The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has announced a new wave of coastal protection and resilience funding that will help protect thousands of vulnerable coastal communities around the United States.
The US$562 million (~€511.8 million) in grants will fund coastal resilience projects as the country is seeing unprecedented rates of sea level rise that has already flooded entire communities and washed away vital infrastructure.
US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said:
“The Biden-Harris Administration is moving aggressively to tackle the climate crisis and help communities that are experiencing increased flooding, storm surge and more frequent extreme weather events. These investments will create jobs while protecting people, communities and ecosystems from the threats of climate change, and help our nation take the steps it needs to become more resilient and build a clean energy economy.”
Ocean Defense Initiative Director Jean Flemma applauded the new funding:
“These investments in climate-ready coasts are cause for celebration and represent critical ocean climate action. This is an historic opportunity for NOAA and the Biden-Harris Administration to prepare communities for climate change and increase coastal resilience in the face of worsening climate impacts.”
The awards made under NOAA’s Climate-Ready Coasts Initiative derive from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. Both laws included billions for projects to provide coastal and habitat resilience and protection as well as coastal community resiliency.
To view the full list of recipients by state, go to NOAA.gov.
