Norwalk Receives Major State Funds For Habitat Restoration Project

NORWALK, CT — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has awarded more than $7.8 million in grants to 18 municipalities and nonprofit organizations across the state to support projects aimed at improving water quality, strengthening ecosystem resilience and restoring fish passage.

Among the recipients is the city of Norwalk for a habitat restoration project, according to a news release provided by DEEP.

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The following information was provided by DEEP:

Organization: City of Norwalk

• Project Location: Norwalk

• Project Title: Andrew's Field Habitat Restoration and Watershed Resilience Project

• Project Category and Phase: Habitat Restoration Construction

• Funding Awarded: $255,000

DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said the funding will support efforts across the state to improve the health of the Long Island Sound watershed.

"Almost all of Connecticut is within the Long Island Sound watershed," Dykes said in a news release. "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. We are grateful to our federal partners at EPA and NOAA for their support in making this impactful program possible."

According to DEEP, the grants are part of the newly created Long Island Sound Ecosystems Grant Program and are aligned with the goals of the Long Island Sound Partnership Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan.

The funding supports a mix of project stages, including planning, engineering, design and construction, and is intended to advance the state’s pipeline of environmental restoration work.

State officials said the program also leverages additional financial and in-kind contributions from other sources to expand the impact of the funding.

DEEP said more information about the individual projects will be made available on its Ecosystems Grant webpage. No timeline for project completion was provided.

The full announcement and recipient list is available here.

Written by Michael Lemanski, Patch Staff