A program working to protect water quality in the San Francisco Bay will receive up to $4.5 million over five years to fund a variety of local water projects, federal officials announced this week.
The funds will come from a total of $132 million targeted to water projects nationwide from President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill legislation, according to an announcement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Two other estuary programs in California — in Morro Bay and Santa Monica — will also receive $4.5 million each.
The program in the Bay Area is managed by San Francisco Estuary Partnership, established in 1988 by the state of California and the EPA under the Clean Water Act’s National Estuary Program.
“Protecting the water quality of these three incredibly important California estuaries … not only defends critical habitats, but protects the quality of life and economic foundations of our communities,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman in the announcement.
San Francisco Estuary Partnership director Caitlin Sweeney said the funding will quickly be put to use: “With the newly updated San Francisco Estuary Blueprint, our region is ready to direct this new funding to immediate action to deliver climate adaptation, community engagement and equity initiatives, supported by hundreds of collaborating organizations and agencies.”