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CUMBERLAND — Sometime soon, possibly as early as April, $1.8 million in grants from the Environmental Protection Agency will become available for projects that will protect rivers and enhance communities in what the federal agency calls the Potomac Highlands.
The granting process will be handled by American Rivers, a Washington-based, nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to protecting and restoring America’s rivers and to fostering a river stewardship ethic.
Serena McClain, American Rivers spokeswoman, confirmed Tuesday that the money will fund 10 projects of $150,000 to $300,000 each.
“We will probably open the application process sometime in April and have a workshop in May or June somewhere in the region,” McClain said.
Among the types of projects that would qualify are dam removal, culvert retrofitting, wetland protection, conservation easements, aquatic habitat improvements, bank stabilization and purchase of forest land.
State, county and city governments, as well as nonprofit groups, would be eligible to apply, according to McClain.
The counties within the Potomac Highlands are Garrett, Allegany and Washington in Maryland, Bedford and Somerset in Pennsylvania, and Mineral, Hampshire, Hardy, Morgan and Grant in West Virginia.
McClain said the grants could be used to fund actual dam removal, but not to pay for the design of such removal.
Consequently, a grant could not be used to remove the dam across the North Branch of the Potomac River between Cumberland and Ridgeley.
“About $75,000 is still being sought to fund the design of that removal project,” McClain said during a February visit to Cumberland.
“The Potomac Highlands is a unique area that needs our attention,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn Garvin in a news release.
Qualifying projects must measurably protect, improve and/or restore ecological resources, according to the EPA.
Contact Michael A. Sawyers at msawyers@times-news.com.
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