LEWES, Del. — U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe, and EPA Region III Administrator Adam Ortiz today announced $595,000 in grant funding for clean water projects in Delaware. The funding will help protect the First State’s beaches, wetlands, and waterways.

“It’s wonderful to have Deputy Administrator McCabe and Regional Administrator Ortiz in Delaware, seeing firsthand how investments in clean water benefit our environment, health, and economy,” said Senator Carper, Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “These grants will provide much-needed funding for Delaware to keep our five-star beaches safe, to restore our wetlands, and to ensure functioning wastewater systems for our communities. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, this funding is just the start of millions to help address climate change, reduce pollution, and create jobs up and down the First State and across our country.”

“I am thrilled to be able to join Senator Carper and Secretary Garvin to see how President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is making a meaningful difference in First State communities,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “These critical funds will help us tackle the climate crisis, protect public health, reinvest in our aging infrastructure, so that everyone who calls Delaware home can continue to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live, learn, work, and play on clean land.”

"EPA considers the funding announced today as a continued payment on the long-term investments coming to Delaware," said EPA Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. "From the Beaches to the Bay, we have a responsibility in everything we do to address climate change, protect public health, and ensure all communities have access to safe infrastructure."

Joining Carper, McCabe, and Ortiz for the announcement and subsequent beach monitoring demonstration in Cape Henlopen State Park were Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Secretary Shawn Garvin, as well as Emily Knearl, the Delaware External Affairs Director of the Nature Conservancy.

“Ensuring clean water for all Delawareans and visitors is a crucial part of DNREC’s stewardship of Delaware’s environment,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “The BEACH Act is one of the federal programs that provides much-needed funding to support DNREC’s state programs, including ongoing water quality monitoring at Delaware beaches.”

"Clean water is vital for human communities and wildlife, and wetlands serve a vital role as nurseries for numerous plants and animals," said The Nature Conservancy Delaware External Affairs Director Emily Knearl. "But in an era of climate change with increasing precipitation, flooding, and rising seas, we see increased risk for contaminants and pathogens in our water. Programs like these are a game changer for Delaware and beyond as we work to monitor, protect and restore important water resources."

GRANT DETAILS:

• $223,000 in Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act grant funding to support annual monitoring of water quality at Delaware beaches.
• $200,000 in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to assess wastewater treatment systems in underserved manufactured home communities throughout Delaware's portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
• $172,000 in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to help restore 25 acres of wetlands in the Great Cypress Swamp, which is part of the Pocomoke River (Chesapeake Bay) watershed.