Biden-Harris Administration recommends funding of $7.6 million for projects in Maine to strengthen Climate-Ready Coasts as part of Investing in America agenda

Today, Vice President Harris announced that the Department of Commerce has recommended $7.6 million for projects across Maine to make communities and the economy more resilient to climate change, as part of the Investing in America agenda. Across Maine, five projects will create jobs and boost economic and environmental outcomes for coastal communities. The awards are made under the Biden Administration’s Climate-Ready Coasts initiative funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) with additional funds leveraged from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). 

“The Biden-Harris Administration is proud to help make possible five key projects cleaning up Maine’s waters, repurposing derelict lobster traps, and empowering the seafaring community to continue safe boating and fishing practices,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Thanks to President Biden‘s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, we can help fortify Maine’s proud heritage of lobstering and strong environmental stewardship for generations to come.”

Administered by the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Climate-Ready Coasts initiative is focused on investing in high-impact projects that create climate solutions by storing carbon; build resilience to coastal hazards such as extreme weather events, pollution and marine debris; restore coastal habitats that help wildlife and humans thrive; and provide employment opportunities. 

“Maine’s recommended projects focus on removing debris from the ocean, preventing plastics from entering in the first place, and improving the health of coastal ecosystems,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “NOAA is proud to recommend these projects to help coastal communities invest in their future and build resilience to the impacts of climate change.”

“Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it’s at our doorstep. Frequent extreme weather events, ocean acidification, and loss of biodiversity mean communities from Maine to California will continue to face challenges because of the changing climate,” said Senator Angus King and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01). “This crisis demands urgent action, and that’s exactly why we worked to pass the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. This significant funding will help protect Maine’s coastal communities, build resilient infrastructure, and support a more sustainable future.” 

These projects are part of NOAA’s nearly $6 billion total investment under BIL and IRA. Recommended projects and funding amounts in Maine include:

• Reducing Marine Debris at the Source: Material Replacement and Source Reduction for Single-Use Food Packaging
  Maine Sea Grant: $2.9 million
  Funding Source: Marine Debris Challenge Competition
  This project’s goal is to lower the barriers for companies to enter the sustainable packaging market, and ultimately help reduce the inflow of plastics throughout the Gulf of Maine where the impacts of marine debris are disproportionately borne by small, rural coastal and island communities with limited capacity to support increasingly costly solid waste management systems and conservation planning initiatives.
• New England Regional Derelict Fishing Gear Removal and Response Coalition
  Center for Coastal Studies: $2.7 million
  Funding Source: Marine Debris Removal Competition
  This grantee will lead a new coalition of New England nongovernmental organizations to remove, document, and recycle, repurpose, or properly dispose of abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear and end-of-life fishing gear from the Gulf of Maine’s water and shorelines. The project spans the coastlines of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts and seeks to build capacity and information-sharing across states.
• Coastal Habitat Resilience and Community Adaptation in Downeast Maine
  Maine Department of Marine Resources: $1.6 million
  Funding Source: Coastal Zone Management Habitat Protection and Restoration Grants
  This project will apply innovative, science-based approaches to inform the planning and design of infrastructure projects. The project will strengthen partnerships through a collaborative, locally-led process to gather new scientific information and work with communities to derive solutions to flooding that also benefit key habitats to alewifes and other sea run fish, and will result in increased local and regional capacity to manage and implement similar projects in Downeast Maine.    
• A Community Education and Research Development Initiative to Develop New Materials and Uses From Ghost Traps
  Maine Sea Grant: $299,000
  Funding Source: Marine Debris Community Action Coalitions
  This project seeks to increase the recovery, recycling and refabrication of marine debris material in the Gulf of Maine, such as ghost lobster traps and derelict aquaculture farming gear, into new products with creative, practical and industry applications. The community created will connect Maine high school students and professionals with information exchange, professional development and networking opportunities to collaborate on new applications and markets for marine debris.
• Reducing Derelict Fishing Gear in the Gulf of Maine: Educating and Empowering Boaters to be a Part of the Solution
  Maine Sea Grant: $156,000
  Funding Source: Marine Debris Community Action Coalitions

The coalition formed by this project will co-develop the first organized outreach campaign to Maine’s recreational boaters and commercial fishing vessels on preventing derelict fishing gear accumulation and other marine debris, which result in losses to the local lobster industry as well as economic and environmental impacts to vulnerable communities. Resulting communications products will be shared with local, regional and national networks.