State and Territory Coastal Zone Management Programs often work closely with their local National Estuary Programs.

The National Estuary Program (NEP) is a place-based program through the Environmental Protection Agency designed to protect and restore the water quality and ecological integrity of estuaries of national significance. The Program is made up of a network of 28 estuaries located along the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts and in Puerto Rico are designated as estuaries of national significance. Each estuary of national significance has its own NEP which focuses within a study area that includes the estuary and surrounding watershed. The NEPs are non-regulatory programs that develop and implement long-term Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans to address water quality and living resource challenges and priorities as established by local, city, state, federal, private and non-profit stakeholders.

CSO's Executive Director, Derek Brockbank, hosted a new The Capitol Beach podcast to explore more about NEPs. On this podcast, Derek discusses NEPs and their role in protecting and restoring the water quality and ecological integrity of estuaries of national significance with Roberta Swann, the Director of the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, Laura Blackmore, the Director of the Puget Sound Partnership, and Jeff Lerner, the Partnerships Program Branch Chief at the EPA. Listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Learn more about NEPs here.

CSO is seeking a full-time Grants Administrator to work with the Coastal States Stewardship Foundation (CSSF). The primary role of the CSSF Grants Administrator is to perform tasks related to the grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements that CSSF manages, including record-keeping, budget tracking, invoice payments, and ensuring reporting requirements are met. The Grants Administrator will work closely with three Regional Ocean Partnerships and the Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore wind and their independent contractors and vendors to ensure timely generation and payment of invoices and timely submission of grant and contract reports. Learn more about this position and how to apply here.

RIOS to Answer Questions About Conneaut Harbor Sand Bypass

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, is working together with the coastal expertise from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, in the first of it’s kind deployment of a Radar Inlet Observing System (RIOS) to the lower Great Lakes.RIOS will be deployed at Conneaut Harbor, Ohio, along Lake Erie through this December to collect wave and storm conditions, giving Buffalo District a better understanding of the littoral dynamics in the area. Read more

New Baltimore Looks To Mitigate Shoreline Erosion

The city of New Baltimore is hoping to secure state funding to help mitigate erosion along the Anchor Bay shoreline. New Baltimore City Council members on Nov. 14 unanimously adopted a pair of resolutions approving the submission of grant applications for two coastal habitat restoration projects in the community. Projects are planned to help prevent further shoreline erosion at Walter and Mary Burke Park and Ruedisale Point Park. The funds are being requested through the state’s High Water Infrastructure Grant Program, a one-time release of up to $14.25 million in infrastructure and planning grants to mitigate effects of severe weather events. The program focuses on local and regional projects that address flooding, coastline erosion, urban heat and storm water management. Read more

Outer Banks Homes Keep Falling Into the Ocean, and Septic Tanks Cause Issues

When multiple houses along a stretch of the Outer Banks fell into the ocean earlier this year, it captured national attention. Now, as even more homes are at risk of being taken, groups are coming together to figure out how to keep the homes standing. Aside from posing a major safety hazard and the massive debris field that was left behind after the last homes fell, there’s another problem that many people aren’t necessarily aware of. “One of the biggest problems is that these homes all have septic tanks," Flynn explained. "Some have multiple septic tanks because, over the years, as their septic tanks have become compromised, these homes have been allowed to replace their tanks so they can continue to rent or live in these properties. One of the issues that creates is a lot of different septic tanks on the oceanfront that are spewing out wastewater onto the public beach because these drain fields are now on the public ocean front. It’s a tragedy to see families here on vacation and setting up building sand castles in a drain field of wastewater. Read more

Miami-Dade Seeks New Ways To Retain Vital Beach Sand

As sand renourishment continues in an 830,000-cubic yard project in Miami Beach, the county has acquired consultation for alternative ways to retain sand along county-managed beaches. Miami-Dade County’s Division of Environmental Resources Management has hired coastal engineering firm GHD Services Inc. to consider alternative ways to retain sand along county-managed beaches and to reevaluate the performance of such existing structures as breakwaters at Miami Beach’s 29th to 32nd streets and recommend on sand retention there. The recommendations so far include breakwater structures and groins at different locations, such as Bal Harbour and in Miami Beach, said Marina Blanco-Pape, the county’s Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources water management chief. “We are in discussions with the state to finalize recommended modifications in the area of 29th Street in Miami Beach,” she said. “There is no target date for implementation yet. The Bal Harbour groins will be implemented by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) under the new re-authorized federal project after 2025.” Read more

CSO is a Recipient of Climate Resilience Fund Grant Award

NOAA and the Climate Resilience Fund announce the results of the 2022 competitive Coordination and Collaboration in the Resilience Ecosystem (CCRE) grant program. This year the CCRE received applications from over 100 climate service professionals. We are pleased to announce today that applicants representing 19 organizations, including CSO, have been selected to participate in a newly developed Steps to Resilience (StR) Training designed by CRF's partners at Fernleaf, NEMAC, and NOAA. Organizations receiving grants will send staff members to the StR Training early in 2023. Learn more here.

Call for Nominations to New Marine and Coastal Area-based Management Advisory Committee

NOAA has announced the establishment of a new Marine and Coastal Area-based Management Advisory Committee to advise the agency on science-based approaches to area-based protection, conservation, restoration, and management in coastal and marine areas, including the Great Lakes. The scope of the Committee’s advice will include, but not be limited to, efforts consistent with the America the Beautiful initiative. Nominations and applications for the inaugural membership can be submitted until January 17, 2023. Learn more here.

White House Announces Nature-Based Solutions Roadmap

The White House announced at COP27 its new Nature-Based Solutions Roadmap designed to enable the U.S. to unlock the full potential of nature-based solutions to address climate change, nature loss, and inequity. The Roadmap is accompanied by a Nature-Based Solutions Resources Guide which provides examples and resources for learning about nature-based solutions and how to effectively implement them. More information and the Roadmap and Guide can be found here.

EPA Seeks Public Input on Inflation Reduction Act Programs to Fight Climate Change, Protect Health, and Advance Environmental Justice

The EPA announced initial public engagement and input opportunities for a subset of new and existing programs funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. The RFI provides background information and questions for the public to consider as they provide their input. EPA will gather and organize information received on the RFI in six public dockets that correspond to Inflation Reduction Act provisions in the law. In addition, the agency will continue to conduct extensive public engagement as it works to implement the law. For complete details, see here.

New Hampshire DEIJA Request for Proposals

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Coastal Program (NHCP), Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (GBNERR), and Great Bay Stewards (GBS) are seeking proposals from qualified consultants to help meaningfully center Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility (DEIJA) into our respective programs, procedures, and relationships. Learn more here.

NOAA Adaptation Sciences (AdSci) Program FY2023 Funding Competition: Island Resilience

The NOAA Climate Program Office Adaptation Sciences (AdSci) Program is now accepting proposals for research projects beginning in Fiscal Year 2023. Through the FY2023 competition, NOAA’s AdSci Program is soliciting proposals for interdisciplinary and participatory research activities that address island-identified resilience needs in the Caribbean and Pacific; with an emphasis on projects that result in: (1) contextually relevant and usable information about climate impacts, vulnerabilities and solutions; (2) the evaluation, identification and strengthening of the adaptive capacities of institutions, communities, sectors and islands; (3) and/or the integration of climate information in adaptation planning, action and long-term resilience strategies. Full Applications are due by January 31, 2023. Learn more here.

FEMA Announces FY22 BRIC and FMA Notice of Funding Opportunities.

FEMA announced the FY22 Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) programs. The funding level for BRIC has increased to $2.3 billion for FY22, with FMA funding increasing to $800 million. BRIC’s non-financial Direct Technical Assistance program will also increase to at least 40 communities (from 20) for the FY22 cycle. The application period closes on January 27, 2023. Learn more here.