Danbury Area Lakes Programs To Receive $50K In State Grants

BROOKFIELD, CT — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has tapped Candlewood Lake and Lake Lillinonah programs as recipients in the second round of grant funding through the Aquatic Invasive Species Grant Program.

Across the state, a total of $370,000 is going to 15 projects to reduce impacts of aquatic invasive species on inland waters in Connecticut. As of Dec. 7, 2021, DEEP received 26 project applications requesting funding. Of those, 15 projects made the cut.

The Candlewood Lake Authority will be receiving $31,104 for its Candlewood Lake Steward Program, which educates boaters on aquatic invasives threatening Candlewood Lake. The Lake Lillinonah Authority is looking at a grant of $12,375 for its Lake Lillinonah Invasive Weed Removal Proposal. Finally, Western Connecticut State University will benefit from $7,150 in research money to investigate the behaviors of triploid grass carp at Candlewood Lake and the impacts of overstocking at Squantz Pond.

The Aquatic Invasive Species Grant Program was made possible in 2019 when the Connecticut General Assembly established an Aquatic Invasive Species Stamp fee. The money received from all registered Connecticut boaters provides a dedicated funding source for the "Connecticut Lakes, Rivers and Ponds Preservation Account." This account funds programs to protect the state’s lakes, ponds and rivers by addressing aquatic invasive species and cyanobacteria blooms.

For this round of funding, DEEP had a total of $370,000 to award for eligible control, research and education and outreach projects. The maximum grant award was $50,000. Requests for grants up to $75,000 were considered, but only for exceptional and well-justified proposals, according to DEEP officials. Matching funds were required and had to equal or exceed 25 percent of the total project cost.