The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration granted $555,000 to the North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources to support the state’s estuarine research reserve. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The grant will help the state operate and manage four National Estuarine Research Reserve sites in Curritcuck Banks, Rachel Carson, Masonboro Island and Zekes Island. The funding will support research, education, monitoring and stewardship activities. Funds will be spent to train coastal decision makers, monitor coastal water quality and weather conditions, investigate natural resource management issues, coordinate and implement K-12 and public education programs and organize volunteers to assist with reserve programming.

“Funding from this NOAA grant will provide background data for other research and supply the community with insight into the ecology of the estuaries,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “This grant allows the state to manage its coastal resources with the help of NOAA and the Bush Administration.”

Each year, NOAA awards approximately $900 million in grants to members of the academic, scientific and business communities to assist the agency in fulfilling its mission to study the Earth’s natural systems in order to predict environmental change, manage ocean resources, protect life and property, and provide decision makers with reliable scientific information. NOAA’s goals and programs reflect a commitment to these basic responsibilities of science and service to the nation for the past 34 years.

NOAA 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.

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NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov