The national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) is providing ongoing funding through the national coastal zone management program to the state of north carolina to help administer the…

The national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) is providing ongoing funding through the national coastal zone management program to the state of north carolina to help administer the states federally approved coastal management program. The national coastal zone management program, under the coastal zone management act, is an important voluntary federal-state partnership that protects, restores, and responsibly develops our nations coastal communities and resources by balancing economic development, coastal uses, and natural resource protection. Noaas investment of $6,147,100.00 is leveraging $5,375,100.00 in non-federal funds. These funds will support jobs and provide continued assistance to the north carolina coastal management program to address many important coastal issues in the state including coastal hazards and climate change, protecting and restoring natural resources, managing development in high hazard areas, providing public access for recreation, technical assistance to local governments, public education and outreach, and coordinating state and federal actions. For example, one project will administer the public beach and coastal waterfront access program, where the north carolina coastal management program offers matching grant funds to local governments throughout the states twenty coastal counties to provide increased access to ocean beaches, public parking facilities, or other related public uses. The program provides a mechanism for local governments to implement low-cost capital projects designed to improve pedestrian access to the state's beaches, estuarine shorelines, coastal rivers, and urban waterfronts. The funding also supports ongoing coastal management program activities such as permitting, compliance, policy analysis and rule development, and administering grant and training programs. The award also is supporting new initiatives such as a thin layer placement task where the north carolina coastal management program will work with partners to devise a strategy and protocol to map areas within north carolina where coastal wetlands are at risk of drowning and may be suitable candidate sites for thin layer placement. Mapping suitable areas where thin layer placement is appropriate will aid the state in working with permit applicants to increase the number of permitted thin layer placement projects that will contribute to the success of coastal wetland restoration.