As part of Virginia’s commitment to restoring the Chesapeake Bay, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has announced a $20M Pay-For-Outcomes Nonpoint Source Pollution Reduction grant program. This one-year pilot program will provide payments based on the amount of pollution actually removed or prevented. The program is meant to help identify cost-effective means of reducing nonpoint source pollution and encourage innovation.
Any business, nonprofit, government entity, or individual may apply for grants up to $7.5M to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus pollution entering Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay watershed. The proposals may rely on best management practices already commonly used in Virginia or offer novel science-based technologies. A panel of scientific experts will review proposals and rank each on cost per pound of pollution reduction with consideration to habitat and resilience benefits, readiness to proceed, and other factors.Learn more about the Virginia grant program here. Learn about a similar Maryland program here.
