NOAA Announces 50 Coastal Restoration Projects

On June 30, NOAA announced funding of 50 high quality, priority projects to restore U.S. coastal areas These projects, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will restore wetlands, salt marsh, oyster and coral reefs, as well as remove fish passage barriers on coastal rivers and streams. In addition to improving the environment, these efforts will restore fisheries and support more resilient coasts in the face of climate change.

Funding for Habitat Restoration

On July 16, the NOAA Restoration Center announced the following funding opportunities:

• The NOAA Coastal and Marine Habitat Restoration National and Regional Partnership solicitation will fund new three-year national and regional Partnerships to invest funding in the restoration of coastal and marine habitat nationwide, from 2010-2012;
• The Community-based Marine Debris Removal Projects solicitation will fund new national and regional efforts to invest funding in the removal of coastal and marine debris and the restoration of habitat nationwide; and
• The Open Rivers Initiative solicitation will fund dam and river barrier removal projects that aim to repair vital riverine ecosystems, enhance populations of migratory fish, and benefit local communities.