Congress Approves the Cape's Largest Restoration Project!

Since 2008, APCC has spearheaded the advocacy effort to secure Congressional authorization of the project, which was a prerequisite to receiving federal funds. APCC created and then coordinated a coalition of environmental, sports, business and civic organizations in support of the project, which was proposed as a 10-year, $30 million program with $24 million coming from the federal government and $6 million from non-federal funds.
 
The 76 individual projects within the larger watershed project will result in the restoration of 7,300 acres of shellfish beds through stormwater remediation, 4,200 acres of migratory fish runs that include runs for river herring and American eel, and 1,500 acres of degraded salt marshes - all of which are critical to the economic vitality and ecological health of the region.

APCC wishes to thank Senator Paul Kirk, Senator John Kerry and the late Senator Edward Kennedy for the hard work they and their staff put into advocating for the project in the Senate. Equal thanks are due to Congressman William Delahunt and his staff for their tireless efforts in securing approval in the House of Representatives. The project simply could not have received Congressional approval without their help. 
 
APCC also wishes to thank our coalition members, as well as NRCS and its project partners.
 
In the near future, our legislative delegation will work with Congress and federal agencies to release the first allocation of funds for the project.