The national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) is providing $400,000 in federal funding to the state of wisconsin through the inflation reduction act

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded a $400,000 Cooperative Agreement under the Office for Coastal Management (CFDA 11.473) federal grant program to the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Division of Extension Natural Resources Institute to enhance the climate resilience of coastal communities within the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve. Specifically, the funding will be used to:

• Hire a part-time project manager and resilience outreach associate to support all reserve programs, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) initiatives
• Support planning, training, and product development for the reserve's climate mentorship program
• Develop interpretive signage and exhibits to educate the public about resilience
• Monitor harmful algae toxicity in sites subject to increasing blooms

This 5-year, $800,000 award, effective May 1, 2024, aims to build the capacity of the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve to implement projects, initiatives, and programs that increase the climate resilience of coastal communities within the surrounding coastal counties.

This funding will build the ability of the lake superior national estuarine research reserve within university of wisconsin-madisons division of extension natural resources institute to implement projects, initiatives, and programs that increase the climate resilience of coastal communities within coastal counties. Specifically, lake superior national estuarine research reserve will use these funds to build the capacity of the research reserve by hiring a part-time project manager that will provide dedicated support to all reserve programs including BIL and IRA; hiring a part-time resilience outreach associate to support joint efforts between the reserves training and stewardship programs that seek to build coastal and community resilience; supporting planning, training, products, or small projects related to the reserves climate mentorship program; developing interpretive signage as well as an exhibit related to educate the public about resilience; and supporting monitoring of harmful algae toxicity in sites subject to increasingly frequent blooms.