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

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded $5.7 million to the State of Maryland Department of Natural Resources through the Coastal Zone Management Administration Awards program (CFDA 11.419) via a Cooperative Agreement effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. This funding, which leverages an additional $2.6 million in state matching funds, supports the administration and implementation of Maryland's federally approved Coastal Zone Management Program. The award enables the state to address critical coastal management priorities including coastal hazards mitigation, water quality improvement, public access enhancement, and habitat restoration and protection across Maryland's coastal communities and resources.

The funded activities include advancing innovative financing and implementation approaches to reduce coastal nonpoint source pollution, enhancing community preparedness for storm events and shoreline change, and supporting localized restoration initiatives. Specific projects include the design of a 1,500 linear-foot living shoreline in Somerset County to prevent erosion and protect Deal Island Road infrastructure from flood and storm impacts, and a 600 linear-foot living shoreline with breakwater features in the Cedar Lane Community of Anne Arundel County to preserve wetlands and reduce shoreline erosion. These efforts support a statewide approach to ecosystem health through enhanced planning and design while building local capacity for on-the-ground restoration and hazard preparedness activities.

The national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) is providing ongoing funding through the national coastal zone management program to the state of maryland 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 $3M is leveraging over $2.6M in state funds. These funds will support jobs and provide continued assistance to the maryland coastal management program to address many important coastal issues in the state including coastal hazards, water quality, public access, and habitat restoration and protection. Activities funded through this award will result in the advancement of innovative approaches for financing and implementing programs that reduce coastal nonpoint source pollution and increase the number of local communities prepared to undertake on-the-ground restoration projects and prepared for storm events, shoreline change, and coastal hazards. The award also will continue support for a statewide approach to enhance community and ecosystem health through better planning and design. The award is also funding a number of local projects or initiatives including: the design of an approximately 1,500 linear foot living shoreline that addresses erosion, prevents a shoreline breach, and protects the deal island road and community infrastructure from flood and storm impacts in somerset county. The design of an approximately 600 linear foot living shoreline with breakwater features in the cedar lane community of anne arundel county to preserve wetlands, encourage marsh migration, and reduce erosion along the communitys shoreline.