Nearly $5 Million Available for Wetland and Stream Restoration

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services’ (NHDES) Aquatic Resource Mitigation (ARM) Fund is now accepting grant award pre-proposals for wetland and stream restoration projects. Funds are available in the amount of $4,849,100 to restore and enhance aquatic resources in the Merrimack, Pemigewasset-Winnipesaukee, Salmon Falls-Piscataqua and Upper Connecticut watershed service areas.

The NHDES ARM Fund Program manages a fund comprised of mitigation payments made to offset  unavoidable impacts to aquatic resources associated with permits issued. Competitive grants fund projects that restore, enhance and preserve aquatic resources and associated upland buffers across nine watersheds, also called service areas. The goal is to meet federal “no net loss” goals for functions and values of waters and wetlands nationwide.

Over $35 million in compensatory funds have supported 141 projects including irreplaceable resource preservation, aquatic barrier removal (culvert replacement and dam removal), and living shoreline projects, since New Hampshire’s ARM program began in 2006. This has resulted in:

• 28,078 acres of land conservation.
• 4,047 acres of wetland protection.
• 422 vernal pools protection.
• 66 miles of fish passage and aquatic connectivity improvements.
• 5 acres of tidal restoration and enhancement.

To further meet the goal of no net loss of wetland functions, the ARM Fund is redirecting focus from resource preservation to sustainable restoration and enhancement of aquatic resources. Although preservation does provide valuable protection for aquatic resources and their buffers, preservation alone cannot replace lost functions, values, or acreage.

“Projects that support significant restoration, enhancement and preservation at larger watershed and landscape scales will be targeted with available funds this year,” said NHDES Commissioner Robert Scott.

To learn more and review application materials, please visit the program website or email des.arm@des.nh.gov. ARM will also host a “virtual office hour” on April 5, 2023, from 10-11 AM to hear from prospective applicants. If you are interested, please register.

Pre-proposals are due May 31, 2023. Each applicant will receive feedback in June upon review. Full applications for recommended projects will be due August 31, 2023.