CSO Newsletter

The Coastal States Organization represents the nation’s Coastal States, Territories, and Commonwealths on ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resource issues.
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Spotlight on Coastal Management:

New Hampshire Rising Tides Photo Contest

2021 Rising Tides Photo Contest, Community Resilience – Atlantic Coast Winner

Credit: Melissa Brogle

The New Hampshire Coastal Adaptation Workgroup (CAW) is running its annual New Hampshire Rising Tides Photo Contest on January 21-24, 2023.


The Rising Tides Photo Contest aims to raise awareness about the increasing frequency of high tide flooding and sea-level rise, and showcase resilient ecosystems, economies, infrastructure, and communities in New Hampshire. Over time, through continued collection of photographs, engagement with tide forecasts, and real-time observation of tide levels, people who live, work, and recreate in coastal New Hampshire can learn and plan for how places they rely upon or value will be impacted by coastal flooding.


To enter the contest, entrants may submit up to four photos that fit within one of the contest categories:

 

  • Picturing Change- Photos of changes related to or caused by high tide flooding in New Hampshire’s Atlantic Coast or Great Bay communities.
  • Picturing Resilience- Photos showcasing what is compelling about a community that is resilient in the face of high tide flooding in New Hampshire’s Atlantic Coast and Great Bay communities.


Winners will be selected through a public voting process and announced by February 16, 2023.


This year, the CAW is also host four site visitstwo on January 23rd and two on January 24thin public places that are already experiencing the impacts from high tide flooding. Each site visit will provide a unique opportunity to learn about, observe, and photograph the incoming tide. Volunteer boards and municipal staff, technical assistance providers, natural resource professionals, researchers and students, elected officials, interested residents or community leaders, and Rising Tides Photo Contest participants especially encouraged to attend.


Learn more about the contest, how to enter, and to register for site visits here.


For all contest updates, follow @nhcaw on Twitter and @nhcoastaladaptation on Facebook and Instagram.

In the States and Regions

Gulf Coast

Move Over Gulf Shores and Orange Beach? Mobile Officials Advancing New Beach Projects

Two projects – Brookley by the Bay, south of downtown Mobile; and Bayfront Park, adjacent to Alabama State Route 193 near Coden – are in development and will, for the first time, provide a new beach experience in areas without one. Of the two projects, a nearly $8.5 million reconstruction of Bayfront Park is the most advanced. The little-known pocket park has been under county ownership since 1921, with few improvements. But thanks to an injection of funding through a portion of the 2016 BP oil spill settlement, a 10-acre beach and adjoining park is on track to be open sometime next year. “We do have beaches at Dauphin Island, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fairhope, and it’s important for communities to have access to the water,” said Chris Blankenship, the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources who has played an instrumental role in securing funding for the Bayfront Park project. “In South Mobile County, Coden and the Fowl River area, this park will offer great access for the citizens to get out and enjoy the Bay and the outdoors,” Blankenship said. Read more


More Insurance Companies Pull Out Of Louisiana: ‘We Are In A Crisis'

Thousands of folks in the South no longer have home insurance because companies are leaving the area after years of devastating storms. The state of Louisiana is at the center of this insurance dilemma. In the last two years, more than 20 companies have gone under or withdrawn from the state, forcing hundreds of thousands of families to pay higher premiums or go without coverage. “We are certainly in a crisis,” said Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon. Donelon says the crisis started in 2020 when Hurricane Laura hit Lake Charles. Soon after, the state was hit by storms Delta and Zeta, and then another major hurricane, Ida, in 2021. “800,000 claims were filed after Laura and Ida, resulting in insurers paying $23 billion for insured losses,” Donelon said. But it’s not just severe weather in Louisiana jacking up prices. Donelon explains that record-breaking natural disasters across the globe are having an impact. Read more

Great Lakes

State Tackling Harmful Lake Michigan Shoreline Erosion At Illinois Beach State Park

Two ground-breaking projects underway at Illinois Beach State Park will help protect precious shoreline from erosion caused by Lake Michigan waves and inform future decisions about how to blunt the effects of erosion and climate change, Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Capital Development Board announced. Some parts of the park’s coastline have receded by as much as 100 feet in one year. Aerial photos and maps show how the shoreline, roads and dune ecosystems have been drastically altered; visitors can see evidence of some of the damage in person. Read more


Atmospheric Carbon Might Make Great Lakes More Acidic and Inhospitable for Some Fish and Plants

The Great Lakes have endured a lot the past century, from supersized algae blobs to invasive mussels and bloodsucking sea lamprey that nearly wiped out fish populations. Now, another danger: They, and other big lakes around the world, might be getting more acidic, which could make them less hospitable for some fish and plants. Scientists are building a sensor network to spot Lake Huron water chemistry trends. It’s a first step toward a hoped-for system that would track carbon dioxide and pH in all five Great Lakes over multiple years, said project co-leader Reagan Errera of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Read more

East Coast and Caribbean

Tampa Bay Officials Release Plan for Dealing With Climate Change

Florida’s sandy beaches and beautiful coastlines helped make it the fastest-growing state in the country last year. About 4 million people live in the region extending from Citrus County to Sarasota — about a fifth of the state’s population. The Tampa Bay metro area’s population has swelled by more than 14% over the last decade. Local governments across the Tampa Bay area are acutely aware of the risks involved with so many people living near a coast and even inland, where heavy rain can cause destructive flooding.In November, the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council presented a document four years in the making — the Regional Resiliency Action Plan — aimed at strengthening the region against extreme weather. Now, the council will tour the region in the new year and ask governments to adopt the plan. Read more


Four Flood-Prone NYC Neighborhoods To Receive New Anti-Flooding Infrastructure

Four neighborhoods in New York City will soon receive new, anti-flooding infrastructure to manage stormwater during intense rainfall. The initiative is part of the city's Cloudburst program, announced last September. The neighborhoods in the program’s expansion are Corona and Kissena Park in Queens, Parkchester in the Bronx, and East New York in Brooklyn. Construction on the four new sites is slated for 2025, according to the city. Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced $390 million in city and federal funds for the program expansion. “We are pleased to announce a significant milestone in that plan,” Adams said. The city’s Department of Environmental Protection plans to install infrastructure that will absorb, store, and transfer stormwater to prevent flooding during extreme rainfall in a short period of time, otherwise known as a cloudburst. Read more

West Coast and Pacific

Battered By Destructive Floods, Grays Harbor Bets On A $182M Levee

Severe flooding exacerbated by climate change has become less and less of an anomaly in coastal Grays Harbor County. The twin cities of Aberdeen (pop. 17,191) and Hoquiam (pop. 8,860) sit adjacent to each other in a crevice of the Olympic Peninsula. They’ve flooded at least once a year for the past five years, pelted by waves, extreme rain and overflowing rivers. Since 1964, records show 17 floods caused so much damage they qualified as federal disasters. The existential threat of flooding has already reshaped building codes and spiked insurance rates that make it hard for residents to renovate homes or attract business to the area, they say. A Climate Central analysis estimated that flooding will threaten at least $500 million in home value in Aberdeen and Hoquiam by 2050. The Aberdeen-Hoquiam Flood Protection Project, consisting of two levees and a pump station, has long represented an aspirational moonshot, but an influx of federal funding this year has seemingly pushed the idea into reach with local leaders hosting a celebratory ground-breaking last summer. Read more


NOAA Partners with Univerity of Guam for Island-Wide Reef Survey

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Coral Reef Monitoring Program is engaging students at the University of Guam (UOG) to conduct an island-wide survey to collect information on residents’ use of coral reefs and their knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of coral reef ecosystems and coral reef management. It is part of a larger effort to improve coral reef conservation programs at local, regional, and national levels. Read more

Events & Webinars

January 20, 2023


January 24, 2023



January 25, 2023


January 31, 2023


February 6-9, 2023


February 8, 2023


March 8, 2023


April 3-6, 2023


May 7-11, 2023


May 31-June 3, 2023


October 23-25, 2023

Announcements

Accepting Applications: NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship Program

NOAA is recruiting candidates for the 2023 Coastal Management Fellowship Program. This program's mission is to provide on-the-job education and training opportunities in coastal resource management and policy for postgraduate students and to provide project assistance to state coastal zone management agencies. The two-year fellowship positions start in August 2023 and are available with the coastal programs in Connecticut, Maine, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, and with the Coastal States Organization. Applications are due January 27, 2023. Learn more about eligibility requirements, descriptions of the projects, and guidance on how to apply here.


Accepting Applications: NOAA Knauss Fellowship

NOAA is accepting applications for the 2024 Knauss Fellowship Program. The Fellowship, named after one of Sea Grant's founders and former NOAA Administrator John A. Knauss, matches highly qualified graduate students with "hosts" in the legislative and executive branch of government located in the Washington, D.C. area, for a one year paid fellowship. Applications are due to state Sea Grant Programs by February 16, 2023. Learn more and apply here.


EPA Announced Availability of $100 Million through Inflation Reduction Act for Environmental Justice Grants

The EPA announced the availability of approximately $100 million for projects that advance environmental justice in underserved and overburdened communities across the country. EPA has published two Requests for Applications for this funding through the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program and the Environmental Justice Government-to-Government (EJG2G) Program. EPA will host pre-application assistance webinars to answer prospective applicant questions about the EJ grant process on January 24 and 26, 2023. Applications for both are due April 10, 2023. Learn more about these programs 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.


FEMA Announces NOFO for Safeguarding Tomorrow RLF Program

FEMA has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund Program. FEMA is holding a webinar on January 20, 2023 with an overview of the NOFO, program priorities, and application materials and processes. Register for the webinar here. Applications are due April 28, 2023. 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.


Request for Information: Framing the National Nature Assessment

The US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is seeking input from the public to help inform the framing, development, and use of the National Nature Assessment. The USGCRP welcomes comments on the definition of nature, what questions the assessment can help answer, potential audiences and engagement processes, trends and projections, and relevant information sources. Comments are due March 31, 2023. More information on how to respond to this request, including guiding questions, can be found here.

Job Openings

In The States

Georgia Coastal Resources Division, Coastal Management Section - Marine Biologist


Maine Department of Marine Resources, Bureau of Policy and Management - Resource Management Coordinator


Maryland Department of Natural Resources - Coastal Policy Coordinator


Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Environmental Enhancement, Coastal Zone Management Program - Conservation Coordinator


Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Office of Coastal Zone Management - CZM Coastal Habitat & Water Quality Specialist


Hawaii Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands - Planner IV


Hawaii Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands - Planner V


Texas General Lands Office, Coastal Resources Program - Natural Resources Specialist III (Project Manager)


Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection - Planner


Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection, Planning and Policy Section - Environmental Administrator


Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management - Surveyor


Washington Department of Ecology, Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program - Coastal Engineer


Washington Department of Ecology, Shorelands and Environmental Assistance - Water Quality Federal Permit Manager


Washington Department of Ecology, Toxic Cleanup Program - Contract Process Improvement and Training Planner


California Coastal Commission - Statewide Planning Supervisor


California Coastal Commission - Multiple Coastal Program Positions


Martin Count, Florida Department of Public Works, Coastal Division - Coastal & Resilience Coordinator


In The Agencies

ERT supporting National Ocean Service Storm Surge Modeling team - Coastal Ocean Modeler


Lynker supporting NOAA Office for Coastal Management - Coastal Management Specialist (Multiple Positions)


EPA Office of Water, Oceans, and Watersheds - Life Scientist/Physical Scientist


USACE Galveston District, Engineering and Construction Division, Hurricane Flood Risk Reduction Design Branch - Supervisory Interdisciplinary


USACE Jacksonville District, Engineering Division, Coastal Design Section - Civil Engineer


EPA ORISE Fellow - Assessing Carbon Sequestration Potential of Coastal Natural Infrastructure


Office of the Director of National Intelligence ORISE Fellow - Ocean Tides and Ocean Tide Loading Parameters


In NGOs, Industry, and Academia

Delaware Sea Grant - Coastal Ecology Specialist


Marine Technology Society - Senior Accountan


University of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Center - Assistant Director


Audubon - Coastal Program Manager


National Wildlife Federation - Regional Executive Director, Great Lakes Region



Job Boards


Office for Coastal Management State Programs


Sea Grant Careers Page


SEVENSEAS Media

The views expressed in articles referenced here are those of the authors and do not represent or reflect the views of CSO.

If you have a news item or job posting to include in future CSO Newsletters, please send an email to: rkeylon@coastalstates.org with a subject line: "Newsletter Content". Please include the information to be considered in the body of the email.
Please note: CSO reserves final decision regarding published newsletter content and may not use all information submitted.
Coastal States Organization | 50 F Street. NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20001 | 202-508-3860 | cso@coastalstates.org | www.coastalstates.org
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