West Virginia environmental officials have distributed more than $2.8 million in grants to fund water quality improvements and restoration work in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Mountain State stands as one of only two jurisdictions meeting its 2025 pollution reduction targets for the bay.
Environmental officials in West Virginia have announced the distribution of more than $2.8 million in grant funding aimed at improving water quality and supporting restoration efforts throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) revealed that over $1.5 million in 2025 Chesapeake Bay Program grants will fund water quality enhancement projects, habitat restoration work, and land conservation initiatives throughout the state’s Eastern Panhandle region.
The funding announcement comes at a time when West Virginia has distinguished itself as one of just two areas within the Chesapeake Bay watershed – alongside Washington D.C. – that has successfully met or surpassed its pollution reduction targets set for 2025.
Data analysis conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicates that West Virginia has successfully reached 100% of its nitrogen and sediment reduction targets based on recent milestone assessments and computer modeling. The state is also projected to achieve its phosphorus reduction goal by the 2025 deadline, positioning it as a leading performer in the multi-jurisdictional bay restoration initiative.
State officials credit West Virginia’s environmental achievements to collaborative efforts between local governments, state agencies, and nonprofit organizations, along with ongoing improvements to major sewage treatment facilities and robust voluntary conservation initiatives that minimize runoff and safeguard water quality in the Potomac River’s headwater regions.
The grant funding will support Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant (CBIG) and Chesapeake Bay Regulatory and Accountability Program (CBRAP) initiatives, which include farm conservation practices, nutrient management planning, stormwater mitigation projects, streamside buffer restoration, forest management practices, and regional watershed coordination efforts.
Organizations receiving 2025 Chesapeake Bay Program funding include:
The West Virginia Conservation Agency received $435,741 to maintain personnel who work with farmers and property owners on agricultural conservation methods, provide educational training, operate conservation district incentive programs, and focus on priority watersheds for water quality and wildlife habitat enhancement.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture was awarded $343,979 to employ Nutrient Management Specialists who develop nutrient management strategies, analyze soil samples, and encourage producers to implement conservation practices while also supporting the monitoring and documentation of agricultural conservation efforts throughout the region.
The Cacapon Institute secured $464,668 to fund tree planting initiatives and stormwater reduction programs involving schools, communities, and local governments, plus employ a conservation practices specialist to verify and document best practices across various sectors, particularly voluntary conservation efforts on developed properties.
The West Virginia Division of Forestry received $70,000 to support forestry professionals who help private property owners develop forest management strategies, enhance timber harvesting methods, and implement forestry conservation practices that safeguard water quality and minimize erosion.
Trout Unlimited was granted $100,000 to continue streambank, in-stream, and riparian buffer restoration work within the Potomac River watershed, reducing sediment and nutrient pollution through technical support, community outreach, and riparian buffer maintenance.
The Region 9 Planning and Development Council obtained $60,000 to fund a Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) Coordinator who will collaborate with local governments, industry, wastewater facilities, and agricultural/forestry sectors in Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties to achieve EPA’s 2017 and 2025 pollution reduction standards and document progress for WVDEP.
The Region 8 Planning and Economic Development Council received $50,000 to support a Potomac Highlands Environmental Project Coordinator who provides guidance to local governments on Chesapeake Bay funding opportunities, implementation approaches, and stormwater management best practices.
Governor Morrisey also revealed that WVDEP has distributed over $1.2 million in federal Section 319 Nonpoint Source (NPS) grants to organizations focused on reducing pollution, restoring waterways, and implementing watershed management plans statewide.
The Section 319 Program, created through the federal Clean Water Act, provides funding to states for addressing nonpoint source pollution, which encompasses diffuse pollution sources including farm runoff, inadequately managed stormwater, sedimentation, malfunctioning septic systems, and abandoned mine drainage.
Administered by WVDEP’s Division of Water & Waste Management, the state’s Section 319 Program distributes grants to watershed organizations, conservation districts, and local partners to develop and execute projects that enhance water quality and help remove streams from impaired waterway lists.
Initiatives supported through the federal fiscal year 2025 funding include watershed planning, abandoned mine drainage treatment, habitat restoration, conservation practice implementation, septic system rehabilitation, and statewide technical assistance for local partners. All grant recipients must contribute a 40% funding match.
Section 319 Nonpoint Source (NPS) grant recipients include:
West Virginia Conservation Agency – $104,000
Friends of the Cheat – $55,950
Friends of the Cheat and West Virginia Rivers Coalition – $137,894
Friends of Deckers Creek – $243,800
Canaan Valley Institute – $147,760
West Virginia Conservation Agency (Potomac Valley District) – $207,970
West Virginia Conservation Agency (Western District) – $135,000
West Virginia Conservation Agency (Greenbrier Valley District) – $86,200
West Virginia Conservation Agency (Eastern Panhandle District) – $82,000
WVDEP, working alongside the West Virginia Conservation Agency, Division of Forestry, and Division of Natural Resources, will provide over $100,000 in 2026 Stream Partners Program (SPP) grants to assist watershed organizations statewide in their efforts to protect, restore, and advocate for West Virginia’s rivers and streams.
The Stream Partners Program, created by the state Legislature to empower local, volunteer-based watershed associations, offers grants up to $5,000 to community organizations engaged in hands-on initiatives including streambank stabilization, water quality monitoring, habitat restoration, litter removal, invasive species management, public education, and long-term planning that strengthens local watershed stewardship.
These yearly grants represent a fundamental component of West Virginia’s comprehensive watershed restoration approach. They help develop local group capabilities, enhance community participation, and support ground-level improvements that complement larger state and federal restoration investments.
2026 Stream Partners Program Grant Recipients will each receive up to $5,000 to support stream restoration, water quality, education, or community-based conservation initiatives.
2026 Stream Partners Program (SPP) grant recipients include:
Buckhannon River Watershed Association – $5,000
Davis Creek Watershed Association – $3,075
Fourpole Creek Watershed Association – $2,291
Friends of Blackwater – $5,000
Friends of Deckers Creek – $5,000
Friends of Mill Creek – $5,000
Friends of the Cacapon River – $5,000
Friends of the Cheat – $5,000
Friends of the Tug Fork River – $5,000
Greenbrier River Watershed Association – $5,000
Guardians of the West Fork River – $5,000
Paint Creek Watershed Association – $5,000
Piney Creek Watershed Association – $5,000
Plateau Action Network – $5,000
Save the Tygart Watershed Association – $5,000
Sleepy Creek Watershed Association – $5,000
Town Run Watershed – $5,000
Twelvepole Rising – $5,000
Warm Springs Watershed Association – $5,000
Wheeling Creek Watershed Alliance – $5,000
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