Trust for Public Land Applauds the Biden Administration’s Recent Announcement of New Coastal Protection Program Funding for TPL-Supported Projects in Wisconsin and Virginia

Washington D.C. – A statement from Katie Murtha, Trust for Public Land’s [TPL] Vice President for Federal Affairs, regarding newly announced Federal grant funding from The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA] for coastal protection, restoration and management including resources for TPL-supported projects in Wisconsin and Virginia.

“Trust for Public Land is thrilled to announce that the recently passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) bill has made available $35 million in funding for coastal habitat restoration and management through NOAA’s coastal protection program. We are pleased to share that two TPL-supported projects have been selected to receive funding through this program. 

The first project is an ancestral homeland return project with the Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe in King William, Virginia. We are incredibly proud to support this project, which is dedicated to the restoration and management of river habitats on the ancestral lands of the Mattaponi Tribe. The project as part of a multi-faceted restoration and climate resilience strategy, will acquire and conserve 866 acres of historic tribals land along the Mattaponi River, within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This project is the first opportunity for the tribe to acquire ancestral lands for conservation

The second project is the Sand River Headwaters in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Located in norther Wisconsin, Bayfield County is in the Northwoods Region and more than 83% of the County is forested. The County is also in the Lake Superior watershed and is home to the Apostle Islands. To date, TPL has worked tirelessly to protect over 2,000 acres of land, including 1.77 miles of the Sand River. 

This funding will have a significant impact on both of these projects, enabling TPL to continue our critical work in protecting and preserving our nation’s natural resources and history. TPL is grateful for the support of the Biden Administration, NOAA and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill in making this funding possible.” 

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About Trust for Public Land 

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,364 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $93 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 9.4 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.