CSO Newsletter
The Coastal States Organization represents the nation’s Coastal States, Territories & Commonwealths on ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resource issues.
Spotlight on Coastal Management
The Michigan Coastal Zone Management Program Celebrated 40 Years of Coastal Management in 2018
Surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes, Michigan has the longest freshwater coastline in the nation. The challenge facing Michigan is the diversity of its extensive coastline and number of coastal communities facing the unpredictability of the Great Lakes levels with seasonal weather variabilities. The  Michigan CZM Program  has launched a robust Hazards Resiliency Strategy to learn what local decision makers understand and do to protect the coastline. Partnering with a team of researchers, Michigan is working to assist coastal communities to prepare and adapt to coastal erosion and flooding to inform land use master plan and policy development that achieves local character and place for the coast. Specifically, these partners are working to develop resources that help communities to visualize what the “expect – lucky – perfect storm” hazard scenarios may look like as well as model plans and ordinance language that can be used to address coastal hazards. Together these tools can be used to craft Resilient Master Plans that reflect the communities’ vision for their coast. This kind of focused community engagement is critical in Michigan because, as a home-rule state, local communities have jurisdiction over the management of their coastline.

Find more information on the work being done by the State Coastal Zone Management Programs on CSO's Publication page: www.coastalstates.org/csopublications/
In the States and Regions
East Coast and Caribbean
City Develops Plan to Protect Lower Manhattan’s Shoreline from Climate Change Impacts
On March 14, 2019, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency (LMCR) Project. The project is one of the City’s responses to the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Hurricane Sandy was a turning point for the City to tackle infrastructure resiliency. Hurricane Sandy resulted in $19 billion of devastation for the City and particularly impacted Lower Manhattan. The storm resulted in power outages and flooding in homes, businesses, and tunnels. Since Hurricane Sandy, the City has worked to assess Lower Manhattan’s climate change impacts and risks and analyze coastal protection options for the area’s 3.3-mile shoreline. Read more.
West Coast and Pacific
Hawai‘i’s Managed Retreat Proposal Offers an Early Model for Relocation—At a Cost
On April 15, 2018, nearly 50 inches of rain fell on Hanalei, a small town on the north shore of Kauai, Hawai‘i, the heaviest 24-hour rainfall in U.S. history. It caused a historic flood that stranded hundreds in evacuation centers as water seeped into the foundations of beachfront properties and multimillion-dollar homes plummeted into the ocean.

The people who live in Hanalei are generally wealthy enough to rebuild farther inland, but the people who travel to work in the town—like service industry workers—were cut off. For months, a one-lane road open only to residents and nongovernmental workers was the sole way in and out of town, causing massive backups. Tourists were turned away, devastating many local businesses that rely on tourism. Read more.
Gulf of Mexico
Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council approves State Expenditure Plan for recovery
On Friday, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced that on March 29, 2019, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, a federal council, approved Alabama’s State Expenditure Plan for Gulf Coast recovery.

The plan was developed by the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council. The plan proposes 28 activities for the Spill Impact Component of RESTORE funding, also known as Bucket 3, for a total estimated cost of $132,355,952. Now that the plan has been approved, individual grant applications must be submitted to the Federal Restore Council and awarded before project activity can begin. Read more.

DEP's Rookery Bay Research Reserve Celebrates 40 Years with Documentary Film
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is celebrating its 40th anniversary with the debut of a full-length documentary film. Titled “Southwest Florida’s Mangrove Coast,” the documentary is slated to air on many of Florida's PBS stations throughout the month of April, including WEXL (West Palm Beach) on April 9, WPBT (Miami) April 10, and WGCU (Ft. Myers) on April 22 and April 28. A preview screening is planned for the Naples area on April 8. Read more.

Louisiana Braces for New National Flood Insurance Program Rules
New flood insurance rules that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is writing for the National Flood Insurance Program have garnered praise and alarm from Louisiana interests monitoring the changes. While more accurate mapping of flood risk is welcome, the price of coverage for some property owners might well rise. Read more.
Great Lakes
U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin and Lisa Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Aid Shoreline Communities
U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today reintroduced bipartisan legislation, the Digital Coast Act, to help coastal communities better prepare for storms, cope with varying water levels, and strengthen coastal economic development planning efforts.

“Wisconsin’s Great Lakes are a great asset for our quality of life and also for our long-term economic security. Our shoreline communities face a variety of challenges to keep their harbors open, their waters clean and their beaches ready for visitors,” said Senator Baldwin. “This bipartisan legislation is about making sure our coastal communities have the resources and tools they need to adapt to changing environmental conditions, maintain healthy shores and make smart planning decisions to support their local economies and way of life.” Read more.

Ellicott Dredge Technologies’ Equipment for IDNR
Two governments have decided to take matters into their own hands by purchasing dredges and using government staff to get the work completed.

Both the City of Whiting, Indiana, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) purchased Ellicott Dredge Technologies (EDT) 2019 IMS Model 5012 LP Versi-Dredge systems to complete dredging projects at their boat ramps, marinas, channels and harbors. Read more.
Events & Webinars
Announcements
U.S. flood and climate outlook for spring 2019
According to NOAA's spring flood and climate outlook, a wet winter has primed much of the Great Plains for spring flooding in 2019, with major flooding likely along the Red River of the North, the Missouri, and the Mississippi Rivers. Moderate flood risk extends upstream of those rivers to their tributaries, including the lower Ohio, the Cumberland, and Tennessee Rivers. Minor flood risk covers nearly the entire country east of the Mississippi as well as parts of Washington, Oregon, and California. Read more.


National Coastal Resilience Fund 2019 Request for Proposals
Pre-proposal Due Date: Monday, May 20, 2019 11:59 PM EST 
Full Proposal by Invite Only Due Date: Monday, July 22, 2019 11:59 PM EST

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has announced the National Coastal Resilience Fund for 2019. NFWF will make investments to restore and strengthen natural systems so they can protect coastal communities from the impacts of storms, floods, and other natural hazards and enable them to recover more quickly, while also enhancing habitats for important fish and wildlife populations. Learn more.


March 2019 Issue of Water Log  
A quarterly publication reporting on legal issues affecting the Mississippi-Alabama coastal area published by Sea Grant. Its goal is to increase awareness and understanding of coastal issues in and around the Gulf of Mexico. This edition examines every day pollution events such as lead in drinking water, the harm from poor septic systems, and slowing down rainwater overflows.


Coastal Management Photo Contest
NOAA announces the third annual coastal management photo contest. From ensuring public access to balancing development with natural areas, coastal management keeps our coasts thriving. For the third 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, recreational uses, and more! Find inspiration from the list of nine categories. Learn more.


Delaware River Program 2019 Request for Proposals
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals to conserve and restore fish and wildlife habitat and water quality in the Delaware River watershed. The Delaware River Program will award matching grants of $50,000 to $500,000 each to conserve and restore waters and habitats on public and private land that contribute to the overall health of the Delaware River watershed—as well as benefit the quality of life and economic vitality of the communities in the Delaware River watershed. Approximately $6 million in grant funding is available. Major funding for the Delaware River Program is provided by the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service and the William Penn Foundation.

DWCF Conservation Action Grants will be awarded to nonprofit organizations; federal, state, interstate and local governments; Indian tribes; and educational institutions to implement on-the-ground restoration and conservation projects.


Training Opportunity
Duke University is offering an online training in Marine Planning Process (MPP) in March-April 2019. Through the course, students learn global best practices and essential skills in marine planning and leadership. This interactive curriculum is designed for professionals with interest in coastal and oceans management at all experience levels. 
 
Online Course Dates: March 4th - April 26th, 2019
 
Who Should Attend: Professionals from across the globe with interest in coastal and oceans management at all experience levels. 
Information and Registration HERE


2018 RAE - CSO 9th National Summit on Coastal and Estuarine Restoration and Management
Missed a session or want to learn more? Download presentations here from the 10 concurrent sessions at the 2018 Summit here.

Copies of posters presented at the 2018 Summit are now available online.
Job Openings
The views expressed in articles referenced here are those of the authors and do not represent or reflect the views of CSO.  

If you have a news item or job posting to include in future CSO Newsletters, please send an email to: gwilliams@coastalstates.org with a subject line: "Newsletter Content". Please include the information to be considered in the body of the email. 
 
Please note: CSO reserves final decision regarding published newsletter content and may not use all information submitted.
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