The national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) is providing $874,975 in federal funding to the commonwealth of massachusetts through the inflation reduction act

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is providing $874,975 in federal funding to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) through the Inflation Reduction Act. This Cooperative Agreement award under NOAA's Office for Coastal Management (CFDA 11.473) program will build the capacity of Massachusetts' coastal management program to implement projects, initiatives, and programs that increase climate resilience of coastal communities within the state's coastal counties. Specifically, the funding will support one new full-time equivalent (FTE) position to coordinate project implementation, stakeholder engagement, and priority initiatives identified in the state's recent ResidentCoasts program proposal. The award will also continue to fund one existing FTE position focused on habitat restoration coordination and advancing new restoration projects through NOAA's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other funding sources. This federal grant award aims to enhance coastal resource management, environmental protection, and community resilience through targeted staffing and program support.

This funding will build the ability of the commonwealths federally-approved coastal management program within the executive office of energy and environmental affairs to implement projects, initiatives, and programs that increase the climate resilience of coastal communities within coastal counties. Specifically, massachusetts office of coastal zone management will use these funds to fund one new full-time equivalent (FTE), with extension, to support project implementation, engagement, and coordination of priorities identified in the recently submitted resilientcoasts letter of intent for the NOAA climate regional challenge, and wider commonwealth priorities. The funds will also continue to support one existing FTE beyond 2024, the habitat restoration coordinator, secured through previous capacity funding to continue to coordinate restoration projects, manage awarded projects, and advance new projects through application to NOAA BIL funding and other sources.