News
Release
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
July 25, 2012
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
July 25, 2012
Contact: David Deegan, (617)
918-1017
Penobscot Indian Nation Receives Grant of
nearly $149,000 to Improve Water Quality
(Boston, Mass. – July 25, 2012) – The Penobscot
Indian Nation has received a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
for $148,924 to help reduce nonpoint source water pollution on their tribal
lands. The grant was selected in a competitive review process among 52
proposals. A total of 20 grants were funded by EPA.
The grant will be used to improve and protect
water quality in the Penobscot River and Little Alder Stream. The Penobscot
River watershed consists of approximately one-third of the state of
Maine.
“EPA is very pleased to provide much-needed
funding to help the Penobscot Nation do some very important work that will have
a real impact improving water quality and habitat within the Penobscot River,”
said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England regional
office.
“Clean water and protection of aquatic habitat
is of great importance to the Penobscot Nation,” said Dan Kusnierz, Penobscot
Nation’s Water Resources Program Manager. “The Tribe greatly appreciates this
commitment from EPA that will enable us to significantly reduce eroding soils
and thereby protect the quality of waters on and adjacent to tribal
lands.”
The EPA funding will assist the Penobscot
Nation to reduce sediments and nutrients from entering the Penobscot River by
stabilizing portions of an eroding riverbank and re-establishing nearby
vegetation. This portion of the project will also complement ongoing efforts by
the Penobscot Indian Nation to restore and improve habitat for migratory fish
(including the federally endangered shortnose sturgeon and Atlantic salmon, and
10 other species).
The Tribal government will also use EPA funding
to reduce sediments and nutrients from entering Little Alder Stream and its
tributaries by installing “best management practices” (BMPs) on an all-terrain
vehicle trail system leading to a sensitive high elevation lake with a native
brook trout fishery. Installing BMPs on portions of the trail that are in close
proximity to streams leading to Little Alder Stream will help protect water
quality in these sensitive waters.
More
information:
Non-point source water pollution: http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/whatis.cfm
Tribal non-point source grant projects: http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/tribal/index.cfm
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