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

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded $5.686 million to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection through the Coastal Zone Management Administration Awards program (CFDA 11.419) for the period October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. This cooperative agreement supports administration of New Jersey's federally approved Coastal Zone Management Program (NJCMP), with funding leveraging an additional $2.6 million in state matching funds. The award enables the state to address critical coastal management priorities including coastal hazards mitigation, resilience planning, regional ocean planning, nature-based solutions, and public access improvements, while also supporting ongoing coastal permitting, public outreach, and municipal assistance activities.

The funding supports multiple deliverables and initiatives across the state's coastal zone. Key products include the development of a peer-reviewed publication on elevation and sedimentation trends in New Jersey coastal wetlands utilizing data from the New Jersey Tidal Wetland Monitoring Network, as well as a status and trends report on tidal wetlands. Implementation activities include the Regional Resilience Coordinator Program to enhance community resilience to coastal hazards; the Art Installations Grant Program to raise public awareness of coastal hazard issues; the MyCoast crowd-sourced data collection platform documenting tides and storm damage; and mapping of submerged aquatic vegetation. These initiatives collectively support sustainable economic development while protecting coastal ecosystems and resources across New Jersey's coastal communities.

The national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) is providing ongoing funding through the national coastal zone management program to the state of new jersey to help administer new jersey's 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 million is leveraging over $2.6 million in state funds. These funds will support jobs and provide continued assistance to the new jersey coastal management program to address many important coastal issues in the state including coastal hazards, resilience planning, regional ocean planning, nature-based solutions, and public access. The funding also supports ongoing coastal permitting, public outreach, and assistance to municipalities etc. The award also is supporting new initiatives such as the development of a peer-reviewed publication regarding elevation and sedimentation trends in new jersey coastal wetlands using the data collected and analyzed by the new jersey tidal wetland monitoring network and a status and trends report on tidal wetlands. The award is also funding a number of local projects or initiatives including: continue implementation of the regional resilience coordinator program to assist coastal communities to increase community resilience to coastal hazards in a coordinated manner that is consistent with the policies, regulations, and guidance of the njcmp. Continue funding the art installations grant program that will bring public awareness to the issues of coastal hazards throughout the coastal zone. Utilize mycoast to collect crowd-sourced information to chronicle the changing coast by documenting tides and storm damage. Study and map submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) habitat. Continue funding the tidal wetland monitoring grant program, which provides annual funding to conduct wetland monitoring to track conditions and trends of tidal wetlands in new jersey.