PA CMP infrastructure capacity-building project description: the national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) is providing $900,00 in federal funding over the next three years to the state…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), through its Office for Coastal Management (CFDA 11.473) program, has awarded a $900,000 Cooperative Agreement to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to build the capacity of the state's federally approved Coastal Management Program over the next three years (January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2027). This funding will enable DEP to hire a full-time project coordinator to lead efforts to update the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) for Pennsylvania's coastal zones, which was last updated in 2014-2015. The updated NWI will support habitat restoration and conservation projects proposed through funding opportunities connected to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The project coordinator will also work with stakeholders to advertise and competitively bid funding, assist with project proposal development, and manage invoicing, progress, and reporting for any successful grantees under future NOAA Bipartisan Infrastructure Law competitive funding.

PA CMP infrastructure capacity-building project description: the national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) is providing $900,00 in federal funding over the next three years to the state of pennsylvania through the bipartisan infrastructure law. This funding will build the capacity of thestates federally approved coastal management program within the pennsylvania department of environmental protection (DEP) to plan for and implement habitat restoration and conservation projects proposed through funding opportunities connected to the bipartisan infrastructure law. The national wetlands inventory (NWI) was last updated in pennsylvanias coastal zones in 2014 for in lake erie and 2015 for the delaware estuary. The last update used imagery from 2005-2011. The NWI is used by pennsylvania DEP biologists in their daily work including permitting decisions. The US army corps of engineers also use the NWI for jurisdictional determinations which are valid for only five years. The NWI can be used as a preliminary screening tool for habitat restoration sites and habitat preservation areas in need of restoration. The NWI can also be used as a desktop analysis tool that allows all stakeholders to view a current representation of wetland areas as well as trends from previous inventories. This historic BIL funding allows for an increase in habitat restoration projects and having an updated NWI for pennsylvania will be integral to identifying projects. Specifically, in year one the PA DEP will use these funds to hire a fulltime employee (FTE) to act as the crmps BIL project coordinator. This FTE will work with coastal resource management program and other DEP staff to lead the national wetlands inventory (NWI) task, including developing the bid specifications, executing the bid process, and managing the selected contract. The FTE will also work with stakeholders to advertise and competitively bid funding available, assist with development of these projects into proposals, be responsible for managing invoicing, progress, and reporting. In year two, the FTE will coordinate with the NWI contractor and NOAA BIL grantee(S), connecting with deij communities, and monitoring project progress. The coordinator will manage any successful grantees with year 4 NOAA BIL funding and the DEP grants center to execute a grant proposal competition for year 5 of NOAA BIL competitive funding. In year three, the FTE will focus on continuing coordination with partners, connecting with deij communities. The FTE will manage any successful grantees with year 4 and 5 NOAA BIL competitive funding.