CLAREMONT, N.H. — The Connecticut River Conservancy’s (CRC) $11.5 million federal award from the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), implemented through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), has been stalled due to the federal funding freeze with no clear path for starting work that was slated to begin this spring.
The objectives are to restore degraded stream and forest ecosystems in parts of New Hampshire in order to improve water quality, ecosystem health and climate resiliency. This award, which was funded through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), has been frozen due to ongoing federal administration deliberations over IRA-related funding allocations. It is titled Improving Water Quality and Climate Resiliency in NH through Ecosystem Restoration and was first announced in November 2024 as the largest award in the nonprofit’s history.
CRC has been at the forefront of conservation and restoration in the Connecticut River watershed for over 70 years. Organizers believe that their work is critical to New Hampshire’s economy and health, by providing jobs in local communities and implementing projects that improve water quality and species biodiversity, restore aquatic ecosystems and critical fish habitat, enhance climate and flood resiliency, and contribute to economic sustainability, particularly in rural areas.
“By restoring floodplains, reconnecting rivers to their natural channels, and improving habitat for migratory fish and other wildlife, we not only enhance our shared natural resources but also buffer communities from the increased frequency and severity of storms and flooding,” said Rebecca Todd, executive director at the Connecticut River Conservancy.
Like many environmental nonprofits, the CRC’s conservation work is heavily reliant on grants, of which federal funding is an important part. Federal funds allow the nonprofit to conduct outreach, engage with local landowners, hire local consultants and contractors, and implement restoration projects across the Connecticut River watershed. They also allow us to hire more staff members in New Hampshire, who contribute to towns and local economies. Having been awarded the RCPP in November 2024 and signed a programmatic partnership agreement in December 2024, staff was shocked when the award was put on “temporary pause.” This pause has now lasted over six weeks, leading to uncertainties for CRC, their partners, landowners and other stakeholders.
On Jan. 21, NRCS administrators were delivered a notice to cease all work funded through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) due to Executive Order 14154 issued by the Trump administration and Memorandums to the Head of Departments and Agencies (M-25-11; M-25-13). The delay in funding presents a significant challenge for CRC and directly impacts farmers, communities, and the environment across the state. Without the timely release of the RCPP funds, the CRC cannot initiate many of the planned restoration projects that would have begun in spring 2025. Halting these projects risks missing key seasonal windows for certain restoration activities, leading to prolonged degradation of habitats and further delaying the economic and environmental benefits to the state.
CRC has sent a letter to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Sen. Maggie Hassan, Rep. Maggie Goodlander, Rep. Chris Pappas, Gov. Kelly Ayotte, select members of the U.S. House and Senate Agriculture Committees, and other state officials to make them aware of how federal decisions are affecting local communities and respectfully asking for their support to ensure this funding is promptly released so that CRC can continue its essential work for New Hampshire’s ecosystems and communities, and private landowners.
The freeze on this $11.5 million is a major setback, and the CRC is asking for legislative leadership to help release these important grant monies in support of the economy, clean water, flood safety and habitat diversity projects.
