Pennsylvania has 112 miles of coastline along the Delaware Estuary. Extending from Marcus Hook in Delaware County to Morrisville in Bucks County, the Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone contains islands, marshes, and shorelands of both the Delaware River and tributary streams that are tidally influenced.
With funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's (PADEP) Coastal Resources Management Program (CRM) provides grants to governments, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions for projects that improve water quality, enhance public enjoyment of and access to coastal resources, and mitigate the adverse impacts of stormwater runoff and nonpoint source pollution. DVRPC assists PADEP with administration of the CRM program within the Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone (Please visit PADEP’s website for topographic maps of the Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone). Eligible projects are reviewed by PADEP program staff, the Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone Advisory Committee, and the State Coastal Zone Advisory Committee. Applications are evaluated based on criteria outlined in the Grant Application Instruction Guide. More information about the grant program can be found below.
Source: PADEP
Coastal Zone Focus Areas
- Coastal Hazard Areas
- Fisheries Management
- Wetlands Protection, Enhancement, and Creation
- Public Access for Recreation
- Historic Sites and Structures
- Port Activities and Infrastructure
- Energy Facilities Siting
- Intergovernmental Coordination
- Public Involvement in Coastal Issues
- Ocean Resources and Biodiversity
Project Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Local governments – counties and municipalities.
- Area-wide agencies – county and regional planning agencies.
- State agencies.
- Educational institutions – school districts, colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning.
- Conservation districts, port authorities, and public authorities.
- Incorporated nonprofit, including 501(c)(3), organizations that are eligible to receive federal grants.
Where can eligible projects be located?
- All project must be located within the Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Boundary.
- All projects associated with earth disturbance must be located within the 306A boundary (See map above).
What activities are eligible?
- Research
- Acquisition and easements
- Design
- Construction
- Education
Note: Project design and construction are not funded in the same grant cycle
Grant Application Information
The grant application period typically runs from mid-August to mid-October of each year. All applications for Coastal Resources Management Program grants must be submitted electronically through Pennsylvania's eGrants system. To access an online application go to https://www.esa.dced.state.pa.us/Login.aspx and register yourself as a user by clicking the Log In/Register link. eGrants will guide you through the process of starting your electronic grant application.
More information on the CRM grant program, including information on the application process, can be found on the program's website and in PADEP's Pre-Application Workshop presentation.
Previously Funded Projects
- FFY 2019 (October 1, 2018—March 31, 2020) [0.1 MB pdf]
- FFY 2018 (October 1, 2018—March 31, 2020) [0.2 MB pdf]
- FFY 2017 (October 1, 2017—March 31, 2019) [0.2 MB pdf]
- FFY 2016 (October 1, 2016—March 31, 2018) [0.2 MB pdf]
- FFY 2015 (October 1, 2015—March 31, 2017) [0.2 MB pdf]
- FFY 2014 (October 1, 2014—March 31, 2016) [0.2 MB pdf]
- FFY 2013 (October 1, 2013—March 31, 2015) [0.2 MB pdf]
To obtain more information concerning Coastal Zone grants, visit the Coastal Resources Management Program website, contact Mel Musie at DVRPC at mmusie@dvrpc.org, or contact the PA Department of Environmental Protection at 717.772.4785.
A River Reconnected
The Challenges and Opportunities of Public access to the Tidal Delaware River
This study describes the historical trends, present-day projects, and future plans of this access. It also explores the barriers to access experienced throughout the region, highlights the benefits of improving and increasing access, and concludes with a series of recommendations that will help increase the quality and quantity of public access opportunities.
Other Related Resources
DVRPC delivered the following presentation at the Union of Concerned Scientists forum, Sea Level Rise - Looking forward and Planning Now: Impacts and Solutions for the Delaware Estuary, January 13, 2010:
- Caught Between the City and the Deep Blue Sea [3.4 MB pdf]
DVRPC has also published the following documents on that address sea level rise in the Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone:
- Sea Level Rise Impacts in the Delaware Estuary of Pennsylvania
- State and Local Governments Plan for Development of Most Land Vulnerable to Rising Sea Level along the U.S. Atlantic Coast
Urban Waterfront Action Group (UWAG)
The Urban Waterfront Action Group (UWAG) is a forum of regulatory and resource agencies that meets every other month to provide guidance on waterfront development projects. Access this page to obtain more details on the UWAG program, a list of participating regulatory agencies, as well as agendas and minutes from previous meetings. Upcoming UWAG meeting dates are posted on the DVRPC calendar.
For more information on UWAG, contact Chris Linn at DVRPC at clinn@dvrpc.org