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: NOAA

Signed into law in 2020, the Digital Coast Act formally established a partnership program to improve coastal management by filling coastal data gaps, developing publicly available tools, and documenting best practices from local and federal agencies working with the coasts. The current authorization of the program is set to end in 2025.

With more than 100,000 members across coastal states, Digital Coast Partners bring invaluable local knowledge and insights to the table. This ensures that solutions are rooted in the real-world needs and challenges of coastal communities. Shared community needs drive long-term collaboration among Digital Coast Partners. By pooling their resources, expertise, and perspectives, they work together to address the urgent and complex challenges facing coastal areas over the long-term.

In 2024, the Coastal States Organization worked to support two Digital Coast Connects Projects with state Coastal Management Programs.

The Delaware Resilience Hub was created after Hurricane Ida caused flooding in the state. The Hub provides community resources for disaster preparedness and assistance before, during, and after emergency events. Digital Coast Connects grant funding helped distribute over 500 emergency supply kits, improve the accessibility of in-person community training events, and purchase a mobile trailer to help with the project’s disaster response efforts.

The Wisconsin Coastal Management Program supported the East River Collaborative, a regional network of partners across the East River Watershed to improve resiliency in the region. The project focused on equipping local municipal staff and partners with knowledge and tools to better work with and learn from vulnerable communities within the watershed while implementing flood resilience projects. In October 2024, the East River Collaborative hosted a two-day learning experience, “Milwaukee Flood Resilience Tour: Community Engagement for Safer Spaces and More Fun Places.” The project also facilitated communication between the City of Green Bay and the Village of Allouez to help areas with the highest flooding vulnerability.

Read more about the projects here.

Rhode Island’s Atlantic coastline is a narrow string of spits, headlands, and barrier beaches fronting salt ponds. In the typical seasonal cycle, winter storms pull the sand off the beach and the gentler summer waves carry it back. But new storm patterns and accelerated sea-level rise caused by climate change have tipped the balance. In April 2024, the state House of Representatives created a nine-member study commission to recommend remedies to stop beach erosion in Rhode Island. This April, the commission recommended Rhode Island pursue a beach nourishment solution, via federal and state channels. In the mid-twentieth century, there was a strong push to protect coastal assets with hard structures, such as rip-rap barriers and seawalls, says Emily Hall, a coastal geologist with the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council. However, this practice was prohibited in 1971. “As soon as you put in a wall or a revetment, everything else migrates around it,” Hall says. “So, you are increasing the erosion immediately in front of the structure and to the neighboring properties, and you’re left with these sore thumbs sticking out from the coastline.” Read more here.

South Carolina – SCDNR Volunteers on Parris Island Attempt the Largest Single-Day Oyster Reef Build

On June 21st, the S.C. Department of Natural Resources hoped to set a record for the organization: They wanted to build the longest artificial oyster reef constructed in a single day. The planned reef would stretch along the shore of the southern edge of Parris Island for more than 500 feet. The project was designed to improve the coastal resiliency on Parris Island, which is home to one of just two facilities in the U.S. that turns recruits into Marines. More than 50 volunteers and staff members participated in the build. Several methods are available to construct artificial oyster reefs, and the method chosen depends largely on environmental conditions at the site. The Parris Island project made use of oyster castles, a sturdier option chosen to withstand higher wave energy present at the location. The team completed 440 feet of the 500-foot goal and returned on June 23rd to finish construction. Read more here.

Jamaica Beach, located on the west side of Galveston Island, is receiving 61,000 cubic yards of new sand to help protect the shoreline from erosion. Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced the Jamaica Beach Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act project this week and said it is projected to cost $5.1 million. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to reimburse the Texas General Land Office (GLO) for 90% of the project’s cost, according to the GLO. The Jamaica Beach project was first proposed as a FEMA repair project following Hurricane Ike in 2008. The GLO said construction has already begun on the west end of the beach and will continue eastward. The additional sand will build up the beach 5 feet in elevation, with an average width of 150 feet from the shoreline to help the area withstand future hurricane damage. Read more here.

Everglades Ecosystems Show Mixed Reactions to Rising Sea Levels

As sea levels continue to rise, coastal areas face threats of submersion and increasing salinity. To assess this disequilibrium (when ecosystems are not aligned with the conditions they are experiencing), a multidisciplinary team of scientists including researchers from the Yale School of the Environment (YSE) evaluated the resilience of mangroves in the Florida Everglades. They found a surprising result — the disequilibrium could increase carbon capture over the next century as scrub mangroves expand inward, amounting to a 12%, increase (131 metric tons) of carbon annually. The findings could help inform best management practices for future conditions and improve our understanding of the importance of transitioning fresh water ecosystems to more saline environments. “We expect that mangroves will need to continue moving further inland. If this occurs, it could enhance carbon capture in those new locations. We must ensure that we provide adequate space for them to transition and avoid creating barriers that would hinder their movement into these areas,” said Sparkle Malone, assistant professor at YSE. Read more here.

The Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) announced on June 13th that the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program (WCMP) has been awarded a $209,894 grant through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Project of Special Merit competition to create the Wisconsin Great Lakes Coastal Leadership Academy. This project will increase the resilience of Wisconsin’s Great Lakes communities to coastal hazards through in-person workshops for local officials, planners, and decision-makers. “Here in Wisconsin, we are fortunate to have more than 800 miles of Great Lakes shoreline that provide fresh water, recreation, and improve the quality of life for folks all across our state, and now, more than ever, we have a responsibility to be steadfast stewards of this invaluable resource,” said Gov. Evers. To enhance the state’s ability to appropriately and promptly address coastal resilience and hazards while ensuring future investments are strategic and long-lasting, the Wisconsin Great Lakes Coastal Leadership Academy, in partnership with the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, will implement a curriculum focused on coastal hazards and adaptation strategies with in-person workshops that will serve to educate coastal communities. Read more here.

Michigan Steps Up Fight Against Harmful Algal Blooms in Western Lake Erie

By mid-summer nearly every year, tiny organisms present a huge challenge in western Lake Erie. Runaway blooms of cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, spread in the lake’s warm, shallow waters, threatening other aquatic life and impacting a source of drinking water for more than 11 million people in the U.S. and Canada. In May, the State of Michigan updated its Domestic Action Plan (DAP) for combating harmful algal blooms (HABs). The plan contains measures to reduce phosphorus runoff by a sustained 40% from a 2008 baseline measurement by targeting nutrient-rich releases from wastewater treatment plants and phosphorus runoff from farm fields and fertilized lawns. The updated DAP was a focal point of Michigan’s 2025 State of the Western Lake Erie Basin Conference. Read more here.

Two basketball-sized wave monitoring buoys will soon be deployed off Guam’s southwestern coastline, providing real-time ocean data to benefit everyone from recreational fishermen to coastal engineers working to combat erosion. The Backyard Buoys project, a collaboration between the Guam Coastal Management Program and the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System, will place the compact monitoring devices near Facpi Island in Hågat and in the Malesso’ Cocos channel entrance. “We received positive feedback from the boating community that participated in the survey of where to place that buoy,” said Edwin Reyes, administrator of the Guam Coastal Management Program. “For the first time, that community will have wave data in the area that they frequently use.” The buoys also address a critical scientific need for coastal management. The southwestern coastline has experienced extensive erosion. and the wave information will help engineers design nature-based coastal protection solutions, including dynamic revetments, which are protective barriers made of loose stones that can be repositioned after storms, unlike permanent seawalls that eliminate beaches entirely. Read more here.

Orange County Coastkeeper Teams Up to Award Nearly $300,000 in Beach Accessibility Grants

O.C. Coastkeeper has teamed up with the California State Coastal Conservancy to award nearly $300,000 in new grants to help organizations purchase, maintain and promote beach accessibility equipment. The program is in its second year, said Genesee Ouyang, education director at Orange County Coastkeeper, which is overseeing an application process for the funds. Accessibility equipment includes items like beach wheelchairs, walkers, mats and kayaks. Since its launch in May 2024, the beach accessibility program has already distributed $100,000 in funds to six inclusive recreation projects across California. Crystal Cove Conservancy was among those to receive a grant. “All of that funding was snapped up within one month,” Ouyang said. “So, [the Coastal Conservancy was] like, ‘OK, let’s fund you with $100,000 more this time.’ It’s really, really exciting.” Read more here.

NOAA’s Southeast and Caribbean Regional Collaboration Team is launching a five part webinar series to raise awareness about key issues surrounding sargassum. Each webinar will highlight different aspects of sargassum research, management, and its impacts on coastal communities and ecosystems. The goal of this series is to foster knowledge-sharing and regional collaboration across affected areas as impacts continue from recent sargassum inundation events. See the NOAA website for details and registration.

[NEW] Study: Impacts of Rock Sill Design on Sediment Dynamics and Marsh Stability in Living Shorelines

Rock sills are commonly placed at the seaward edge of constructed marshes in living shoreline projects to reduce erosion, stabilize shorelines, and improve coastal resilience. However, it is not clear how the design of these sills, whether continuous or segmented, affects sediment dynamics and marsh stability. In this study, two marsh sill living shorelines are investigated — one featuring tidal gaps and the other without — in comparison with an adjacent natural marsh in Ocean City, Maryland, USA. The analysis focuses on changes in surface elevation, sediment and vegetation characteristics, and offshore suspended sediment concentration (SSC) through field survey. Read more here.

Nominate a Project for a Best Restored Shore Award

The ASBPA is seeking nominations for the 2025 Best Restored Shore Awards to recognize projects which enhance the environment, particularly on low-energy and moderate-energy shorelines. ASBPA seeks to award well-designed and implemented projects focused on restoring natural resources to enhance shoreline resilience by addressing environmental degradation, storm impacts, climate change, and sea level rise – factors which increasingly threaten the nation’s coastal, estuarine, and Great Lakes communities. Whether a project involves an estuary or a Great Lake, a mangrove or an oyster reef – if it resulted in recreating thriving habitats or improved water quality to benefit multiple uses and aid local economies, we invite you to nominate a project. Nominations are due by July 15, 2025 to the online submittal form. Learn more here.

ASBPA Student Award Nominations Now Open

The Students and New Professionals (SNP) Chapter of ASBPA announces student award nominations to be awarded at the National Coastal Conference this October 7 – 10 in Long Beach, CA. Awards and scholarships are open to undergraduate and graduate students. ASBPA Student Awards and poster abstracts are due by August 15. Note: self-nominations are encouraged! Learn more here.

Request for Interviews: Plastic Pollution

Has plastic pollution ever affected your fishing experience? Microplastics are harmful to fish and a major source of this pollution are plastic pellets, trillions of which spill into waterways each year. Environment America, a non-profit organization, is working for Plastic Pellet Free Waters. You can help by sharing your story about why plastic-free waters matter to you by contacting Natalie Greene at ngreene@environmentamerica.org.

Report: Peatlands Play a Vital Ecological and Economic Role in the U.S.

The U.S. is home to some of the world’s most extensive peatlands. But over the past two centuries, these important ecosystems have declined significantly in certain regions, including the coastal Southeast, where more than 70% have disappeared because of diking, draining, and conversion to other uses, mainly agriculture. Pew released a new brief, “Peatlands Play a Vital Ecological and Economic Role in the U.S.”, that highlights the important, yet often overlooked, role that peatland ecosystems play as natural climate solutions. The piece features North Carolina’s coastal peatlands prominently and shines a light on how healthy peatlands support biodiversity, clean water, and resilience to floods and wildfires. It also outlines clear policy steps to better protect and restore these ecosystems, starting with improved mapping and the development of conservation goals. Read more 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 August 15 for Poster Presentations. 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.