Courtney Announces New Federal Support for Environmental Restoration at Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme

NORWICH, CT—Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) announced the award of more than $340,000 in new federal funding bound for environmental restoration in eastern Connecticut. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will award the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) with $341,500 to restore degraded saltmarsh at Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme. DEEP's work to carry out conservation and resiliency improvement work in East Lyme is one of just 25 projects throughout thirteen coastal states to restore and enhance coastal wetlands, and to help mitigate the effects of climate change on coastal areas.

"The salt marshes are a critically important piece of our region's geography, and this new federal funding is going straight towards keeping them healthy, vibrant, and resilient for the wide range of life that depends on them," said Rep. Courtney. "Salt marshes are home to an incredibly diverse range of wildlife, from birds to blue crabs, and they're extremely important for our region's fish population. If that wasn't enough, healthy salt marshes also help mitigate the impacts of flooding on coastal communities by absorbing storm surge. This type of federal funding is going to have a real impact on the work DEEP and their partners are able to move forward on to restore our stretches of salt marsh at Rocky Neck State Park, and that's great news for all of our communities."

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection will receive a federal grant totaling $341,500 through the USFWS National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program. The federal funding will support the restoration of 82 acres of degraded saltmarsh at Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme, CT. The project was one of 25, across thirteen coastal states, to receive a total of $20 million in federal support through USFWS to restore or enhance more than 61,000 acres of coastal wetlands habitats. These projects seek to mitigate the effects of climate change on coastal areas, help recover coastal-dependent species, enhance flood protection and water quality, provide economic benefits to coastal communities, increase outdoor recreation, and benefit habitat and wildlife at several national wildlife refuges. Click here to read more.

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