More Federal Money for Milford Lab

MILFORD — One Milford lab will see a big boost in its budget.

A federal bill approved Thursday will mean a budget increase for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its Rogers Avenue lab here in Milford.

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, Justice, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee, said $200 million is slotted for the NOAA and $20 million for Long Island Sound programs. The funding begins October 1.

Murphy made the announcement in a press release yesterday.

Highlights of the CJS bill relating to aquaculture include:

· $10 million for the Marine Aquaculture program, a $3 million increase from the President’s budget proposal

· $9.3 million for aquaculture research and more efficient regulatory permitting, a $3 million from FY 2016

· Language addressing concerns around staffing changes and funding cuts at Milford Lab

· $13.5 million for ocean acidification, an additional $3.5 million from FY 2016

· $64 million for the National Sea Grant College Program that support Connecticut’s Sea Grant Colleges programs at UCONN Avery Point