HARTFORD - The Connecticut congressional delegation today applauded fourteen grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Long Island Sound Futures Fund supporting preservation and restoration of the Long Island Sound in communities across the state. The grants, ranging from $4,546 to teach students in East Lyme about methods to reduce stormwater pollution to $150,000 to the Nature Conservancy to restore six acres of floodplain and wetland along the Eightmile River in Lyme.

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said, "Long Island Sound is a proven economic driver for Connecticut, generating billions of dollars annually for the state, and has defined Connecticut’s traditions and values for hundreds of years. We need to prioritize federal investment for the preservation of Long Island Sound – not only for the millions of people who currently rely on it for work and recreation, but for future generations as well. The funding announced today will be hugely beneficial for people across Connecticut because it will teach them to be better environmental stewards, as well as give them confidence in Long Island Sound’s long term health."

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said, “The Long Island Sound and its waterways are among the state and nation’s most precious natural resources. The Futures Fund provides invaluable support to local non-profits and researchers who serve as tireless caretakers and stewards of the Sound in their communities across the state. From wildlife restoration to public outreach and education, these projects will help ensure that generations to come can continue to enjoy the Sound’s unparalleled beauty and benefit from vital role it plays in supporting our state and region’s economy.”

“The Sound is a critical economic, recreational and environmental resource,” Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) said. “These waters are a regional and national treasure. Community organizations and local governments play a crucial role in making sure they will be a clean and healthy ecosystem for future generations to enjoy. I congratulate all of the grant recipients and look forward to seeing the fruits of their labor continue for years to come.”

Congressman Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) said, “Protecting and preserving the Long Island Sound is one of my top priorities in Congress. Investments like these are instrumental to protecting and raising awareness about the unique ecosystem along Connecticut’s coast, and a key part of our regional economy. This announcement is good news for the Sound, and I will keep working with my colleagues in the Connecticut and New York delegations to do all we can to protect the Sound in the future.”

Congressman Jim Himes (D-Conn.) said, “The Long Island Sound is an incredible natural resource and we must continue our efforts to protect the surrounding ecosystem and preserve it for the enjoyment of future generations. These grants from the Long Island Sound Futures Fund are a smart investment that will help do just that, while supporting community organizations and educational opportunities for our students.”

Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.) said, “The Long Island Sound Futures Fund supports innovative conservation projects and promotes community partnerships with the goal of restoring the Long Island Sound. I’m proud to help announce today’s grants, particularly the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut’s grant for green infrastructure projects at Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) in Waterbury. NVCC students will install a rain garden and stormwater capture and filtration system, preparing them with technical skills and teaching them key conservation and environmental protection principles. Connecticut continues to lead the country in developing and utilizing green infrastructure and technology, and projects like this will help make sure that our students are prepared with the skills they need for 21st century jobs.”

Additional grants include:

• $149,999.33 to Connecticut Fund for the Environment to open 4.1 stream miles and restore eight acres of habitat along Whitford Brook in Old Mystic.

• $45,316.22 to the Sea Research Foundation to restore one acre of freshwater wetland and salt march and .6 acres of grassland and dunes at Dodge Paddock and Beal Preserve in Stonington.

• $41,159 to the National Audubon Society for bird and beach stewardship at Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport.

• $149,971 for the New Haven Urban Resources Initiative to engage students, ex-offenders and the New Haven community in installation of bioretention swales and rain garden green infrastructure in New Haven.

• $51,307.10 for the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut to install green infrastructure projects at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury and Three Rivers Community College in Norwich.

• $99,156 for the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science to issue ecosystem health report cards for the Long Island Sound watershed in New York and Connecticut.

• $34,999 for the National Audubon Society to build schoolyard habitat outdoor classrooms in Stamford, New Haven and Greenwich.

• $35,000 for Solar Youth to run a Long Island Sound-themed Leaders-In-Training program for 7th and 8th grade students.

• $34,993.89 for the Connecticut River Museum in Essex to support an exhibit and discovery lab on invasive species degrading the Long Island Sound.

• $10,000.02 to the Citizens Campaign for the Environment to educate Bridgeport residents about the negative environmental impacts of flushing unused medications.

• $8,982.20 to Sea Research Foundation to host Eco Splash, a weeklong environmental awareness event in Mystic focused on the Long Island Sound.

• $34,149 for Earthplace- the Nature Discovery Center to teach high school students to monitor pollution sources and remediate concerns in Monroe, Darien and Ridgefield.

NFWF's Long Island Sound Futures Fund supports projects in local communities that aim to protect and restore the Long Island Sound. It unites federal and state agencies, foundations and corporations to achieve high-priority conservation objectives. Funded activities demonstrate a real, on-the-ground commitment to securing a healthy future for the Long Island Sound.