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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Source: Eco Magazine

A bipartisan coalition in Congress has introduced the Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act of 2025, aimed at strengthening U.S. coastal and estuarine ecosystems that are increasingly at risk from extreme weather and sea level rise. Sponsored by Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA-49) and supported by seven cosponsors, the legislation proposes expanding conservation efforts, restoring degraded lands, and enhancing the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities.

The bill amends the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to formally establish a Coastal and Estuarine Resilience and Restoration Program within the Department of Commerce. The program would work with states, regional governments, the National Estuarine Research Reserves, and eligible nonprofit organizations to protect areas with high ecological, recreational, and cultural value that are threatened by development, degradation, or climate-related impacts​.

The timing of the bill reflects the mounting urgency across coastal states. In recent months, extreme weather events have devastated communities along the Gulf Coast and Eastern Seaboard. A series of “king tides” combined with intensified storm surges have inundated low-lying neighborhoods from Florida to Virginia, while California’s coastline faces accelerating erosion rates.

The bill also comes at a time when some are seeking to cut funding for coastal resilience. For example, President Trump is pursuing the elimination of funding for Coastal Zone Management Grants, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, and the National Coastal Resilience Fund.

“Healthy estuarine and coastal ecosystems are frontline defenses against the growing threats posed by climate change. This legislation not only protects vital habitats but also helps safeguard the livelihoods of millions of Americans who live, work, and recreate along our shores,” said Representative Levin.

Read more here.

Read CSO’s statement here.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) announce thirteen projects are receiving over $2M in funding from the first round of the 2024 Ocean State Climate Adaptation and Resilience (OSCAR) Fund Program. This financial assistance is for adaptation and resilience projects that protect or enhance coastal or riverine habitats to address the impacts of climate change. “The CRMC is excited to work with the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank and DEM on this project to support impactful and inventive projects that protect crucial habitat, encourage resiliency in Rhode Island communities in the face of increased impacts from sea level rise and erosion, and safeguard and enhance public access to the shore,” said CRMC Executive Director Jeffrey Willis. Grant projects include flood mitigation, assessment of invasive species, and creating safe shoreline access. Read more here.

Invasive Bass Species Spreads to North Carolina Coastal Areas

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission biologists say Alabama bass populations infiltrate more rivers and lakes in the state than ever before, competing with native fish and aquatic organisms. The species, which anglers often mistaken for spotted bass or largemouth bass, were initially discovered in western North Carolina waters in the 1980s, first in Lake Chatuge, a manmade reservoir in Clay County, and then in Lake Norman. Over the last 20 years, state wildlife biologists have documented through routine fisheries surveys the rapid spread of Alabama bass to other reservoirs and rivers, including coastal area waters such as the Roanoke and Tar rivers. Alabama bass are, on average, smaller than largemouth bass and they interbreed with smallmouth and spotted bass, which, with time, could eliminate small and spotted bass from the fish community, according to WRC biologists. Read more here.

On April 23rd, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., highlighted the Texas General Land Office’s (GLO) allocation of $2.958 million in Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) funding to help acquire 141 acres of coastal land for the Coastal Heritage Preserve on Galveston Island. “These coastal lands are next door to the Galveston Bay system, an estuary of national significance, which provides habitats for marine life and helps shield coastal communities from flooding during hurricanes. Adding this unfragmented, undeveloped land to the Preserve will help protect the wildlife and Texans who call this crucial part of our coast home,” said Commissioner Buckingham. The Coastal Heritage Preserve on Galveston Island is a Tier One Project of the Texas Coastal Resiliency Master Plan. This initiative includes public access and education features, such as trails, boardwalks, viewing platforms for bird and nature watching, public access to the bay, parking, interpretive signage, and identification of a suitable site for a future environmental education center. Read more here.

Mississippi – Funds Secured for the Hancock County Marsh living Shoreline Project

In 2013, the State of Mississippi began implementation of the Hancock County Marsh Living Shoreline project through early restoration funding under the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process, which has constructed almost 6 miles of living shorelines and 46 acres of oyster reefs and will construct an additional 46 acres of marsh. The purpose of the HCMLS project is to support the restoration and protection of natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Mississippi Gulf Coast region by adding additional components to the current HCMLS project. The RESTORE project will be implemented by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and includes engineering and design, permitting and construction of approximately 1.5 miles of additional living shoreline extending the existing HCMLS to the area near Bayou Caddy. Read more here.

With water levels that can vary by several feet from year to year—and climate change making these variations even more unpredictable—cities across the Great Lakes are working to fortify their coastlines and prevent erosion. But traditional coastal infrastructure like breakwalls can cost tens of millions of dollars, making them a heavy financial lift for local governments. And while these breakwalls help retain sand and build up the coastline directly inland of where they’re constructed, they also block currents from carrying sediment farther down the coast, compounding the effects of erosion downstream. Installation of artificial reefs in the lake’s shallows can temper the intensity of waves and preserve the shoreline directly inland. Through two federally funded pilot projects, Lake Michigan Biological Station is studying two artificial reefs—one at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, and another at Fort Sheridan in nearby Highland Park. Cody Eskew, a Coastal Studies Specialist working with the Illinois Coastal Management Program, explains that artificial reefs are far cheaper than traditional infrastructure like breakwalls. “The typical community is not going to have in their capital budget to be able to install something that large,” he said of the breakwalls. “So they are really looking into those more hybrid structures.” Read more here.

Lake Erie Defies the Trend as Great Lakes Water Levels Take Dive

After hitting record highs in the summers of 2019 and 2020, water levels are dropping sharply in the Great Lakes. Water levels on lakes Superior, Ontario, Erie, St. Clair, Michigan, and Huron are predicted to fall well below last year’s levels through July, with only Lake Erie expected to stay close to long-term averages, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ forecast. Lake levels tend to dip in winter on account of evaporation caused by cold air moving over relatively warm water. This effect was especially pronounced this winter, when extremely cold air met with warmer-than-average lake surface temperatures. “There’s indications that we observed not only a fairly dry fall with not much precipitation, but then we also suspect there was above normal evaporation over this winter,” Megan Royal, a hydraulic engineer with the Corps, told Planet Detroit. Read more here.

San Francisco’s newest park is officially open, and thousands of people turned out to see it up close. The two-mile stretch of the Great Highway is now known as “Sunset Dunes.” It is now car-free- a place for the community to walk, run or bike with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop. “The Coastal Commission and its staff are proud to support the City of San Francisco’s Sunset Dunes coastal park project, which will help to improve public recreation and visitor access to San Francisco’s popular Ocean Beach area, while also bolstering protection of sensitive dune habitats and creating opportunities for proactive adaptation to the impacts of climate change,” said Kate Huckelbridge, Executive Director of the California Coastal Commission. Read more here.

Washington – Proposed Federal Cuts Jeopardize Pacific Salmon Habitat Restoration, Tribal Rights

An internal document from the Office of Management and Budget, reviewed by KUOW, calls for eliminating NOAA’s Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, as well as national grant programs for species recovery, interjurisdictional fisheries, and habitat conservation and restoration. In 2023, the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund distributed $107 million to states and tribes, with Washington state receiving $26 million, more than any other recipient. Coastwide, the fund restored 3,624 acres of salmon habitat in 2023 and removed obstacles enabling salmon to reach an additional 202 miles of spawning streams, according to NOAA. If the salmon recovery fund is eliminated, “that will have huge impacts to salmon recovery, treaty rights, southern resident killer whales, and fishing communities all up and down the coast and Puget Sound,” Nisqually Tribe natural resources director David Troutt said. “We rely on those funds-to-fund capacity to develop and implement projects all across the state.” Read more here.

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.

NOAA Photo Contest: Coastal Management in Action

From balancing development with natural areas to protecting economic powerhouses, coastal management keeps our coasts thriving. For the ninth annual coastal management photo contest, we want to see your photos of coastal management in action. Show us your natural infrastructure projects, beautiful beaches you work to protect, working waterfronts, and more! Find inspiration from the list of nine categories. Submit photos to the ninth Coastal Management photo contest. Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges and will be featured on our social media during the month of May. Submit your photos by May 2, 2025. Learn more here.

2025 National Coastal Resilience Fund RFP Now Open

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), Occidental, and Shell is now soliciting Pre-Proposals for the 2025 National Coastal Resilience Fund. NFWF will award grants to create and/or restore natural systems in order to increase protection for communities from coastal hazards, such as storms, sea- and lake-level changes, inundation, and coastal erosion, while improving habitats for fish and wildlife species. NCRF program priorities include: nature-based solutions, community risk reduction benefits, fish and wildlife benefits, community impact and engagement, and transferability and sustainability. Pre-proposals are due May 6th. The Request for Proposals is available 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 dealine 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.

Funding Opportunity: Environmental Literacy for Community Resilience in the Gulf

NOAA’s Environmental Literacy Program is partnering with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Gulf Research Program (GRP) to enhance community resilience and increase the environmental literacy of community members across the U.S. Gulf States (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida) through place-based education. With NOAA’s support, GRP is offering a funding opportunity titled Environmental Literacy for Community Resilience for projects that educate community members on local environmental challenges, engage learners in solutions-oriented activities, and empower participants to engage in them. A total of $4M is available for this funding opportunity. Applicants must request between $100,000 and $750,000 for projects, commensurate with the scope of work, that are between 12 and 36 months in duration. Applications are due May 21, 2025. Learn more here.

Funding Opportunity: $20 Million Available for the Final Opportunity under BIL NMFS Funding

NOAA will support capacity building and restoration activities that benefit tribes and underserved communities and enhance their resilience to climate change. NOAA will accept proposals with a federal funding request of between $75,000 and $2 million for the entire award. We anticipate typical funding to range from $250,000 to $1 million. Applications are due by May 12, 2025. Learn more here.