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A photo collage of just some of the projects being recommended for funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and NOAA's Climate-Ready Coasts initiative. (Image credit: NOAA)
Today, Vice President Harris announced that the Department of Commerce has recommended $5.6 million for projects across New Hampshire to make communities and the economy more resilient to climate change, as part of the Investing in America agenda. Across New Hampshire, two 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 partner with state governments and community led organizations to create Climate-Ready Coasts in New Hampshire and across the U.S.,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Thanks to President Biden‘s Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are supporting science-based efforts to make New Hampshire’s shores more flood resilient and clean up discarded fishing gear across New England.”
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; build the capacity of underserved communities and support community-driven restoration; and provide employment opportunities.
“New Hampshire’s projects aim to address two key issues: removing marine debris and improving the health of tidal ecosystems on the coasts,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “NOAA is proud to select and support work like this that takes a science-based approach to solving important problems for the long term.”
“As a lead negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure bill and a proud supporter of the historic climate legislation, I’m proud to have championed action in Congress that invests in the sustainability of our environment and in communities most impacted by the severe changes in our weather. That’s why I’m so thrilled to see $5.6 million in federal funds I helped secure through both of these landmark pieces of legislation in action to support the New Hampshire Resilient Tidal Crossings Project and to remove marine debris in the Gulf of Maine,” said Senator Jeanne Shaheen. “The support to upgrade tidal culverts in Stratham and Rye is instrumental to bolstering ecosystem and flood resiliency as well as growing our coastal economy— I’ll continue advocating on behalf of projects that strengthen New Hampshire’s Seacoast communities.”
“Granite Staters are seeing the everyday effects of climate change in their communities, from increased flooding to more severe storms and extreme temperatures,” said Senator Margaret Hassan. “Investing in coastal resilience helps lessen the impact of climate change on communities and the environment, which is why I secured federal funding for coastal resilience in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. I am pleased that New Hampshire coastal communities will receive critical support as a result of this law and will continue to work to ensure that our communities receive funds made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help them address climate change and other infrastructure needs.
“We must continue to increase climate resiliency within our communities, especially in the Seacoast region,” said Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01). “I’m pleased to see this funding coming to New Hampshire to help replace old tidal culverts to improve flood and ecosystem resiliency in our coastal communities. The bipartisan infrastructure law and Inflation Reduction Act continue to provide critical investments into our infrastructure, and I will keep working to secure resources to update old infrastructure and support our coastal communities.”
These projects are part of NOAA’s nearly $6 billion total investment under BIL and IRA. Recommended projects and funding amounts in New Hampshire include:
- Resilient Tidal Crossings: Building Resilience through Upgraded Replacements of High Priority Tidal Culverts
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services: $2.9 million
Funding Source: Coastal Zone Management Habitat Protection and Restoration Grants
This project will result in the replacement of three undersized tidal culverts on state roads in the towns of Stratham and Rye. Repairing these tidal crossings was identified as a high priority via the New Hampshire Resilient Tidal Crossings Project. The project will replace the existing culverts at these sites with upgraded alternatives, which in turn will increase ecosystem and flood resiliency. - New England Regional Derelict Fishing Gear Removal and Response Coalition
Center for Coastal Studies: $2.7 million
Funding Source: Marine Debris Removal Competition
The Center for Coastal Studies 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 share information across states.
