Deadline: 10-Jan-23
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and the Chesapeake Bay Trust are inviting proposals for the Maryland Nontidal Wetland Award Program to support no net loss of nontidal wetland acreage and functions in the state of Maryland.
Goals
- The goal of this program is to implement cost-effective wetland projects to provide valuable wetland functions, including habitat for a wide range of species and improved water quality, flood attenuation, recharge of groundwater, and aesthetics in the State’s local watersheds and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay, Youghiogheny River, and Atlantic Coastal Bays.
- The output of this program is to design, construct, monitor, and protect nontidal wetland sites and their associated buffers in the State of Maryland. Funded projects will be considered as In-Lieu Fee compensatory wetland mitigation sites and regulated wetland areas.
- MDE funds for these projects are generated from payments made as compensatory mitigation for authorized nontidal wetland losses; civil or criminal penalties; and other contributions. Funded projects will be considered as In-Lieu Fee compensatory wetland mitigation sites and regulated wetland areas. As a result, projects that receive funding in this program are not eligible for Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) credit under local Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) allocations, are not eligible for other programs such as the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and are not eligible for other reforestation or tree planting programs.
- In addition to the program goals stated above, the Trust is committed to the advancement of diversity and inclusion in its award-making and environmental work. As a result, the Trust strongly encourages applications directly from underrepresented groups, and for projects that increase awareness and participation of communities that are traditionally underrepresented, such as communities of color.
Funding Information
- Up to $760,000 is available for awards.
- Projects must be constructed within 2 years upon receipt of the award.
Project Types
- Nontidal wetland restoration: Re-establish a wetland in an area where a wetland historically existed.
- Nontidal wetland creation: Create a wetland in an area where no wetlands previously existed. Creation projects that require extensive grading will not be rated highly.
- Nontidal wetland enhancement: Improve the wetland function of an existing wetland. The highest rated projects include converting farmed wetlands back to natural wetlands.
- Nontidal Wetland preservation: Protect existing high-quality wetlands under threat of developement. Preservation should only be a small portion of the project
Ineligible Projects
- Projects that are required under an existing or pending regulatory process or permit, are required for mitigation, or are required by a regulatory authority for any other reason are not eligible for this program.
- Projects that receive funding in this program are not eligible for other voluntary programs such as the CREP, or other reforestation or tree planting programs. Sites with expired CREP easements may be considered and will be evaluated based on the current site conditions.
Eligibility Criteria
- MDE and the Trust welcome requests from not-for profit organizations, for-profit entities, and government agencies.
- Projects located in the primary watershed will be given priority over secondary and tertiary watersheds. The program will consider proposals for nontidal wetland projects on individual private, commercial private, community-owned, nonprofit, and/or public property in the priority watersheds.
For more information, visit Chesapeake Bay Trust.