The Biden-Harris Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have proposed $575 million in funding for 19 projects aimed at enhancing climate resilience in coastal and Great Lakes states and territories. This initiative falls under NOAA’s Climate-Ready Coasts program, part of the broader Investing in America agenda.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo stated, “As part of President Biden’s commitment to combatting the climate crisis, we are investing $575 million to help make sure America’s coastal communities are more resilient to the effects of climate change.” She emphasized that this represents a historic investment in climate resilience by the Commerce Department.
The competitive grant program, known as NOAA’s Climate Resilience Regional Challenge, was first announced in early 2023. It has since garnered significant interest, with nearly 870 letters of intent requesting over $16 billion in funding. Of these submissions, 120 applicants were selected to submit full proposals totaling more than $3 billion. The program supports President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims for 40 percent of certain federal investments' benefits to reach disadvantaged communities.
National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi commented on the urgency faced by coastal communities: “From sea level rise and storm surges to eroding infrastructure, coastal communities are on the frontlines of dealing with the worsening impacts of the climate crisis.” He highlighted that under current leadership, efforts are being made to drive progress and innovation in climate resilience across various levels of government.
John Podesta, senior advisor to the President for International Climate Policy, added: “Coastal communities are already on the front lines of experiencing the impacts of extreme weather fueled by the climate crisis. These grants will better equip them to design locally-led projects to build a stronger and more resilient future.”
The funding is divided into two tracks: planning and capacity building awards focused on improving coastal resilience through collaborative efforts (11 projects), and implementation awards supporting eight large-scale transformational projects with amounts ranging between $56 million and $75 million over five years.
NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad emphasized that equity, inclusion, community engagement, and regional coordination are critical elements of this funding initiative. NOAA will also provide technical assistance to ensure successful project implementation.
Further details about these projects can be found on NOAA's Climate Resilience Regional Challenge website.
