Natural Resources Agency Announces Awards for EEM

The California Natural Resources Agency has announced $8.2 million in funding for 21 Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation (EEM) projects statewide.

EEM provides grants to local, state and federal governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations for projects to mitigate environmental impacts caused by new or modified state transportation facilities.

“Investment in these projects will help California preserve and protect natural resources while mitigating the negative impacts of vital transportation infrastructure,” said California Natural Resources Secretary John Laird.

“The projects funded represent an impressive level of hard work and commitment by many people.”

For fiscal year 2014-15, the Natural Resources Agency evaluated 39 applications and recommended funding for 21 projects.

Specifically, the Agency recommends funding 10 projects in the northern part of the state for a total of nearly $3.9 million and 11 projects in the southern portion of the state totaling over $4.3 million.

Money for the grants comes from fuel taxes distributed to the Natural Resources Agency by Caltrans.

Some of the grant awardees are:

California State Coastal Conservancy:

• $206,074.04 – Klamath River Estuary Wetlands Conservation Project;
• $500,000.00 – White Slough Restoration Project.

California State Parks:

• $203,862.62 – Carpinteria State Beach Dune Restoration Project.

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