Nineteen research projects that protect life and property, strengthen the economy, and conserve as well as restore coastal and marine resources were recommended to receive a total of $13.8 million in funding through the 2017 NOAA Coastal Resilience Grants program last week.
The projects cover 17 states and Puerto Rico, and will restore 1,100 acres of habitat and prepare more than 350 coastal communities to withstand extreme weather and related hazards.
“From restoring estuaries that provide natural shoreline protection to reducing coastal flooding impacts, the projects supported by these grants assist in ensuring the safety and vibrancy of our nation’s coastal communities and economies,” said Russell Callender, Ph.D., assistant NOAA administrator for the National Ocean Service.
“We are pleased to partner with local agencies and groups on the ground to have the greatest impact.”
NOAA received more than 167 proposals in 2017, requesting more than $135 million.
The proposals were reviewed by a panel of coastal management experts and scientists from around the United States that included representatives of government, academia and private industry.