Groton Receives Major State Funds For Habitat Restoration Project

GROTON, CT — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has announced that 18 municipalities and non-profits will receive over $7.8 million.

The funds are for improving water quality, enhancing ecosystem resilience, and improving fish passage, according to a statement.

The Town of Groton will receive $195,000 for the Poquonnock Bridge– Resilient Streets: Engineering and Green Infrastructure Design Project. The funds will go toward planning, engineering, and design of the project.

"Almost all of Connecticut is within the Long Island Sound watershed," DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said in a statement. "These innovative projects will protect and restore valuable coastal marsh habitat, remove impediments to migratory fish passage, and advance innovative green stormwater infrastructure – advancing our shared goal of protecting and improving the health of the Sound that provides ecosystem, recreation, and economic benefits to the citizens of Connecticut."

The funded projects are intended to ensure consistency with regional restoration and water quality objectives.

They will also advance the state’s restoration project pipeline by supporting a combination of planning, engineering, design, and construction funding needs, according to the statement.