August 14, 2023

Manchin Announces $1 Million to Protect Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Enhance Public Health Across West Virginia

Charleston, WV – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced $1,064,397 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for three projects to enhance environmental and public health across West Virginia. The funding will support water quality restoration projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, statewide efforts to minimize and manage hazardous waste production and a program through West Virginia University to assist businesses with pollution reduction practices.

“Every West Virginian deserves clean water to drink, fresh air to breathe and a safe living environment. I’m pleased the EPA is investing more than $1 million in protecting the beautiful and ecologically critical Chesapeake Bay watershed, as well as advancing statewide efforts to control hazardous waste production and help West Virginia businesses adopt cost-efficient pollution reduction strategies,” Senator Manchin said. “As Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for resources to protect the health and wellbeing of communities across the Mountain State.”

Individual awards listed below:

  • $666,235 – West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection: Chesapeake Bay Program Implementation, Regulatory/Accountability and Monitoring Grants
    • This funding will support water quality restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including through providing training to wastewater treatment plant operators.
  • $266,816 – West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection: Hazardous Waste Management Program
    • This funding will support statewide efforts to minimize and control hazardous waste production and its associated risks to public health.
  • $131,346 – West Virginia University: Pollution Prevention Grant Program
    • This funding will assist West Virginia businesses in developing pollution reduction practices, which will lower operational costs by reducing water use, energy use and waste costs.