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:
Fellowships in Coastal Management
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Former CSO Fellows Credit: Mike Molnar | |
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Coastal States Organization is honored to have the opportunity to work with the next generation of Coastal Managers throught the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program, the NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship Program, and the Digital Coast Fellowship Program.
From February 2022-2023 Rob Porro was a 2022 Knauss Fellow as the Coastal Hazards and Mitigation Specialist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and CSO. Learn more about Rob's experience with CSO and FEMA, what he worked on, and what he learned here.
Learn more about fellowship opportunities:
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In the States and Regions | |
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County Supervisors Poised to Put the Humboldt Bay Trail South Project Out for Bids
the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors is slated to approve plans for the Humboldt Bay Trail South, a paved, four-and-a-quarter mile waterfront pathway between the two bayside municipalities. The agenda item also calls for the board to authorize the public works director to put the project out for bids, pending authorization from the Federal Highway Administration. “It’s a really big step,” said Hank Seemann, the county’s deputy director of public works. If all goes to plan, he said, people will be cycling, jogging, roller-skating and skateboarding between the Arcata Plaza and the Eureka boardwalk before long. The project is expected to cost $16,046,902, and the funds are already lined up. The California State Coastal Conservancy has authorized $2 million dollars for the project, and in October the California Transportation Commission allocated nearly $13.3 million. Add in $1.25 million committed by the California Department of Transportation and the total construction budget stands at $16,396,000. Read more
This Experiment Could Help Restore Eroding Coastlines
David Cottrell stood on what used to be a 14-foot-high cliff at the crumbled end of Blue Pacific Drive. Just a few years ago, this was the fastest-eroding shoreline on the US Pacific Coast; locals here in North Cove, Washington, dubbed it “washaway beach.” But as Cottrell walked toward the water on a sunny November morning, he stepped not off a cliff but onto soft, dry sand. Thigh-high dune grasses sprawled in all directions. The low tide lapped at a flock of sandpipers a few hundred feet away. Cottrell, a cranberry farmer and local drainage commissioner, held up a laminated map, pointing to our location. During his childhood, this was part of a dense beachside neighborhood, but the tides have swept most of it away—a complex phenomenon related to dams and jetties that have changed the flow of sediments. “Where we’re standing right now, we were losing 50 to 100 feet a year,” he said. All told, North Cove has lost more than four square miles of land, plus a lighthouse, a cannery, and 160 structures. By 2015, many residents had given up on saving their town. Facing predictions of continued erosion, agencies had begun talk of moving Highway 105 away from the coast—a loss that could doom this isolated rural community. An essential transportation artery, 105 serves as the dike that protects 800 acres of historic bogs where Cottrell and other farmers grow more than half the state’s cranberries. Cottrell felt he had to try something. “We had absolutely nothing to lose,” he said. So in 2016, Cottrell dropped $400 worth of rocks from the end of this road—“one load, right off the end, just to see what would happen.” He sought to mimic the cobble beaches and basalt slides that are common in the Pacific Northwest. That experiment has since grown into a more than 2-kilometer-long berm of rocks and stumps that shift with the waves and collect sand, rebuilding the beach. Read more
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NOAA Awards Funds for Ocean and Coastal Management In Gulf of Mexico
NOAA announced the first round of funds totaling $20.5 million for the coordinated management of ocean and coastal resources around the country; the funding is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, with $832 million total being distributed over the next five years. The goal for the coastal regions and national estuarine research reserve systems is to protect and restore habitats, including conserving lands that play a critical role in helping communities become more resilient to natural hazards," NOAA states. Along with restoring to increase and strengthening natural infrastructure to protect communities while enhancing habitats for fish and wildlife. "Advanced climate data is critical to helping communities act on the best available information when disaster strikes," Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in the press release. "Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we can invest in collecting and disseminating lifesaving data to communities across the country, especially those often overlooked and left behind." Read more
How to Make Grand Isle Livable In the Face of Storms? Raise Substations, Bury Power Lines
The structure taking shape on Grand Isle’s western edge rises 20 feet in the air, not unlike most houses on the barrier island, where stilts are the best defense from the threatening Gulf of Mexico. Still, the massive concrete grid being erected and topped with a metal platform stands out. The site manager says people who pass it — there’s only one road in and out of town — constantly call City Hall asking what it is. It’s an Entergy Louisiana substation, the biggest such elevation project the utility has ever undertaken. It has plans for a similar project on the Bolivar Peninsula, a flood-prone area near Galveston, Texas. The structure taking shape on Grand Isle’s western edge rises 20 feet in the air, not unlike most houses on the barrier island, where stilts are the best defense from the threatening Gulf of Mexico. Still, the massive concrete grid being erected and topped with a metal platform stands out. The site manager says people who pass it — there’s only one road in and out of town — constantly call City Hall asking what it is. It’s an Entergy Louisiana substation, the biggest such elevation project the utility has ever undertaken. It has plans for a similar project on the Bolivar Peninsula, a flood-prone area near Galveston, Texas. Read more
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A Cost-Effective Solution To Beach Erosion
Researchers have developed a new way to combat erosion and save money by using environmental processes to feed sediment to the shore. The project is based in Port Bay, New York, in southern Lake Ontario. It is one of several projects run by the Healthy Port Futures effort, which works with natural systems to solve coastal issues in the Great Lakes region. Port Bay is protected from waves by a barrier bar which also provides public beach access, according to a study published in a recent edition of the Journal of Great Lakes Research. However, the bay is eroding quickly, leaving the inland vulnerable. Using a physical model of the bay, called a water table, the team developed a way to disperse sediment by placing it offshore in a bell-shaped formation called a cobble bell. Instead of bringing in new sediment, they use the sediment from the annual dredging. The waves then do the hard work of distributing it on the beach, recreating the naturally occurring slope. Read more
Urban Flooding Research Focused On Climate Equity In Southeast Michigan
A new pilot project to find ways to inject equity considerations into transportation planning in southeast Michigan will focus on how urban flooding affects historically disadvantaged communities. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and partner agencies are launching this research project to better create infrastructure that is more resilient to flooding impacts from climate change. The study’s focus will be to better understand how transportation disruptions during major urban flooding events affect areas already struggling with poverty challenges. Read more
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Why Whale Deaths Are Dividing Environmentalists — And Firing Up Tucker Carlson
Dead whales are usually a sure-fire way to unite environmentalists — but not in New Jersey. Instead, a recent spate of beached whales in the Northeast is exposing rifts among activists, energizing Republicans and threatening to complicate one of President Joe Biden’s top energy goals. Since December, at least nine whales have been stranded on beaches in New Jersey and New York. The deaths are happening as pre-construction work ramps up on offshore wind farms, which are a key part of the nation and New Jersey’s climate change strategy. There is no evidence the wind work and whale deaths are linked. But Clean Ocean Action, a 40-year-old nonprofit, believes the two things happening at once may be more than just a fluke. Real or rhetorical, the claim is stirring a new political debate. Read more
Flagler County Nets $17 Million in State Aid for Dune Reconstruction, with Far More Needed
Flagler County was notified on Jan. 18 that it will receive $17 million in funding allocated as part of the 2022 Special Session Funding through the Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection, part of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). The funding is part of the $100 million Governor Ron DeSantis pledged his support of beach nourishment projects within 16 coastal counties impacted by Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole. The money is a “drop in the bucket,” compared to the county’s needs, according to a county official: it is a fraction of what would be needed, considering the county’s devastated shoreline. But it will still enable the county to repair several miles of dunes with temporary renourishment, giving those repaired dunes perhaps two to four years against continuing erosion. Flagler is increasingly facing the reality that dune reconstruction will never be a one-time thing, but a continuous and very costly endeavor, year after year. Of the 16 counties awarded funding, Flagler County received the third highest allocation behind Volusia and Lee counties. Read more
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February 6-9, 2023
February 8, 2023
February 16, 2023
February 17, 2023
March 8, 2023
March 21-23, 2023
March 31-April 1, 2023
April 3-6, 2023
May 7-11, 2023
May 31-June 3, 2023
June 26-29, 2023
October 16-19, 2023
October 23-25, 2023
November 12-16, 2023
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Awards Nearly $19 Million To Help Coastal Community Resilience, Provide Economic Benefits and Protect Native Ecosystems
The U. S Fish and Wildlife Service is awarding nearly $19 million to support 21 projects in eight coastal states to protect, restore or enhance nearly 14,000 acres of coastal wetlands and adjacent upland habitats under the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program. State, local and Tribal governments, private landowners, conservation groups and other partners will contribute more than $20 million in additional funds to these projects. Learn more here.
FEMA Releases New Tools for State Mitigation Planning Programs
FEMA developed two new resources to help state mitigation programs work with FEMA regional offices. These can be used to help plan annual mitigation program consultation meetings. They can also help mitigation programs prepare for enhanced state validations.
Planning the Mitigation Consultation: Resources for States, DC and Territories (The Consultation Toolkit) will help state, Washington, D.C. (DC) and territorial hazard mitigation planners work with FEMA to plan the annual mitigation program consultation. The Enhanced State Validation Toolkit provides resources for FEMA and state mitigation planning partners. They can use these resources to develop performance measures and commitments for the annual validations. These documents are designed to give state, DC and territorial hazard mitigation planners the information and resources to proactively work with FEMA. They can also help to improve the effectiveness of annual consultations and enhanced state validations. Find these resources here.
2022 National Marine Sanctuary System Field Site Accomplishment Reports Released
NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries released their 2022 Site Accomplishment Reports. Each report features important accomplishments and upcoming priorities in stewardship, research, education and outreach, and partnership-building. Find the reports 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. Applications for both are due April 10, 2023. Learn more about these programs 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. Applications are due April 28, 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.
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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
Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Office of Coastal Zone Management - CZM Coastal Habitat & Water Quality Specialist
Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Office of Coastal Zone Management - Coastal Resilience Grant 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, 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
Lynker supporting NOAA Office for Coastal Management - Coastal Management Specialist (Multiple Positions)
NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory - Research Physical Scientist
EPA Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds - Deputy Director
USACE Portland District, Engineering & Construction, Hydraulic and Hydrology Branch - Civil Engineer (Hydraulics)
USACE Wilmington Water Resources Section, Engineering Branch - Civil Engineer (Hydraulics)
USACE Jacksonville District, Engineering Division, Coastal Design Section - Civil Engineer
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 - Managing Editor
University of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Center - Assistant Director
Audubon - Coastal Program Manager
National Wildlife Federation - Northeast Coastal Resilience Program Manager
National Wildlife Federation - Regional Executive Director, Great Lakes Region
The Nature Conservancy - Maui Marine Director
Job Boards
Office for Coastal Management State Programs
Sea Grant Careers Page
SEVENSEAS Media
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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: [email protected] 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.
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Coastal States Organization | 50 F Street. NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20001 | 202-508-3860 | [email protected] | www.coastalstates.org | | | | |
