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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Credit: Mark Harrington

On May 19th, the Trump administration allowed construction to restart on a huge wind farm off the coast of Long Island, a month after federal officials had issued a highly unusual stop-work order that had pushed the $5 billion project to the brink of collapse.

The project, known as Empire Wind, is being built by the Norwegian energy giant Equinor and when finished is expected to deliver enough electricity to power 500,000 New York homes.

Equinor had obtained all necessary permits for the project after a four-year federal environmental review, and the company had already begun laying foundations for the project’s turbines on the ocean floor. Another 1,500 workers had begun constructing a marine terminal in Brooklyn.

Then, in mid-April, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum claimed that the permits had been rushed and ordered all work to stop immediately.

Faced with uncertainty, Equinor began warning that it might have to cancel the project, which was already 30 percent complete. The company said it had been losing $50 million every week that construction was halted, with nearly a dozen vessels sitting idle and workers on the sideline.

Equinor said work would now restart and still aimed to complete the wind farm by 2027.

Read more here.

Read Governor Hochul's statement here.

Maine - Coastal Program and Partners Host 10th Annual Walk the Working Waterfront

Working waterfront infrastructure is crucial to coastal communities and economies. In Portland, ME, the Walk the Working Waterfront event invites locals and visitors to get a close up look at the activities that take place along the city's vibrant waterfront. The event celebrates the diversity of people and industries that rely on the waterfront community. The 10th anniversary of this event includes opportunities to sail and kayak, visit commercial aquaculture, shellfish, and fish processing facilities, check out new gear technologies in the Department of Marine Resources' Innovative Gear Library, and learn more about Maine's maritime heritage and the organizations that support it. Read more about the event here.

Virginia - DEQ Awards $19 Million in Grants to Reduce Water Pollution in Chesapeake Bay

DEQ has announced $19 million in awards for nine innovative projects as part of the Pay-For-Outcomes Nonpoint Source Pollution Reduction grant program. Nonpoint sources are the largest manageable sources of pollution entering the Chesapeake Bay. This pilot program provides payments based on the amount of pollution directly removed or prevented from entering the Bay. "Virginia continues to accelerate progress towards meeting our Chesapeake Bay goals by implementing innovative and cost-effective solutions in a transparent manner" said Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources Stefanie Taillon. “This Pay-for-Outcomes pilot program allows the Commonwealth to explore new strategies for nutrient reduction while maintaining a commitment to voluntary incentive-based approaches." This program will remove approximately 580,000 pounds of nitrogen from the Chesapeake Bay at an average cost of $32.73 per pound. This is the equivalent of one-year’s run-off from over 52,000 acres of parking lots, roads and rooftops. Read more here.

Texas - Land Commissioner Buckingham Celebrates Success of GLO's Texas Coastal Roundup and Adopt-A-Beach Spring Coastwide Cleanup

Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., is pleased to announce that the Texas General Land Office's (GLO) 2025 Texas Coastal Roundup and Adopt-A-Beach Spring Coastwide Cleanup were immensely successful for the South Padre Island community and across the Texas coast. Both events took place on Saturday, April 26, and included thousands of volunteers and attendees. "Nearly 5,000 Adopt-A-Beach volunteers across the coast rolled up their sleeves and got to work, removing more than 53,000 pounds of trash. Later that day, at the Texas Coastal Roundup, the GLO and more than 30 coastal organizations from around South Texas joined forces to educate hundreds of attendees about our work to protect the coast and those who call it home. I want to thank all the wonderful sponsors who helped make these crucial events possible. Together, Texans will safeguard our coast for future generations to enjoy," said Commissioner Buckingham. The Texas Coastal Management Program was one of this year's sponsors for the event. Read more here.

Louisiana - America's First Coastal Restoration Glass Recycling Company Opens New Facility

St. Bernard Parish just became the epicenter of glass recycling innovation in the United States. Glass Half Full, the nation’s first company to turn recycled glass into coastal restoration materials, has officially opened a cutting-edge, three-acre facility in Chalmette, bringing with it new jobs, private investment, and global recognition. Located on a transformed landfill site along the strategic Paris Road corridor, the facility will process over 300,000 pounds of glass per day and serve as a powerful example of industrial redevelopment in a community on the rise. “Glass Half Full’s new home in St. Bernard shows the world what’s possible when bold ideas meet the right environment for growth. This is not just a win for economic development, it’s a win for our coast, our community, and the country,” said Meaghan McCormack, Chief Executive Officer of St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation. Glass Half Full has completed two coastal restoration projects in Bayou Bienvenue directly adjacent to the St. Bernard site. The restored marshland project compares the lasting effects of dredged river sand, which was used to build one of the islands, to the recycled glass sand used to create the other island. Read more here.

New York - Department of State Announces Completion of a Series of Flood-Protection Projects in Village of Sackets Harbor, Jefferson County

The Village of Sackets Harbor, Jefferson County, was awarded over $3.3 million to complete the work through the Lake Ontario Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI). The projects include climate resilient upgrades and improvements of the village waterfront and greenspace at Market Square Park and other public waterfront sites within the village, as well as the installation of a new seawall to protect the Village’s Water Treatment Plant. “Coastline resiliency and waterfront revitalization are working hand in glove here in Sackets Harbor with the completion of these transformative REDI and Local Waterfront Revitalization Program projects”’ said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley.  “The Village has taken a major step forward in creating a vibrant, sustainable and resilient waterfront and recognizing Lake Ontario as a critical social, economic, recreational and ecological resource for residents, businesses, and visitors.” Now complete, this flood resiliency project will allow for safe, continued access to the public greenspace, the public boat dock, and the downtown during times of high water. Read more here.

University of Michigan Researchers Identify Organism Behind Toxins Produced in Harmful Algal Blooms

Learning more about the bacteria can help communities better manage harmful algal blooms. A new study by researchers at the University of Michigan says a bacteria called Dolichospermum is responsible for the toxins found during major algal bloom events in the Great Lakes. Another finding was that the gene associated with producing the toxin was less likely to be found in areas with higher concentrations of ammonium. Samples from Lake Erie were used to identify several strains of the bacteria, which is more commonly found in warm water. In 2014, the overproduction of algae was so extreme it threatened the drinking water of more than 500,000 people in Toledo. Read more here.

Hawai'i - West Maui Watershed Restoration Engages Native Hawaiian Students

The forests stretching from Honokōwai, which is just past Lahaina, all the way up to Honokōhau, and the watersheds they protect, have been managed for nearly two decades from the top of the mountains to the ocean. “You can’t just manage one part of it. You have to manage the whole, from the peak all the way to the ocean. They’re all connected. If you want the ocean to be healthy, the mountain above it has to be healthy,” said John Meier, president of the nonprofit Aloha Puʻu Kukui. In this year of “The Community Forests,” as designated in a proclamation by Governor Josh Green, M.D., students from Kula Kaiapuni ‘o Lahainaluna, the Hawaiian language immersion program at Lahainaluna High School, come to learn about the forest, the watershed and the importance of having native plants on the landscape for watershed protection. They spend the day, starting with protocols or pule, yanking weeds from the ground and digging holes to replace them with native plants. Read more here.

California Coastal Commission Awards New Whale Tail Grants Amid Surge in Popularity

The Coastal Commission’s Whale Tail Grant program, which boosts public education and access to the state’s iconic shoreline, has experienced a huge growth in demand in recent years. In February, the Coastal Commission approved 53 Whale Tail grant applications totaling $1.7 million to nonprofit organizations and schools as well as local and tribal governments for programs focused on coastal education, conservation and public access. “These Whale Tail grants reflect California’s love for the coast and commitment to protecting it for future generations,” said Coastal Commission Chair Justin Cummings. “The focus on inland and underserved communities reminds us that the coast belongs to all of us, regardless of race, zip code, age, orientation or ability.” The annual number of Whale Tail grant recipients has more than tripled in recent years thanks in large part to a one-time injection of $10 million in state funding in 2021. Since then, the Coastal Commission has awarded 259 competitive grants totaling more than $9.2 million — compared to 87 projects totaling $1.7 million in the four years leading up to the pandemic. Read more here.

[NEW] Funding Opportunity: Gulf Sea Level Variation and Rise - Cycle II

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Gulf Research Program (GRP) supports scientific research to improve projections of sea level rise in the Gulf of America. Its Gulf Sea Level Variation and Rise (GSLVR) research grant helps communities, agencies, and planners better prepare for the long-term impacts of sea level change, promoting resilience and environmental stewardship across the region. In Cycle II, GRP is seeking proposals for interdisciplinary projects that refine sea level rise projections and develop useful tools for decision makers. Up to $7 million in total funding is available for projects lasting up to five years (60 months), with a focus on applied research that addresses region-specific challenges and supports long-term coastal resilience. To apply for this funding opportunity, please submit an online Notice of Intent (NOI) through the application portal by 5:00 p.m. ET on June 6, 2025. Learn more here.

[NEW] Request for Participation: Coastal and Marine Systems Survey

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are conducting a study to better understand climate change impacts and climate adaptation science needs in coastal and marine systems across the Northeastern U.S. and Eastern Canada. Our goal is to identify key knowledge gaps and barriers to implementation so that future research and adaptation efforts are useful, actionable, and aligned with the real-world challenges facing these systems. This survey is designed for natural resource managers, ecological practitioners, researchers, and community members within the U.S and Canada (ages 18 and older). Your insights will help guide future research and ensure that it is responsive to the most pressing issues facing coastal and marine systems. Your 15–20 minutes of insight and expertise will keep our collective work moving ahead where it’s needed most. Access the survey here.

[NEW] 2024 Sea Level "Report Cards" Map Futures of U.S. Coastal Communities

William & Mary’s Batten School and VIMS have released their 2024 U.S. sea level “report cards,” providing updated analyses of sea level trends and projections for 36 coastal communities. Encompassing 55 years of historical data, the report cards aid planning and adaptation efforts by analyzing rates of sea level rise and acceleration at each locality and forecasting 2050 water levels. This year, the report cards are consolidated in an interactive dashboard and add data from tide gauge stations in Annapolis, MD; Solomons Island, MD; Yorktown, VA; and Fort Myers, FL. The reports group localities into East Coast, Gulf Coast, West Coast and Alaskan Coast regions. Learn more here.

New Report Highlights the Far-Reaching Economic Benefits of Coastal Restoration

A newly released report from Restore America’s Estuaries sheds light on the critical role coastal restoration plays in supporting our nation’s economy. From job creation and housing to national defense and recreation, healthy estuaries are foundational to economic vitality and community resilience. Estuaries drive economic growth by supporting major industries, protecting infrastructure, and enhancing quality of life. In 2022 alone, coastal counties accounted for 53 million jobs—37% of total U.S. employment. These coastal ecosystems are not only natural treasures, but also vital economic engines. Restoration projects create high-quality jobs in science, engineering, and construction. They support local businesses, improve property values, and reduce costly damage from storms and sea-level rise. The return on investment is clear: every dollar spent on restoration generates multiple dollars in economic activity. Coastal restoration is a smart, forward-looking investment in our economy, our communities, and our future. Read the report here.

Funding Opportunity: Port Infrastructure Development Program

The US Department of Transportation has announced up to $500 million in funding for the Fiscal Year 2025 Port Infrastructure Development Program. State governments, County governments, Native American Tribal governments, special district governments, and city governments are eligible to apply. The deadline is September 10, 2025. Learn more here.



ASBPA National Coastal Conference 2025 Call for Abstracts

The ASBPA is excited to share the call for abstracts is open for the “Coasts on the Leading Edge: Bridging Science, Policy and Community" on October 7-10 in Long Beach, California. Technical, policy-oriented, and coastal floodplain resource and flood risk management presentations or posters are invited for a broad range of coastal and estuarine ecology, science, engineering, economics, and policy. We will also have sessions on the Blue Flag USA Award criteria such as environmental management; water quality; beach accessibility; beach safety and operations; and community engagement. Abstracts are due June 1st for PowerPoint Presentations and August 15 for Poster Presentations. Learn more here.

Applications Now Being Accepted from Future Leaders for Empire State Fellows Program

Applications are now being accepted for the Empire State Fellows Program, a full-time, two-year leadership training program that prepares the next generation of talented professionals for careers as New York State policymakers. New Yorkers interested in the 2026-2028 class of this prestigious program should apply by the deadline of June 1, 2025. The incoming class of Empire State Fellows will serve from January 15, 2026, and receive an annual salary of $90,000, plus a generous benefits package. Apply here.

Student Writing Competition: Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Law and Policy

The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School, together with New York Sea Grant, is pleased to announce a writing competition for law students interested in writing on legal and policy issues associated with marine carbon dioxide removal. The competition is being held in connection with a one-day symposium on the topic “Navigating Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal: From Science to Regulation” which will be co-hosted by the Sabin Center and New York Sea Grant in September 2025. The winning article will be published in a special issue of the Sea Grant Law & Policy Journal, an online, scholarly publication of the National Sea Grant Law Center that will accompany the symposium. The winning author will also be invited to attend the symposium in New York to present their work. The top two pieces will each receive a cash prize of $500. The deadline is June 15, 2025. Learn more here.

Funding Opportunities

Nearly all federal grant opportunities are being re-evaluated and updated – awards using IRA and BIL funds are getting extra scrutiny. NOFOs are being removed, replaced, and updated. Be aware the opportunities posted below may be de-listed when you read this.

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