Cantwell-championed funding secured through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law & the Inflation Reduction Act

Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, joined Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Dr. Richard Spinrad in announcing $562 million to fund projects across the country to support coastal communities responding to climate change through the NOAA Climate-Ready Coasts initiative, including $477 million for 149 natural infrastructure projects in 30 coastal states and territories. The funding for these grants was championed by Sen. Cantwell and were secured through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

“Thanks to the Biden-Harris Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, these grants will ensure that coastal communities across the United States will have the tools and resources to withstand the effects of climate change,” said Sen. Cantwell. “These historic grants will support 149 projects aimed at coastal restoration and resilience projects in 30 coastal states and territories, including in the State of Washington, to restore ecosystems, recover species and support community-driven conservation projects.” 

Last year alone, the United States endured 18 separate billion-dollar extreme weather and climate-fueled disasters according to NOAA. By 2050, many coastal communities could be permanently underwater. With nearly 87 million people living in coastal communities, new investments are critical to ensuring these communities are resilient against a changing climate and built to last against extreme weather.

Today’s announcement to support the Climate-Ready Coasts initiative include:

• $477 million for high-impact natural infrastructure projects that create climate solutions by storing carbon; strengthening coastal communities’ ability to respond to high-impact weather events, pollution and marine debris; restoring coastal habitats to help wildlife and humans thrive; building the capacity of underserved communities to address climate hazards and supporting community-driven restoration; and create jobs in local communities.
• $46 million in additional funding through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation National Coastal Resilience Fund for projects that will help communities prepare for increasing coastal flooding and more intense storms, while improving thousands of acres of coastal habitats. 
• $39.1 million in non-competitive funding to the 34 state coastal zone management programs and 30 national estuarine research reserves that work in partnership with NOAA under the Coastal Zone Management Act. Funding for these programs provides essential planning, policy development and implementation, research, education and collaborative engagement with communities around the nation to protect coastal and estuarine ecosystems important for the resilience of coastal economies and the health of coastal environments. 

Last August, as part of the largest climate action bill in American history, Sen. Cantwell secured a historic $3.3 billion in investments for NOAA in the IRA to support coastal community resilience strategies, which included $2.6 billion for coastal resilience and restoration grants. Sen. Cantwell secured in the BIL $2.855 billion for marine conservation and restoration – the single largest investment in salmon recovery in history. The investment included Sen. Cantwell’s first-ever National Culvert Removal, Replacement and Restoration program to remove culverts blocking salmon pathways, along with funding for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. Also in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Sen. Cantwell secured $56 million for the Regional Ocean Partnerships to help coordinate interstate and intertribal management of coasts and oceans. Last August, Sen. Cantwell also secured passage of the largest ocean package in more than a decade in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022. 

Read more about other climate and coastal and ocean and marine life programs the Committee delivered last Congress.