(AGENPARL) – mer 08 maggio 2024 Issued: May 8, 2024 (3:52pm EDT)
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EPA announces $3.5M for Nampa wetlands stormwater treatment projects,
community engagement
NAMPA, Idaho – Today, Environmental Protection Agency Deputy Administrator
Janet McCabe announced a Columbia River Basin Restoration Program Toxics
Reduction Lead Grant for $3.5 million to the City of Nampa, a project funded
by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.  
The grant is for a stormwater treatment project to improve water quality,
reduce toxics and protect salmon.  
“Funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is enhancing
our local partnership with the City of Nampa to help restore the Columbia
River Basin, protect public health, improve water quality, and support salmon
threatened by harmful pollution,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet
McCabe. “EPA is committed to investing in innovative infrastructure to
reduce toxic contaminants, improve watershed health, respect Tribal treaty
rights, and ensure that the Basin can remain a vital economic engine that
supports a wide range of recreational activities.” 
In partnership with regional stakeholders, the City of Nampa’s Columbia
River Basin Tributaries Water Quality Improvements Project will use a free
water surface wetland to capture and treat stormwater runoff. This innovative,
constructed wetland will improve water quality, reduce runoff, and promote
citizen engagement through the process of “Measure – Treat – Implement
– Educate.”  
“EPA has been collaborating with the City of Nampa for years on stormwater
management with the goal of improving water quality in the Columbia River
Basin,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “This grant will
support our project partners as they advance innovative strategies to reduce
toxics.” 
This permanent project will serve as a pilot to help determine viable
treatment options for all of Canyon County through the development of a
regional online repository titled “One Water, One People.” Partners
include the City of Caldwell, Idaho Transportation Department and Idaho
Department of Environmental Quality. 
“The City of Nampa is excited for the opportunity to utilize this ground for
the Karcher Wetland Project and greatly appreciate EPA’s support through
Columbia River Basin grant funds,” said Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling. “This
innovative project will improve water quality on Indian Creek and is another
example of Nampa’s good stewardship of our environmental resources.” 
Treating stormwater before it reaches area waterways is essential for
improving water quality and environmental health for the local community, as
well as those downstream in the Columbia River Basin. This project will focus
on improvements that contribute to water quality in Indian and Mason creeks in
Nampa. 
Background on the Columbia River Basin 
The Columbia River Basin covers 260,000 square miles, 16 federally recognized
tribes, across seven states including Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and
Wyoming. The Basin provides benefits including commercial fisheries,
agriculture, forestry, recreation, and electric power generation. Human
activities have contributed toxic contaminants to the environment and
throughout the Basin, fish species have accumulated contaminant levels that
are harmful to people and wildlife. Toxics in fish are a primary health
concern for Columbia River Basin tribal people and other high fish
consumers. 
Congress amended the Clean Water Act in 2016 by adding Section 123,
establishing a Columbia River Basin Restoration Program to develop a
voluntary, competitive grant program for eligible entities to fund
environmental protection and restoration programs throughout the Basin. In
2020, EPA awarded $2,053,903 in 14 grants throughout the Basin to tribal and
state governments, municipalities, NGOs, universities, and other entities.
These grant projects are implementing and developing monitoring, promoting
agricultural best practices, building green infrastructure, and increasing
pollution prevention and public engagement and education.? 
In 2022, the EPA Columbia River Basin Program received $79 million over five
years from President Biden’s?Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding
provides EPA the ability to grow the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program
and significantly increase competitive grants throughout the Basin to reduce
toxics.? 
Last September, President Biden issued a Memorandum on Restoring Healthy and
Abundant Salmon, Steelhead, and Other Native Fish Populations in the Columbia
River?Basin. In the memo, the President called for “a sustained national
effort to restore healthy and abundant native fish populations in the
Basin.” ? 
The Columbia River Basin Restoration Program is focused on engaging tribal
and underserved communities in efforts to identify and reduce threats to their
environment and community health. EPA’s commitment to reducing toxics in
fish and water in the Columbia River Basin is key to EPA’s ongoing trust
responsibility to tribal governments. Toxics reduction will support climate
resilience for the Columbia River Basin ecosystem by reducing aquatic
ecosystem and human health stressors in an environment stressed by severe
climatic events. 
For further information: EPA Region 10 Public Affairs
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