Press Release: CSO Applauds Passage of the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Bill The Coastal States Organization (CSO), the collective voice for the nation’s coastal States, Commonwealths, and Territories on federal policy issues relating to coastal, Great Lakes, and ocean resource management, applauds the final passage of the bi-partisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684).
At a time when coastal communities are facing ever mounting coastal hazards including sea level rise, flooding, erosion, tsunamis, and increased coastal storm intensity and storm surge, the infrastructure bill provides critical investments to strengthen coastal communities and ensure their resilience into the future.
The coastal States, Commonwealths, and Territories look forward to working with federal agencies to –
Advance on the ground coastal habitat restoration and infrastructure investments to promote coastal resilience through the:
Coastal Zone Management Act Technical Assistance, National Estuarine Research Reserve, and Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program provisions;
National Oceans and Coastal Security Fund (National Coastal Resilience Fund) grants;
NOAA Habitat Restoration funds
USACE Construction funding for coastal storm risk management, hurricane and storm damage reduction projects, shore protection projects, flood risk management projects, and water-related environmental infrastructure assistance
Promote pre-hazard prevention and mitigation through the FEMA Pre-disaster Hazard Mitigation Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Revolving Loan Fund;
Support regional planning efforts through the Regional Ocean Partnerships;
And much more through various other programs including NOAA’s Marine Debris Program; NOAA’s Fisheries Habitat Conservation Program; EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Clean Water State Revolving Funds, National Estuaries Program, and Geographic Programs; FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program; and USACE’s Investigations.
Learn more about the coastal provisions in the newly passed legislation here.
