NOAA AWARDS MORE THAN $2.3 MILLION TO NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has received a grant totaling more than $2.3 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for habitat conservation. NOAA is an agency of the Commerce Department.

The National Fish and Wildlife Federation (NFWF) will use this grant to continue a three year partnership with the NOAA Restoration Center for work in a series of community-based habitat restoration projects. The objective of this agreement is to implement on-the-ground habitat restoration projects to benefit marine, estuarine and riparian habitats, including salt marshes, seagrass beds, coral reefs and freshwater habitat which is important to anadromous fisheries in coastal areas around the United States.

“We are constantly working to improve the understanding of our environment and to strengthen initiatives like our partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Federation,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “NOAA is proud to be a partner in this ongoing research to restore estuarine habitats which will greatly benefit the environment and actively support efforts that reinforce NOAA’s and the Bush Administration’s commitment to the environment.”

In fiscal year 2003, NOAA has awarded more than 475 grants totaling more than $204 million 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 goals and programs reflect a commitment to these basic responsibilities of science and service to the nation for the past 33 years.

The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (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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