8 Montgomery County Organizations Receive Grants Totaling $388,000 for Environmental Projects

For Immediate Release: Thursday, March 7, 2019

Eight Montgomery County environmental organizations have received grants totaling $388,000 for nine overall projects to improve water quality and help manage stormwater runoff in the County. The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Chesapeake Bay Trust (CBT) announced the awarding of the grants—ranging from $20,000 to $80,000—to support neighborhood groups and nonprofit organizations working to protect local waterways.

“The Department of Environmental Protection is committed to improving the water quality of our local streams while contributing to the health and sustainability of our communities,” said DEP Director Adam Ortiz. “This grant program fills an important niche toward meeting our mission and we are thrilled to support and engage these hard-working local groups who share this mission.”

Established in 2014, the Montgomery County Watershed Restoration and Outreach Grant Program supports projects and programs that improve communities and water quality in through public engagement, education and on-the-ground restoration projects. Programs awarded grants can include public outreach and stewardship projects—such as conservation landscape plantings, community outreach and stormwater management practices. Funding for the projects is made possible through Montgomery County’s water quality protection fund.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust, a regional grant-maker specializing in engagement of nonprofit entities in restoration and outreach work, administers the grants for the County. CBT also administers similar programs for seven other jurisdictions.

“These projects, undertaken by neighborhood groups, volunteers and others, are so important for both water quality and education,” said CBT Executive Director  Jana Davis, “The work shows residents how a single project can both beautify their community and solve environmental issues—a win-win.”

The 2019 Montgomery County Watershed Restoration and Outreach Grant Program awardees include:

- Anacostia Riverkeeper, $30,000: For a gravel swale and conservation landscape plantings at the Tartan Ridge Community in Chevy Chase.

- Anacostia Riverkeeper, $54,000: For removal of impervious surface, construction of a rain garden and native tree plantings at Adventist Community Services in Silver Spring. 

- Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central Atlantic States, Inc, $31,180: For developing design plans for stormwater management practices to reduce runoff and pollution to Rock Creek at Woodend Nature Sanctuary in Chevy Chase.

- Bethesda Green, $80,000: For conservation landscaping, community outreach and an innovative cistern automation pilot program at the Glen Waye Gardens Condominium in Silver Spring.

- Friends of Cabin John Creek, $52,820: For community outreach and stewardship through the Stormwater Solutions Program in the Cabin John Creek Watershed.

- Friends of Sligo Creek, $20,000: For a comprehensive stormwater management plan and construction of a demonstration stormwater management project with interpretive signage for the Carolyn Condominium Complex in Silver Spring.

- Little Falls Watershed Alliance, $20,000: For community outreach, the installation of a bioretention project, conservation landscape planting and drywells in the Sumner Village Condominium Association in Bethesda.

- Our House Inc., $70,000: For removing invasive trees, conservation landscape plantings, tree plantings and stewardship training at Our House Inc. in Brookeville.

- University of Maryland, College Park, $30,000: For a targeted stormwater outreach campaign in Montgomery County.

To learn more about The Chesapeake Bay Trust, go to its website at www.cbtrust.org. To learn more about the watershed restoration programs and the water supply and wastewater programs of the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, go to https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dep/.

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Release ID: 19-078
Media Contact: Neil H. Greenberger 240-777-6532