyster reef restoration, and educational programs at City Island, New York. 

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 

Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate, foundation and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 6,800 organizations and generated a total conservation impact of $10 billion. NFWF is an equal opportunity provider. Learn more at nfwf.org. 

About the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Grants 

Every year, EPA awards more than $4 billion in funding for grants and other assistance agreements. From small non-profit organizations to large state governments, EPA works to help many visionary organizations achieve their environmental goals. With countless success stories over the years, EPA grants remain a chief tool to protect human health and the environment. Follow EPA Region 1 (New England) on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 1, visit the website.  

About the Long Island Sound Study  

The Long Island Sound Study, developed under the EPA’s National Estuary Program, is a cooperative effort between the EPA and the states of Connecticut and New York to protect and restore the Sound and its ecosystem. To learn more about the Long Island Sound Study, visit Form more information about the LISS visit the website.