The notes from the Fall Member Meeting breakout sessions have been added to the Meeting Materials page on CSO's website (login required). The sessions covered: Acquisition, Restoration, Managed Retreat, and Resilience.

Congratulations to all the programs invited to submit a full proposal to the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge! Full applications are due Tuesday February 13, 2024! 

Congratulations also to all of you invited submit a full proposal for CZM BIL year 2 (and IRA funds) Competitive Funding! Full applications are due Wednesday January 10, 2024.

The next big funding opportunity is from FEMA, with $1.8 billion available through BRIC and Flood Mitigation Assistance. These need to be submitted through whatever your state’s process is – so be sure to coordinate with you state hazard mitigation or emergency management office. Both opportunities can fund coastal resilience and nature based solutions projects (and more traditional grey infrastructure), they just need to demonstrate reduction in hazard/flood risk. Applications are due to FEMA Thursday February 29, 2024, but states will have earlier deadlines.

On-going opportunities:

All information available at https://www.coastalstates.org/members-only/cso-work-groups/2023-funding-work-group/

NOAA’s Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience NOFO is now available for a $240 million fund from NOAA Fisheries transformational projects that restore coastal habitat and strengthen community resilience. NOAA will accept proposals between $1 million and $25 million total over the award period. Applications are due by Tuesday November 17, 2023. For more information, view the Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants funding opportunity.

Sea Grant is administering the Climate Ready Workforce opportunity to establish programs aimed at at placing people across the country into good jobs that advance climate resilience. LOIs are due Thursday November 30, 2023.

NOAA Habitat (Fisheries) announced the BIL/IRA funded Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities. $45 million to support capacity building, science and restoration projects. Applications are due December 19, 2023.

$800 million is available for the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program and the $1 billion is available to the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. FEMA’s two competitive mitigation grant programs provide states, local communities, tribes and territories funding to address high-level future risks to natural disasters such as wildfires, drought, hurricanes, earthquakes, extreme heat, and increased flooding to foster greater community resilience and reduce disaster suffering. Applications from states are due to FEMA for both programs on Thursday February 29, 2024.

See here for the 2023 Fall regulatory summary. More information on rulemaking developments is available on the Regulatory Resources page.

[NEW] Request for Information Issued for New National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy – Deadline Feb. 28

On Nov. 9, 2023, the National Science Foundation requested input on development of a new National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy covering the genetic lineages, species, habitats, and ecosystems of U.S. ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes waters. The plan will set out actions federal agencies should take to collect, coordinate, and deliver information for policy, investment, development, and management, to better align ocean biodiversity investments and policy with societal needs. Comments may be submitted by email to rfi-marinebiodiversity@nsf.gov by Wednesday February 28, 2024.

[NEW] Clean Water Act § 401 Water Quality Certification Rule Effective Nov. 27

EPA’s final rule modifying Clean Water Act § 401 state water quality certification regulations, issued Sep. 27, 2023, will become effective on Nov. 27, 2023. The final rule is largely consistent with CSO feedback, repealing certain 2020 regulatory changes, defining the scope of review as the water quality-related impacts from the entire activity subject to the federal permit, including construction and operation, and setting a default six-month review time limit.

FEMA Federal Flood Risk Management Standard Rulemaking – deadline Dec. 1

On Monday October 2, 2023, FEMA released a proposed rule, draft policy, and draft programmatic/general authorizations to implement the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard in its funding programs. The new rule replaces FEMA’s interim implementation procedures and will apply to federally funded actions involving new construction, substantial improvement, or repairs to substantial damage, as well as to hazard mitigation projects involving structure elevation, dry floodproofing, and mitigation reconstruction. The rule establishes the “Climate-Informed Science Approach” (CISA) as the preferred standard for projects funded under Public Assistance (PA), Individual Assistance (IA), and Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant programs, and would require the use, where possible, of natural systems, ecosystem processes, and nature-based approaches in the development of alternatives for all actions proposed in a floodplain. (The National Climate Task Force recently released a CISA State of the Science report setting out guidelines for meeting the CISA standard.) Comments may be submitted via Regulations.gov. Comments on the proposed rule and draft policy are due Friday December 1, 2023. Comments on the programmatic procedures (akin to a general permit) are due Friday November 3, 2023.

OMB Issues Grant Requirements Proposed Rule – Deadline Dec. 4

On Oct. 5, 2023, the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) issued a proposed rule updating its Guidance for Grants and Agreements at title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Changes under proposed rule increase monetary thresholds and provide greater flexibility for administrative, cost accounting, and audit requirements. Comments may be submitted via Regulations.gov through Monday December 4, 2023.

EPA Issues VIDA Supplemental Notice – Deadline Dec. 18

On Oct. 18, 2023, EPA issued a Supplemental Notice in its Vessel Incidental Discharge Act national standards rulemaking, addressing a limited subset of issues from its 2020 proposed rule including ballast water management system equipment standards and BMPs, Great Lakes lakers, hull biofouling, and greywater from small-crewed vessels. A high-level summary is provided in the October regulatory update. EPA has requested comments on the new material (and not the proposed rule as a whole). Comments may be submitted via Regulations.gov through Monday, December 18, 2023. EPA is hosting a second public information session on Nov. 16; register here. CSO held a member coordination call on Nov. 8 and will be following up with an additional call in the coming weeks.

[NEW] Virginia Sea Grant, USDA, and NOAA Launch Aquaculture Information Exchange Online Community Platform

The Aquaculture Information Exchange (AIE) online community platform website is now live and open for new user registrations. Launched Oct. 26, the AIE is an online community involving individuals from both the public and private sectors with interests in U.S. aquaculture and related topics. The AIE will serve as a communications platform, actively being moderated to facilitate discussions about current issues facing the industry, the latest research and developments in aquaculture, and will be a space where users from across the nation can connect with other members of the aquaculture community.

[NEW] National Ocean Service Releases New Five Year Strategic Plan

NOS is stepping into a larger role relative to filling our nation’s needs for data, products, and services that protect our ecosystems and enhance climate and economic resilience. The newly released NOS Strategic Plan focuses on four overarching goals: increase U.S. coastal resilience, make equity central to our mission, accelerate growth of the Ocean Enterprise and the Blue Economy, and conserve, restore, and connect healthy coastal and marine ecosystems. Read the plan here.

[NEW] BOEM Studies Plan Solicitation – Deadline Dec. 7

BOEM is beginning to formulate its Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Studies Development Plan covering all BOEM energy and minerals activities. BOEM’s Environmental Studies Program (ESP) develops annual two-year studies plans compiling brief project descriptions and evaluations. BOEM has solicited study ideas for consideration in Alaska, Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Pacific OCS areas. Study idea submissions may be submitted by email to BOEMEnviroStudies@BOEM.GOV until Thursday December 7, 2023.

Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Holds Hearing on Sackett Decision

The US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing this week on the implications of Sackett v. EPA for Clean Water Act protections of wetlands and streams. There was testimony from Dr. Mažeika Patricio Sulliván, Director of Clemson's Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science; Kourtney Revels a justice organizer from Bayou City Waterkeeper; and Susan Bodine a partner with Earth & Water Law. Watch the hearing and read written testimony here.

CSO 2023-24 Planned Conference Attendance

CSO staff recently complied a list of conferences that we are planning to attend in the next year, and we wanted to share with you as your offices put together your travel plans. Maybe we will see you there!

• CERF, Portland, OR November 12-16, 2023
• Gulf CZM Regional meeting, January 9-11, 2024
• Social Coast Forum, Charleston, SC, February 12-14, 2024
• National Planning Conference, Minneapolis, MN, April 13-16, 2024
• MS AL SeaGrant, Moss Point, MS, April 2024
• National Adaptation Forum, St. Paul, May 12-16, 2024
• CHOW, Washington, DC, June 6-8, 2024
• ASFPM, Salt Lake City, UT, June 23-27, 2024
• ASBPA, Galveston TX, August 26-29, 2024
• RAE, Washington DC , October 6-10, 2024

NOAA Releases FY2024 Federal Opportunity for Effects of Sea Level Rise Program

For this opportunity, the ESLR Program is soliciting proposals to improve adaptation and planning in response to regional and local effects of sea level rise (SLR) and coastal inundation (storm surge, nuisance flooding, and/or wave actions) through targeted research on nature-based solutions (NBS), modeling of physical and biological processes, and testing mitigation strategies for implementation. The overall goal of the ESLR Program is to facilitate informed adaptation planning and coastal management decisions through funding multidisciplinary research that results in integrated models capable of evaluating vulnerability and resilience under multiple SLR, inundation, and management scenarios. The opportunity has two focal areas; General Coastal Resilience and Alaska Regional Coastal Resilience. A more detailed summary of the two focal areas can be found below. A letter of intent is required to submit a full proposal. The letter of intent (LOI) is due by Monday November 13, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET, while full proposals will be due by Wednesday January 24, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET. The LOI is for guidance purposes only, and all teams that submit a LOI may submit a full proposal. Please see the funding announcement for information on the requirements and process for submitting a LOI and full proposal. There will be an informational webinar at 3:00 PM Eastern Time on Friday, October 6. See registration link below. If you are not able to make the webinar, a recording will be available on the ESLR website after the event.

NOAA Calls for Nominations to the Integrated Ocean Observing System Advisory Committee

NOAA is soliciting applications for membership on the United States Integrated Ocean Observing System Advisory Committee. The Committee provides advice on the planning, integrated design, operation, maintenance, enhancement, and expansion of the United States Integrated Ocean Observing System (U.S. IOOS). U.S. IOOS promotes research to develop, test, and deploy innovations and improvements in coastal and ocean observation technologies and modeling systems, addresses regional and national needs for ocean information, gathers data on key coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes variables and ensures timely and sustained dissemination and availability of these data for societal benefits. Nominations should be submitted by Tuesday January 2, 2024 via email. Read the full call for nominations here.