Southeast New England Program Authorization Act of 2026

Southeast New England watershed grants

If enacted, the EPA would create a Southeast New England Program to protect coastal watersheds in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. Congress would be asked to provide $30 million each year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. The EPA would award grants to states, tribes, local and county governments, regional groups, nonprofits, and colleges to reduce pollution, restore contaminated sites and habitat, improve water quality and monitoring, reduce stormwater runoff, build resilience, and support workforce training. Federal grants would pay no more than 75 percent of a project; recipients would need at least 25 percent from non‑Federal sources. Each year, no more than 10 percent of grant-awarding money could fund grants mainly for technical assistance, and no more than 5 percent could pay administrative costs. The EPA would coordinate federal actions for the region, enter interagency agreements, and staff the program.