Biden-Harris Administration announces nearly $220 million for transformational habitat restoration and coastal resilience projects

Today, the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is recommending nearly $220 million in funding, and an additional $66 million in future year funding, to support 32 transformational habitat restoration and coastal resilience projects as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. These funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act will build on decades of habitat work in priority watersheds and support innovative projects that implement cutting-edge restoration techniques and groundbreaking efforts that restore habitat in urban ecosystems to benefit underserved communities. 

“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to an ambitious climate agenda that strengthens our coastal communities, combats the climate and nature crises, and makes our nation and economy more resilient. This historic investment, made possible thanks to President Biden’s commitment to investing in America, will help sustain our nation’s fisheries across our coastal communities by strengthening climate resilience and protecting ecosystems from the impacts of climate change,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

NOAA prioritized projects that demonstrated a broad base of partner and community support, inclusive practices and meaningful strategies to engage Tribal Nations and community groups, including underserved communities. 

“These transformational projects will restore healthy coastal ecosystems across the country,” said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “We’re proud to support projects that span a broad range of habitats and restoration techniques, from reconnecting rivers to their historic floodplains, to outplanting corals to rebuild reefs to restoring salt marshes that will protect coasts from erosion and sea level rise.”

Funding — including future year funding — is going to partners in the following states and territories: Alaska ($1.5 million), California ($46 million), Connecticut ($4 million), Florida ($29.1), Georgia ($2.8 million), Hawaii ($14.8 million), Louisiana ($10 million), Maine ($9 million), Maryland ($10 million), Massachachusetts ($15 million), Michigan ($15 million), North Carolina ($23.9 million), Oregon ($16.6 million), Pennsylvania ($9.5 million), Puerto Rico ($5 million), Texas ($8.2 million), U.S. Virgin Islands ($2.5 million), Virginia ($17.5 million), Washington ($28.5 million), Wisconsin ($3.2 million), and a multi-state project across Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas ($12 million). The Yurok Tribe, and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians are also receiving funds. 

These projects were selected through the Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience funding opportunity, and build on the $285 million awarded from BIL/IRA funds for 38 projects during the first round of this funding opportunity in 2023.

This funding supports President Biden’s America the Beautiful Initiative, a locally led and voluntary, nation-wide effort to conserve, connect and restore 30 percent of lands, waters and wildlife by 2030. This is a program covered by the Justice40 Initiative, which set the goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. 

NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation has a long history conducting habitat restoration by executing large-scale competitive funding opportunities and providing expert technical assistance through the Community-based Restoration Program. The program provides technical and financial assistance to partners across the country to develop high-quality habitat restoration projects that support our nation’s fisheries. Since its start in 1996, the program has helped implement more than 2,200 coastal habitat restoration projects — restoring more than 94,000 acres of habitat for fish and opening more than 4,400 stream miles for fish passage.

Please visit the NOAA Fisheries website to learn more about habitat restoration projects funded under the Bipartisan infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.

Climate, weather, and water affect all life on our ocean planet. NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict our changing environment, from the deep sea to outer space, and to manage and conserve America’s coastal and marine resources.