U.S. EPA Region 3, Office of Watersheds
National Estuary Program
Minority Outreach & Involvement Strategy
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National Estuary Program
DETAILED PROJECT DESCRIPTION, CONT'D
The program is designed to strengthen the growth of mutually beneficial partner-
ships by promoting environmental education to the University of Maryland Eastern
Shore (UMES). The furtherance of the goals and ideals stated in the Executive Or-
der provided the foundation for LEAP'S expansion to UMES. EPA Region III was the
lead in establishing this collaboration among the Regional office, UMES and the
Maryland Coastal Bays Program. On June 12, 2007 the Region, UMES, the Mary-
land Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), the Maryland Department of Envi-
ronment (MDE), the Maryland Coastal Bay Program, signed a Memorandum of Un-
derstanding (MOU) based on the original LEAP model. The signing of the MOU was
an important component to the successful establishment of the LEAP program at
UMES. This will be a multi-year commitment of resources to the Maryland Coastal
Bays Program to fund student interns who will gain hands on experience on
coastal watershed restoration, management and policy implementation and out-
reach to the minority community within Worcester County, MD.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Students will have the
opportunity to work with
the three National Estu-
ary Programs via intern-
ships and volunteering to
help implement their EPA
approved Comprehensive
Conservation and Man-
agement Plans (i.e., habi-
tat restoration, water
quality monitoring, etc.)
In return, students will
work with minority com-
munities by identifying
environmental and re-
lated human health prob-
lems which can support
EPA's commitment to en-
vironmental justice.
Linkages to EPA and
other appropriate agen-
cies and their programs
can then be made to help
mitigate problems in the
watershed affecting
these communities (i.e.
ground water contamina-
tion, on-site waste water
treatment systems, drink-
ing water, flooding, etc.).
This process will lead to
mo re targe ted program
implementation ulti-
mately supporting EPA's
National Strategic Plan:
• Protect coastal and
ocean waters (via
CCMP Implementation)
• Sustain, clean up, and
restore communities
and the ecological sys-
tems that support
them.
• Facilitate the ecosys-
tem-scale protection
and restoration of natu-
ral areas.
• Prevent pollution and
promote environmental
stewardship by the
Public, and
EPA's Regional priorities:
• Watershed Restoration
• Reducing Environ-
mental Exposure to
Sensitive Populations
PROJECT FUNDING
On May 18, 2007, EPA awarded UMES a grant of $50,000.00 to fund the Univer-
sity's Eastern Shore Restoration and Education Program (ESREP). The purpose of
ESREP is to provide 20 high school students (9th and 10th) with hands-on opportu-
nities to explore coastal and estuarine systems, conduct restoration projects in the
Coastal Bays and Lower Eastern Shore, and to provide internship opportunities.
REGIONAL CONTACTS
Office of Watersheds, Water Protection Division
David A. Greaves, (215) 814-5729, greaves.david@epa.gov
Ed Ambrogio, (215) 814-2758, ambrogio.edward@epa.gov
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