Chair Castor Applauds Launch of Biden-Harris Administration’s Climate Ready Coasts, Science, and Fisheries Initiatives
Jun 29, 2022
Press Release
WASHINGTON (June 29, 2022) – Chair Kathy Castor of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released the following statement on Wednesday after Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced funding opportunities of nearly $3 billion to address the climate crisis and strengthen coastal resilience and infrastructure, including the launch of the Climate Ready Coasts initiative:
"As we wrap up National Ocean Month, the Biden-Harris Administration is ramping up ocean climate action with an important initiative to boost coastal resilience, restore habitats, and clean up marine debris," said Chair Castor. "The climate crisis is an ocean crisis. And coastal communities like mine in the Tampa Bay area urgently need these federal investments to help lower costs, mitigate climate impacts, support local jobs, and boost our economies.
"The Climate Ready Coasts initiative makes important progress on our Climate Crisis Action Plan, including recommendations to restore lost and degraded wetlands, to increase federal investment in coastal and riverine ecosystem restoration, and to expand environmental justice initiatives to critically underserved communities. And investments in NOAA’s climate data and services will help deliver essential information and tools to decisionmakers to address floods, wildfires, drought, and ocean health.
"I applaud Secretary Raimondo and the rest of the Biden-Harris administration for taking this important step in the right direction."
Background:
"As we wrap up National Ocean Month, the Biden-Harris Administration is ramping up ocean climate action with an important initiative to boost coastal resilience, restore habitats, and clean up marine debris," said Chair Castor. "The climate crisis is an ocean crisis. And coastal communities like mine in the Tampa Bay area urgently need these federal investments to help lower costs, mitigate climate impacts, support local jobs, and boost our economies.
"The Climate Ready Coasts initiative makes important progress on our Climate Crisis Action Plan, including recommendations to restore lost and degraded wetlands, to increase federal investment in coastal and riverine ecosystem restoration, and to expand environmental justice initiatives to critically underserved communities. And investments in NOAA’s climate data and services will help deliver essential information and tools to decisionmakers to address floods, wildfires, drought, and ocean health.
"I applaud Secretary Raimondo and the rest of the Biden-Harris administration for taking this important step in the right direction."
Background:
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivered nearly $3 billion to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s existing programs.
According to NOAA, funded projects will support three major initiatives:
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Climate Ready Coasts will help coastal communities build the future they want to see, investing in natural infrastructure projects that build coastal resilience, create jobs, store carbon, remove marine debris, and restore habitat. ($1.467 billion over five years)
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Climate Data and Services will support a whole-of-government effort to address the climate crisis by getting critical information and tools in the hands of decision-makers, particularly to address floods, wildfire, drought, and ocean health. ($904 million over five years)
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Fisheries and Protected Resources will advance efforts to restore important fisheries habitat and promote community economic development. ($592 million over five years)
The Climate Ready Coasts initiative includes seven Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) and three Requests For Applications (RFAs):
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Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants ($85 Million)
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Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Underserved Communities ($10 Million)
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Coastal Zone Management Habitat Protection and Restoration Grants ($35 Million)
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Coastal Zone Management Habitat Protection and Restoration Capacity Building ($5 Million) RFA
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National Estuarine Research Reserve System Habitat Protection and Restoration Grants ($12 Million)
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National Estuarine Research Reserve System Habitat Protection and Restoration Capacity Building ($3 Million) RFA
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Marine Debris Removal Grants ($56 Million)
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Marine Debris Challenge Competition ($16 Million)
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Marine Debris Community Action Coalitions ($3 Million)
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Reducing the impacts of marine debris within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM)($1 Million) - RFA
117th Congress
