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

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Environmental Quality a $5,759,000 Cooperative Agreement under the Coastal Zone Management Administration Awards program (CFDA 11.419) effective October 1, 2025, through March 31, 2027. This federal-state partnership supports administration of Virginia's federally approved Coastal Zone Management Program, leveraging the federal investment with $2,622,000 in state and local matching funds. The award funds comprehensive coastal protection and resource management initiatives including regulatory permit administration for submerged bottomlands, tidal wetlands, sand dunes, and beaches in partnership with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and local wetlands boards. Core deliverables encompass ongoing coastal planning support to planning district commissions, restoration design projects for sustainable stream improvements that enhance habitat and mitigate flooding, submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) damage mitigation in the Middle Peninsula, and implementation of the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan aligned with the Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Action Plan.

The award also supports multiple sub-grantee initiatives addressing coastal resilience, habitat protection, and community planning. Sub-awardees including the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Commonwealth University, College of William & Mary, Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission, George Washington Regional Commission, Richmond Regional Planning District Commission, Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, Northern Virginia Regional Commission, Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission, Northern Neck Planning District Commission, Crater Planning District Commission, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, University of Virginia, Wetlands Watch, Clean Virginia Waterways, and Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation deliver technical assistance, GIS support, tidal wetlands management, marine mammal stranding response, shoreline management planning, dredging protocol development, and marine debris reduction efforts. These coordinated activities balance economic development with environmental protection while supporting jobs throughout Virginia's coastal communities and enhancing ecosystem resilience.

The national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) is providing ongoing funding through the national coastal zone management program to the commonwealth of virginia 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 over $3,137,000.00 is leveraging over $2,622,000 in state and local funds. These funds will support jobs and provide continued assistance to the virginia coastal management program to address many important coastal issues in the state including for example, one project will implement a restoration design that would create sustainable stream improvement that enhances habitat and potentially reduces downstream flooding. The funding also supports ongoing coastal planning and support to the planning district commissions. This effort will maximize opportunities for collaboration and contribute to statewide plans like the virginia marine debris reductions plan. The award also supports initiatives such as administration of a regulatory permit program for submerged bottomlands, tidal wetlands, sand dunes and beaches in order to preserve and protect virginias natural resources and the habitats our saltwater fisheries depend on. This is conducted in partnership with the virginia marine resources commission and the local wetlands boards. The award is also funding a number of local projects including efforts to mitigate submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) damage in the middle peninsula. SAV plays a critical role in the health and resilience of coastal ecosystems, providing essential habitat, improving water quality, and stabilizing sediment. In some cases, disturbance of SAV is needed for resilience projects, so exploring how to mitigate these impacts is critical to maintaining SAV.