The Biden-Harris Administration and NOAA Announce a $575 Million Initiative to Enhance Climate Resilience of U.S. Coastal Areas

The Biden-Harris Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have announced $575 million in funding to bolster climate resilience in the country’s Great Lakes and coastal states and territories. United States Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo stated that the funds would support 19 projects as part of NOAA’s Climate Resilience Regional Challenge, which is part of the Investing in America agenda.

NOAA's press release mentioned that the program is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act and is a competitive initiative under NOAA’s Climate-Ready Coasts and Communities Initiative. Raimondo highlighted the historic nature of this investment, noting that it is the largest in the Commerce Department's history and a crucial component of the Biden-Harris Administration's ambitious climate agenda. The funding is aimed at helping underserved communities across the country develop and implement strategies to protect against flooding, storm surges, and extreme weather events.

Announced in 2023, the program has received nearly 870 letters of intent requesting over $16 billion in funding. The Climate Resilience Regional Challenge also supports President Joe Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, aiming to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments reach disadvantaged communities burdened by pollution and underinvestment.

National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi emphasized that coastal communities are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, facing challenges such as sea level rise and storm surges. The funding announcement is paired with the administration's new Climate Resilience Game Changers Assessment, which aims to collaborate with state, local, and tribal governments to build capacity, upgrade infrastructure, and protect vulnerable communities from climate impacts.

The funding program includes two tracks: awards for planning and capacity building, and implementation awards for transformational projects. Planning and capacity building awards will focus on regions and communities advancing or initiating collaborative efforts to enhance coastal resilience. They account for 11 of the 19 projects recommended for funding, with an average award amount of $1.8 million.

John Podesta, Senior International Climate Policy Advisor to the President, noted that coastal communities are already experiencing the impacts of extreme weather fueled by the climate crisis. These grants aim to equip them to design locally-led projects for a resilient future. The projects are designed to help communities build regional partnerships, engage with historically marginalized groups, assess climate change risks, plan adaptation actions, and build workforce capacity.

Implementation awards include eight transformational projects, with funding ranging from $56 to $75 million over five years, totaling approximately $555 million. States and communities will use the funds to acquire vulnerable land, build natural infrastructure, strengthen public access to natural resources, build regional capacity, and update local and state policies.

NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad described the investment as transformative, emphasizing the importance of equity, inclusion, and community engagement in building Climate-Ready Coasts. NOAA will also provide technical assistance to award recipients to support successful project implementation.

The projects recommended for funding range from $78.9 million in Alaska to $71.1 million in California and $2 million in the Federated States of Micronesia. Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands have been recommended for implementation awards of $68.4 and $69 million, respectively, while Minnesota may receive a $1.85 million planning award.

NOAA's press release stated that the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge is focused on collaborative projects to increase coastal community resilience to extreme weather and other climate change impacts, contributing to the vision of the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Climate Resilience Framework.