NOAA Announces $562 Million for Coastal Conservation Projects

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today awarded $562 million for conservation and restoration projects across the country, providing significant funding infusions from the bipartisan infrastructure law dedicated to improving coastal restoration and resilience.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) was among today’s awardees. The funding will support work in Alabama, California, Ohio, South Carolina, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These projects – which include restoration work for wetlands, coral reefs, and wildlife habitats – will leverage nature-based solutions to improve community resilience to threats like flooding as well as improve the health of local ecosystems.

The NOAA awards are funded by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Congress passed in 2021 and included significant investments in clean energy, conservation, and natural infrastructure.

The following is a statement by Kameran Onley, Managing Director of North American Policy and Government Relations for TNC:

“Today’s announcement affirms the promise of the bipartisan infrastructure law: transformative change for people and nature. These projects will support time-tested, science-backed, practical solutions to challenges with a new approach to funding that has made it more accessible to more communities, especially those that have not had the capacity to tackle these pressing issues.

“Our deteriorating infrastructure, the threats of climate change and biodiversity loss, and the need for economic growth require a holistic approach, and nature must be part of the response. These awards are a recognition of that connection and a call to not just do more, but to do things differently so that we can more fully meet the needs of communities. The fact the law that enabled this funding was bipartisan is an acknowledgment of the challenges facing the United States and the world and a commitment that we will face them together.

“We commend the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for today’s announcement. As the latest climate report made clear, the window for the world to make substantive progress on its climate goals is closing fast. This is the kind of work that will help get us there. We look forward to working with partners across the country to effect sustainable change for communities and ecosystems across the country.”