News Releases from Region 04

Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium Receives EPA Grant for Water Quality Monitoring, Education and Outreach in Bayou Lafourche

ATLANTA. (June 12, 2019) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium and Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP) a grant in the amount of $695,614 to help monitor water quality before and after the repair of selected individual home sewage systems in the Bayou Lafourche Watershed of the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary System. 

“EPA is committed to investing in local projects that will foster environmental protection, education and awareness,” said Region 4 Administrator Mary S. Walker. “These projects help to restore local communities while serving as models for others to follow.”

The main goal of this project is to improve the surface drinking water quality by reducing the non-point source pollution in the watershed. Grant funds will be used for water quality monitoring and repairing of individual home sewage systems (50% of cost up to $1,000) in the areas of the Bayou Lafourche watershed. As part of the cost-assistance program, education will be provided to homeowners on proper On-site Disposal Systems maintenance. By demonstrating the water quality benefit of these repairs and sharing this information with the public, it will encourage additional homeowners to repair and maintain their home sewage systems.

The expected audience reached in the watershed is 16,480 homes and 45,296 people.  A minimum of 200 homes will receive cost-share assistance.  Donaldsonville, Thibodaux, Raceland, Mathews, and Lockport, Louisiana are the main municipalities that will be served.

For more information visit www.BTNEP.org. 

For more information about the Gulf of Mexico Program go to: https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/gulfofmexico.

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