Mayor Mitchell and Congressman Keating Announce $3.2 Million for Southeast New England Environmental Restoration
40 Massachusetts Organizations Receive Awards
Contact: Tom Ardito, Restore America’s Estuaries
Director, SNEP Watershed Implementation Grants
tardito@estuaries.org 401-575-6109
New Bedford, MA —On Monday, October 20, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell and U.S. Congressman Bill Keating were joined by federal, state and local partners to announce $3.2 million in grants and technical assistance for local organizations working on high-priority environmental projects, provided through the Southeast New England Program (SNEP). SNEP, funded by Congress and managed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), works to restore clean water, healthy ecosystems, and sustainable communities in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts.
The event highlighted eight Massachusetts organizations receiving a total of $1.3 million for large-scale environmental restoration projects through SNEP Watershed Implementation Grants, and 25 Massachusetts organizations receiving a total of $200,000 for work in coastal and watershed stewardship through SNEP Restoration Capital Mini-Grants. Both grant programs are funded by EPA New England and administered through a partnership with Restore America’s Estuaries, a national non-profit organization.
In addition to the grants, the SNEP Network, managed by the New England Environmental Finance Center at the University of Southern Maine, announced eight new technical assistance partnerships with Massachusetts communities to reduce water pollution and conserve coastal ecosystems.
The event was held at Fort Taber Community Center, New Bedford. Speakers included:
- New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell
- US Representative Bill Keating
- Councillor Maria Giesta, New Bedford Ward 2
- Brian Harrington, Deputy Regional Director, Bureau of Water Resources, Dept. of Environmental Protection, Southeast Regional Office
- Alison Brizius, Director, Mass. Coastal Zone Management
- Beth Lambert, Director, MA Division of Ecological Restoration
- Maura Valdez, Director, Groundwork Southcoast
- Alex Gulachenski, Sr. Program Manager, New England Environmental Finance Center / SNEP Network
- Tom Ardito, Director, SNEP Watershed Implementation Grants, Restore America’s Estuaries
Following the announcements, the City and its partner Groundwork Southcoast led a public tour of New Bedford’s Riverside Park and North End Resilience District. The Resilience District is an innovative program, funded in part by SNEP, to engage New Bedford residents in creating a greener, healthier, and more resilient urban environment. One of the grants announced today will provide $50,000 to the City and partners to restore a historic salt marsh at the Park.
The work in New Bedford is just one example of SNEP’s support for clean water, healthy ecosystems, and thriving communities throughout Southeast New England. Since 2012, SNEP has provided $70 million in funding and technical assistance to help municipalities, non-profit organizations, state and tribal governments, and other organizations accomplish these goals. By funding partnerships, promoting information-sharing, and helping to develop new technologies, SNEP is building capacity for better management of the regional environment while providing on-the-ground benefits for communities and ecosystems.
“The projects funded through this year’s SNEP grants continue to build on the $70 million the program has invested in improving the health and vitality of our coastal waterways over the last decade,” said Congressman Bill Keating. “Coastal waterways are vital indicators of the overall condition of the ocean environment. The restoration projects funded this year will reach far beyond their communities, providing a lasting benefit for our region’s oceans for years to come. I am proud to have created this program, and I will continue to support funding for these critical projects in the future.”
“Riverside Park is an important recreational asset in the Near North End and the lynchpin of the Riverwalk, which is being designed now. This project will improve the park’s ecological health and expand recreational opportunities,” Mayor Jon Mitchell said. “I want to thank our federal delegation for their continued support of initiatives like this.”
“Southeastern Massachusetts has some of the most beautiful—and most critical—water resources in the nation,” said Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bonnie Heiple. “MassDEP is proud to collaborate with regional and local partners to protect and restore our coastal ecosystems and watersheds. Congratulations to the grant recipients—their work will help improve water quality, safeguard habitats, and build more resilient communities.”
“We deeply appreciate the Southeastern New England Program’s ongoing partnership with the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration, municipalities, non-profits, and agencies in Massachusetts to restore coastal habitats,” said Mass. DER Director Beth Lambert. “SNEP’s continued investment in habitat restoration, water quality improvements, and resilience-building initiatives is vital to advancing our shared vision of healthy, thriving ecosystems. Together, we are making meaningful progress toward restoring the natural landscapes that support both biodiversity and communities throughout the region.”
“Since 2019, communities in the SNEP region have increased their capacity to reach their water quality goals through training and tailored assistance from SNEP Network partners”, said Martha Sheils, Director of the New England Environmental Finance Center and the SNEP Network. “Thanks to continued support from EPA’s Southeast New England Program, the SNEP Network will support a record 18 new projects this coming year. We are scaling up our impact by forming cohorts of communities with shared needs into learning hubs and leveraging SNEP Network tools and trainings that move projects forward to funding and implementation”.
“Restore America’s Estuaries is happy to partner with EPA’s Southeast New England Program in funding these important projects,” said Daniel Hayden, RAE President and CEO. “Since 2018, we’ve directed more than $21 million toward work that addresses community priorities while accomplishing regional goals. Together, these SNEP grants have significantly improved the coastal environment of Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts.”
Note: a companion event will be held in Providence on October 24, where we will announce an additional $1.7 million in grants to Rhode Island organizations. For information, see www.snepgrants.org
2025 SNEP Grant Recipients
The recipients of the 2025 SNEP Watershed Implementation Grants were selected through a competitive process from among $12 million in requests. The 8 Massachusetts projects to be funded are:
Massachusetts Grants
Buzzards Bay Coalition | Jack’s Marsh Coastal Wetland Restoration | Wareham | $496,500
Center for Coastal Studies | Debris Removal from Inhabited and Uninhabited Islands | Fair Haven, Martha’s Vineyard, Cuttyhunk, Nomans Land | $207,147
Association to Preserve Cape Cod | Weir Creek Salt Marsh Restoration | Dennis | $215,037
Rehoboth Land Trust | Adapting to Sea Level Rise at Mason St. Conservation Area | Rehoboth) | $53,551
New Bedford Parks & Recreation | Riverside Salt Marsh Restoration | New Bedford | $50,000
Town of Swansea | Cole River Dam Removal Concept Design | Swansea | $105,000
Trustees of Reservations | Barrier Beach and Salt Marsh Resilience | Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard | $100,000
Old Colony Planning Council | Improving Water Quality through Natural Solutions and Community Education | J.W. Fields Park, Brockton | $100,000
2025 SNEP Network Community Assistance Recipients
The SNEP Network is a partnership of 15+ organizations, led by the New England Environmental Finance Center, that provides free on-the-ground local technical assistance, training, and regional resources to advance community projects. This year’s community assistance projects are:
Massachusetts Community Projects
Town of Auburn | Stormwater Retrofit Planning & Design | SNEP Network Partner: Blackstone Watershed Collaborative
Town of Chatham | Wetlands Protection and Coastal Resilience Bylaw Development| SNEP Network Partner: Cape Cod Commission
Town of Gosnold | Resilience Action Planning and Prioritization | SNEP Network Partners: Kimberly Groff Consulting, Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center. Consultant: Throwe Environmental
Town of Lakeville | Open Space Residential Design Bylaw Review | SNEP Network Partner: Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD)
Town of Marion | Watershed-Based Plan Development | SNEP Network Partner: SRPEDD
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe |Nonpoint Source Pollution Assessment and Management Plan Support| SNEP Network Partner: Kimberly Groff Consulting
Town of Mattapoisett | Stormwater Management Bylaw Development | SNEP Network Partner: SRPEDD
Town of Westport | Westport River Salt Marsh Condition Assessment & Restoration Prioritization | SNEP Network Partner: Mass Audubon
For more on EPA’s Southeast New England Program, see www.epa.gov/snep
For more about SNEP Watershed Implementation Grants, see www.snepgrants.org
For more on the SNEP Network, see www.snepnetwork.org
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