Senator Hwang, a leading advocate for CT’s Long Island Sound Blue Plan legislation and awareness program said “I am thrilled and encouraged to learn about the $3.8 million in federal funds made available to Connecticut’s local governments, nongovernmental organizations and community groups to help protect the Long Island Sound (LIS).”
According to Incoming House Appropriations’ Committee Chair, Congresswoman, Rosa DeLauro, $1.8 million of these funds will be distributed throughout Connecticut, helping to fund 16 different projects. One will monitor water quality in nine waterways in the Norwalk River watershed. Another will fund environmental education in the Newhallville neighborhood of New Haven.
Others will provide education on the Sound’s migratory shorebirds, facilitate the building of green infrastructures in Branford and Brookfield, reduce pollution in Newtown’s Pootatuck River watershed, restore coastal habitat in Milford and Stratford and remove a barrier to fish passage in Sasco Brook in Fairfield and Westport.
The grant is made possible through combined funds from the EPA, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and will reach more than 670,000 residents, in Connecticut and elsewhere, through environmental education programs and conservation projects.
The funds will result in treating 5.4 million gallons of stormwater, installing 23,000 square feet of green infrastructure and preventing 3,000 pounds of nitrogen from entering the Sound. Projects will also open 3.7 river miles and restore 108 acres of coastal habitat for fish and wildlife.
Hwang added, “These federal grants will bolster education and awareness on vital natural resources within and connected to the Long Island Sound. It is a remarkable reminder that nearly 10% of the U.S. population lives within 50 miles of the LIS. The sound is an essential component of our natural environment and our economy, and we have a social responsibility to protect and preserve it. “
Senator Tony Hwang has been a longtime environmental advocate, named a Legislative Champion by the CT League of Conservation Voters and a leading supporter of the Long Island Sound Blue Plan.
Sen. Hwang is currently the ranking leader on the Public Safety and Security, Higher Education and Employment and Housing Committees. Hwang is also a member of the Transportation Committee. Hwang also serves as the co-chair of the bipartisan BioScience Caucus. Hwang was appointed to Governor Lamont’s Workforce Council on recommendations for supporting economic development. Hwang is a member of Connecticut’s Commission on Women, Children and Seniors (CWCS) 2Gen Advisory Council addressing intergenerational poverty.
The post STATE SENATOR TONY HWANG’S STATEMENT ON FEDERAL GRANTS AIMED AT PROTECTING AND PRESERVING LONG ISLAND SOUND appeared first on Connecticut Senate Republicans.
