December 29, 2025
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded more than $580,000 through its 2025 Coastal Zone Grant Program to 11 projects across the Philadelphia region.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded more than $580,000 through its 2025 Coastal Zone Grant Program to 11 projects across the Philadelphia region that support the protection and restoration of the Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone.
DVRPC plays a vital role in managing the Coastal Zone Grant Program within the Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone. This includes promoting the grant program, meeting with prospective applicants, and coordinating the committee that reviews applications. DVRPC is also a grant recipient this year, receiving $50,000 to advance collaborative approaches to stormwater management in the coastal zone.
In the awards announcement, DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley noted that the Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone is a critical regional resource, supporting drinking water supplies, recreation, economic activity, wildlife habitat, and serving as a natural buffer that helps reduce flooding. She emphasized DEP’s continued commitment to supporting coastal communities and funding projects that improve public access, preserve habitats, assess pollution impacts, and educate the public about the value of coastal zones.
The new funding to DVRPC will build on recent work that was published in the report An Investigation into Multi-Municipal Stormwater Planning. The report, which was funded through a previous Coastal Zone Grant award, examines how municipalities–particularly older, densely developed communities in Delaware County–navigate stormwater management requirements under Pennsylvania’s MS4 program. It highlights shared challenges such as limited staff capacity and funding, and explores how multi-municipal collaboration can improve regulatory compliance, reduce costs, and support better water quality outcomes across the region. This new funding will allow DVRPC to work more closely with municipalities to support more collaboration around stormwater management.
The 112-mile Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone spans Bucks, Delaware, and Philadelphia counties and includes islands, marshes, and other key ecological areas within the Delaware Estuary watershed. The estuary is also home to one of the largest freshwater ports in the world, underscoring its environmental and economic significance. Through its role in administering the Coastal Zone Grant Program and advancing regional stormwater collaboration, DVRPC continues to support projects that strengthen coastal resilience and improve environmental outcomes throughout the Delaware Estuary region.