Up to $562 million in federal funding is being made available for a variety of projects across the country designed to enhance climate change resilience.
The funding is coming through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate-Ready Coasts Initiative and will see creation of resilient projects in some 30 states.
The National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration has a long history of “working with community partners to advance our understanding of coastal processes, conserve coastal resources, and restore habitat,” remarked Rick Spinrad, administrator of the agency, in a statement.
Spinrad added that funding secured through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is making it easier to “super-charge these activities so that communities facing all types of climate impacts can prepare for what’s ahead, create climate-smart jobs, and build economic resilience.”
The new funding will see $477 million targeting projects strengthening communities in coastal areas in their response to extreme weather events, while also restoring coastal habitats, among other initiatives.
While most of the funded projects are located in states along the East and West coasts, Texas will share in just over $22 million in funding for a marine debris removal competition, along with just under $5 million for an oyster reef habitat restoration effort.
By Garry Boulard
