San Francisco Estuary Partnership receiving $10.6 million to restore East Bay watersheds
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved a pair of grants to the San Francisco Estuary Partnership totaling $10.6 million for projects to protect and restore watersheds in Hayward, Richmond, San Pablo and North Richmond.
In a statement Thursday, the San Francisco Estuary Partnership announced local partners donated matching funds to supplement the new grants by EPA that were awarded through the EPA San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund program.
"This combination of local and federal funds not only focuses on supporting projects that improve local water quality, mitigate the impacts of flooding, and strengthen climate resilience for underserved communities, but also looks at ways to expand local and regional expertise in advancing nature-based solutions. Funding for this forward-looking approach allows us to further fortify our efforts to protect and restore the San Francisco Estuary," SFEP Director Caitlin Sweeney said.
Grant funding will go towards projects like the restoration of Wildcat Creek and the Pivot Points project, which include tidal marsh restoration, improving levees, and reducing nitrogen loads in the Bay's waters.
The Wildcat Creek project is estimated to cost $12.2 million, with West County Watershed providing the additional funds to match the EPA's $6.1 million contribution for it.
"This funding offers the opportunity to not only restore and safeguard green spaces for future generations but to continue to collaborate with regional partners including the San Francisco Estuary Partnership, to create spaces that expand nature access and lower the impact of climate change for our vulnerable communities now," Watershed Project Executive Director Juliana Gonzalez said.
The Pivot Points project received $9 million in total, with $4.5 million from the EPA and the rest from project partners.
"The Pivot Points project employs nature to protect the shoreline and communities from rising tides and storms - multi-benefit solutions to climate impacts that will benefit people and wildlife," said David Lewis, Executive Director of Save The Bay.
SFEP has worked with local communities alongside federal and state agencies for over 30 years to improve the health of the San Francisco Estuary, one of only 28 estuaries listed in the Clean Water Act as being of national significance.