The national oceanic and atmospheric administration is providing $378,116 in federal funding to the virginia institute of marine science through the FY2024 and FY2025 national estuarine research…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office for Coastal Management (CFDA 11.473) awarded $378,116 to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science through a Cooperative Agreement effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. Under this award, VIMS will design and permit Virginia's first large-scale thin layer placement project on Catlett Island, one of four components of the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve–Virginia. Thin layer placement is a marsh restoration technique that beneficially utilizes dredged materials to elevate marsh surface levels, thereby enhancing ecological functions and preventing habitat conversion at the target site.

The award supports habitat restoration planning and engineering/design activities that collectively increase the safety and productivity of coastal communities within Virginia's coastal counties. VIMS will deliver design specifications, permitting documentation, and technical planning products necessary to implement this innovative marsh elevation approach, which addresses coastal resilience and habitat protection objectives consistent with NOAA's coastal management mission.

The national oceanic and atmospheric administration is providing $378,116 in federal funding to the virginia institute of marine science through the FY2024 and FY2025 national estuarine research reserve system habitat protection and restoration grant competition. This funding will increase the safety and productivity of coastal communities within coastal counties through habitat restoration planning, engineering and design projects, habitat restoration implementation projects, and land conservation projects. Specifically, the virginia institute of marine science will use these funds to design and permit virginias first large-scale thin layer placement project, a marsh restoration technique that beneficially uses dredged materials to elevate the surface levels of the marsh. This will enhance ecological functions and prevent unwanted habitat conversion of the target site on catlett island, one of four components of the chesapeake BAY national estuarine research reserve-virginia.