EPA provides nearly $1.1M in grants to protect wetlands

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Federal environmental officials have awarded nearly $1.1 million in funds to better protect wetlands throughout New Jersey.  Two state agencies — the Sports and Exhibition Authority and the Environmental Protection Department — and Ocean County College will get some of the $1,073,000 in grants announced Wednesday by the Environmental Protection Agency.  Ocean County College will use a $184,548 grant to develop monitoring procedures to assess the condition and progress of tidal marsh restoration  sites.  The SEA’s Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute will use a $367,756 grant to measure long-term carbon storage and related work. The DEP will use a $393,700 grant to improve the availability and accessibility of data on the health and condition of wetlands. Another $126,958 grant will help fund the measuring of hydraulic and vegetation characteristics of the tidal marshes of the Mullica and Wading Rivers.