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

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded a cooperative agreement totaling $1.7 million to the State of Rhode Island on October 1, 2025, to support administration of Rhode Island's federally approved coastal management program under the Coastal Zone Management Administration Awards program (CFDA 11.419).

The recipient, the Natural Resources Rhode Island Bureau of (doing business as the Coastal Resources Management Council, or CRMC), delivers coastal permitting, planning, policy, public outreach, and harbor management planning activities. The program provides tools, guidance, and training to municipalities to reduce risk to coastal hazards during infrastructure planning and addresses coastal issues including habitat restoration and public access. The funding supports ongoing jobs and operations of the CRMC.

The award obligates $6.862 million total across all participants and extends through March 31, 2027. Place of performance is Wakefield, South Kingstown, Rhode Island. The NOAA investment leverages over $1.612 million in state funds. The State of Rhode Island serves as the parent awardee, with CRMC as the direct operating recipient.

The national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) is providing ongoing funding through the national coastal zone management program to the state of rhode island 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 $1,700,000 is leveraging over $1,612,000 in state funds. These funds will support jobs and provide continued assistance to the rhode island coastal resources management council (CRMC) to address many important coastal issues in the state including coastal hazards, habitat restoration, and public access. For example, the program will continue to provide tools, guidance and training to municipalities to help them reduce their risk to coastal hazards when undertaking infrastructure planning. The funding also supports ongoing coastal permitting, planning, policy, public outreach, and harbor management planning activities.