The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s National Coastal Resilience Fund has awarded a total of more than $136 million to 88 projects in 29 states and U.S. territories to help restore and expand natural infrastructure.
The awards were administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NFWF to restore and create more than 16,000 acres of coastal habitats, including living shorelines to protect military facilities in Florida and Mississippi and coastal dunes in Texas and California, NOAA said Tuesday.
This year’s funding includes $93.7 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and an additional budget from NOAA and the Department of Defense.
Private funding consists of contributions from Shell USA, TransRe and Oxy.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law unleashes a historic opportunity for NOAA and our partners to make sure our coasts, and the communities and economies that depend on them, are ready and resilient in a changing climate,” said Gina Raimondo, secretary of the Department of Commerce.
Rick Spinrad, administrator of NOAA, said the funding “allows communities to invest in keeping their coasts healthy for generations to come and helps build a Climate-Ready Nation.”
Of the 88 grants, 60 will focus on planning, engineering and design projects to increase coastal resilience, while 28 will fund construction activities.
