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<p style="background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">The Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program (NEP) is seeking proposals for the
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 113, 188);"><u><a data-auth="NotApplicable" originalsrc="https://buzzardsbay.org/our-program/funding/" style="color: rgb(0, 113, 188); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA62d80b90-38f0-b4ee-b434-9c094539d154" href="https://buzzardsbay.org/our-program/funding/">FY26
Buzzards Bay Watershed Infrastructure and CCMP Support Grant Program</a></u></span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"> – Round 4, with
</span><span style="color: black;">$814,445 </span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">in federal funding available through the
</span><span style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a data-auth="NotApplicable" originalsrc="https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA1049036f-1abd-c745-5f48-70444b8ec8cc" href="https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure">Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act of 2021</a></u></span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">. Eligible projects must implement a recommendation in the Buzzards Bay Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) and be principally located within
</span><span style="color: black;">or benefit water quality or habitat in the Buzzards Bay watershed.</span></p>
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<span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Eligible projects include:</b></span></p>
<ol style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in;" start="1">
<li style="font-family: "Garamond", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif;">Feasibility, assessment, and design of stormwater facilities to treat, eliminate, or reduce discharges to impaired
surface waters.</span></li><li style="font-family: "Garamond", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif;">Construction of stormwater facilities to treat, eliminate, or reduce the volume of polluted discharges affecting surface
waters.</span></li><li style="font-family: "Garamond", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif;">Support for tasks to achieve
<a name="x__Hlk92359038">Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System </a>(MS4) compliance (other than required routine maintenance).</span></li><li style="font-family: "Garamond", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif;">Retrofits to enhance nutrient removal from municipal wastewater treatment facilities using innovative or unconventional
approaches and community scale wastewater treatment facilities to reduce nutrient loading.</span></li><li style="font-family: "Garamond", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif;">Restoration of wetlands, habitat, and migratory fish passage.</span></li><li style="font-family: "Garamond", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif;">Construction of a boat pump-out facility in a municipality or harbor when none exists.</span></li><li style="font-family: "Garamond", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif;">Creation of, or participation in, online reporting systems for tracking and testing the operation, maintenance, and
monitoring of innovative and alternative septic systems.</span></li><li style="font-family: "Garamond", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif;">Projects that, through direct action (other than routine maintenance or replacement of existing infrastructure), mitigate
or restore coastal waters, or freshwaters, adversely affected by nutrient loading (nitrogen and phosphorus pollution) or bacteria pollution.</span></li><li style="font-family: "Garamond", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span role="presentation" style="font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif;">Permanent land preservation through direct acquisition or conservation restrictions.</span></li><li style="font-family: "Garamond", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span role="presentation" style="font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif;">Other activities in support of the CCMP and compatible with IIJA funding.</span></li></ol>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; margin: 0in; font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Eligible Applicants</b></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">This solicitation is open to municipalities within the Buzzards Bay Watershed, including Fall River, Westport, Dartmouth, New Bedford, Acushnet, Fairhaven, Rochester, Mattapoisett, Marion, Wareham, Middleborough, Carver,
Plymouth, Bourne, Falmouth, and Gosnold. </span><span style="color: black;">However, specific projects must lie principally within or benefit water quality or habitat in the Buzzards Bay watershed. The NEP will consider funding town-wide initiatives if appreciable</span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"> benefits
occur within the Buzzards Bay watershed</span><span style="color: black;">.</span></p>
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<span style="color: black;">Municipalities with projects that benefit Massachusetts Environmental Justice (EJ) Populations or Title 1 schools are strongly encouraged to apply under this grant opportunity provided they meet the eligibility criteria and allowable
funding categories in the Request for Proposals.</span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"> Visit our
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 113, 188);"><u><a data-auth="NotApplicable" originalsrc="https://buzzardsbay.org/our-program/funding/nep-ej-and-disadvantaged-target-areas/" style="color: rgb(0, 113, 188); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWAf481df7e-d8ca-92f5-90c8-7ca62aeab608" href="https://buzzardsbay.org/our-program/funding/nep-ej-and-disadvantaged-target-areas/">NEP
disadvantaged communities map</a></u></span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"> to see target areas that support our Equity Plan.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Municipalities may have non-municipal partners, but the municipality must be the applicant and the recipient of grant funds. Municipalities may subcontract or disburse funds to their partners according to municipal requirements
and policies. Eligible municipalities may submit any number of applications but may only receive a maximum of two grant awards not to exceed $400,000. No single grant award may exceed $375,000. There is no match required. Additional details, including the
Request for Proposals and required forms, are posted on the </span><span style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a data-auth="NotApplicable" originalsrc="https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-26-1042-CZM-ENV40-121679&external=true&parentUrl=close" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWAb1579d87-88ac-e3fd-4166-bd1cbd10aac0" href="https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-26-1042-CZM-ENV40-121679&external=true&parentUrl=close">COMMBUYS
website.</a></u></span></p>
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<span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Application Process</b></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><u>NOTE: NEW APPLICATION PROCESS</u>.</span> Applicants must use the online application portal and upload tool provided through the Executive
Office of Environmental Affairs (EEA) Grant Management System at <span style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);">
<u><a data-auth="NotApplicable" originalsrc="https://greenhub.mass.gov/" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA51ec3a9f-c687-0021-53a4-d1044b01ae26" href="https://greenhub.mass.gov/">greenhub.mass.gov</a></u></span>.
No applications will be accepted by email or by paper submissions. Applicants must first create a profile to apply. We encourage any municipal staff previously involved in submitting proposals on behalf of their municipality to click the register button on
greenhub.mass.gov and create a "business" account as soon as possible. <b>Please allow a few days to establish and verify your profile to use the Grant Management System.
</b>To learn more, please see the EEA’s <span style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a data-auth="NotApplicable" originalsrc="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzQVK6KiTOqyPW5PUOcFE42iRJgdm8LA_&si=2FohN3YUo4arQC1h" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA3d804454-28b2-c8b6-07eb-499991d49e69" href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzQVK6KiTOqyPW5PUOcFE42iRJgdm8LA_&si=2FohN3YUo4arQC1h">Grant
Management System instructional videos</a></u></span>.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Applications must be submitted on the grants portal on or before
<b>Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 5:00 PM.</b> Submissions are digitally time-stamped and EEA provides no allowance for technical difficulties or inability of the respondent to utilize the online system. We will not accept applications after the deadline for
any reason.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">An applicant’s proposal narrative must use the following format: Description of Environmental Impairment (required), Proposed Work (required), Concise Statement of Expected Environmental
Benefit of Proposed Work (required), and Concise Statement of Climate Resilience Activities or Benefits or Reductions (optional). Please be aware that each of the four sections is limited to 4,000 characters or approximately 2 pages of text. The applicant
may upload an unlimited number of additional documents to further illustrate their project to the review committee.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);">Sarah B. Williams | Regional Planner</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);">Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);">81-B County Road, Suite E | Mattapoisett, MA 02739</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Aptos", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);">Direct Line: (774) 377-6002 | <u><a style="color: rgb(127, 127, 127); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA279c1561-509e-bedb-1d03-91c06b3f6829" href="mailto:Sarah.Williams@mass.gov">Sarah.Williams@mass.gov</a></u></span></p>
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