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Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation Selected for EPA Watershed Grant

Release Date: 11/10/2005
Contact Information: For more information contact the Office of External Affairs at (214) 665-2200.

    The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation was highlighted today in EPA’s announcement of grant availability for 12 of the nation’s outstanding watershed coalitions.  EPA Assistant Administrator for Water, Benjamin H. Grumbles, made the announcement today on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

     “The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation has been an exemplary partner to local, state and federal agencies in its mission to restore and preserve the Lake Pontchartrain basin,” EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene said.  “EPA is glad to help promote grass-roots efforts like the Foundation’s, and advance cooperative conservation and environmental innovation across America.”

     The Foundation competed with watershed coalitions from across the nation.  The 12 coalitions selected are now invited to complete formal grant applications.  

     “The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation sincerely appreciates being selected to partner with EPA on cleaning our northshore rivers,” Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation Director Carlton Dufrechou said.  “Water quality in the Tangipahoa and other northshore rivers has improved, but we have more work to do.  The Targeted Watershed grant allows us to restore the water quality on several important northshore rivers."

     The Foundation proposed to address water quality impairment in the Tangipahoa River watershed.  The river is impacted by bacterial pollution from dairy farms and municipal and individual wastewater treatment plants.  Located north of New Orleans, the Tangipahoa River is 61 miles long and covers a 520 square mile watershed.  This project proposes to reduce fecal coliform/E. Coli counts by 20 percent within three years.  

     The Foundation and its partners will provide technical assistance and education to dairy farmers, owners and operators of rural wastewater treatment plants, municipalities and plant operators.  It will focus on the Tangipahoa and adjacent watersheds on the lake's northshore.

     This year, 12 groups will receive more than $9 million for Targeted Watershed Grants.  A total of 34 groups have been selected over the past two years to help protect and restore some of the nation’s most highly valued watersheds. The total amount awarded for this program since 2003 is nearly $39 million.  The goal of the program is to build on the successes of partners who have completed watershed assessments and are ready to carry out their plans.

     More information about this year’s selections and the Targeted Watershed Grant program is at https://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/initiative.  More information about the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation is at http://www.saveourlake.org.