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NOAA 2002-048 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Stephanie Balian 5/15/02 |
NOAA News
Releases 2002 NOAA Home Page NOAA Public Affairs |
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Estimated $5.5 million Available The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking proposals from a broad array of governmental and non-governmental entities for projects that promote the conservation of coral reefs, both in the United States and abroad. Approximately $5.5 million ($5.15 million from NOAA, $350,000 from the Department of Interior) may be available through NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program, as authorized by the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. "Providing grant funds to state and local entities to conserve coral reefs is an essential part of the federal government's overall strategy to protect and restore these precious marine resources," said Margaret A. Davidson, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Ocean Service. NOAA's Coral Conservation Grant Program seeks proposals for projects in several areas: state and territory coral reef management (awards from $50,000 to $100,000); state and territory coral reef monitoring (awards from $225,000 to $400,000); state and territory research to support development of monitoring technologies (awards from $150,000); general coral reef conservation (awards from $15,000 to $75,000); projects to improve or amend coral reef fishery management plans (maximum $750,000 available for each of the Western Pacific and the Atlantic (South Atlantic, Carribean and Gulf of Mexico) regions; international coral reef conservation (awards from $30,000 to $40,000). Federal funds may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost for each project. NOAA may, however, waive all or part of the matching requirement in certain circumstances. "Coral reefs provide economic services to millions of people as areas of natural beauty and recreation, sources of food, pharmaceuticals, shoreline protection, jobs, and revenue," added Davidson. "Over 25 percent of the worlds coral reefs have already been lost to pollution and siltation, ship groundings, destructive fishing practices including over fishing, and climate change. NOAA is committed to helping solve the coral reef crisis." The Grant Program is part of NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program designed to protect and restore the Nation's coral reefs, and assist conservation of reef ecosystems internationally. This program includes efforts to monitor and assess coral health, map coral reef ecosystems, conduct research to better understand biological, social and economic factors which effect coral reefs, build partnerships to reduce the adverse affects of fishing, coastal development and pollution, and identify coral reef areas for special protection. Proposals are due by 5:00 pm EDT on May 24, 2002. The request for proposals can be accessed at: http://www.coralreef.noaa.gov/; or by searching the 2002 Federal Register, Volume 67, with the keywords, "coral reef conservation" at the Federal Register Online Web site at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html NOAA, an agency of the Department Commerce, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. To learn more about NOAA, please visit http://www.noaa.gov. |