DNREC Awards Nearly $350,000 in Community Environmental Grant Funding for 2026

Ten Delaware projects will receive a total of $348,777 in 2026 through the Community Environmental Project Fund (CEPF), administered by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

By state law (7 Del. Code §6042), DNREC withholds a portion of the money collected through fines and penalties for environmental violations and returns it to communities where the violations occurred. The funding is awarded as competitive grants to organizations to support community environmental projects. The CEPF supports projects that mitigate pollution, enhance the environment or create recreational opportunities for affected communities.

House Bill 210, the Pollution Accountability Act, passed in the 2025 legislative session and signed by Gov. Matt Meyer, increased the percentage of penalty funds that are returned to communities from 25% to 40%. The new law also gives preference to projects located within two miles of where an environmental violation occurred.

Since 2004, this program has invested about $4.41 million in 119 community projects across Delaware. Of CEPF grants awarded over that time, 37% focused on environmental enhancement, 33.6% created new recreational opportunities and 29.4% addressed pollution mitigation.

“This program has invested millions of dollars in communities environmental projects, with a focus on those impacted by nearby environmental violations,” said DNREC Secretary Greg Patterson. “Over the next few years, we can expect to see even more investment of penalty funds in areas that have experienced potential environmental harm – areas that also have traditionally been underserved and underrepresented.”

The DNREC Office of Environmental Justice, which manages the CEPF grant program, received 48 applications for 2026 funding.

“The number of applications is indicative of the level of interest community groups and individuals have in taking action to ensure clean air and water, to improve their quality of life and to protect the environment now and for future generations,” said Dr. Katera Moore, DNREC’s environmental justice coordinator.

The 10 projects receiving CEPF grants for 2026 are listed on the de.gov/cepf webpage.

Maria Payan, executive director of the Sussex Health and Environmental Network (SHEN), said the funding her organization received in 2025 for the CLEAR (Clean Living with Effective Access to Reverse Osmosis) Project shows that great things can be accomplished when communities, organizations and state agencies work together.

“For well over a decade, these residents have lived without the ability to pour a clean glass of water from their tap,” Ms. Payan said. “For those of us who have access to clean drinking water, it’s difficult to understand the toll this takes on a family.

“Families have told us they are now showering without rashes and able to safely give their children and pets clean drinking water without the burden of lugging 40-pound water jugs around. We’d like to give a very special thank you from SHEN and the communities we serve to DNREC and its professionals, Dr. Katera Moore and Antonio Bivins, who made this project possible and helped to transform the lives of families in need in Sussex County.”

Information about past projects can be found on the de.gov/cepf webpage.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, or LinkedIn. 

Media Contacts: Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov ; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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