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:
Hawai'i Coastal Management Program
Coastal zone management balances development and protection of the vital natural resources that support thriving coastal communities and economies. The Hawai’i Coastal Management Program has been helping communities plan for an uncertain future since 1978. Projects such as Assessing the Feasibility and Implications of Managed Retreat or Probabilistic Tsunami Design Zone Maps help communities keep people, property, and resources safe.

To learn more about issues impacting the state and the great work by the Hawai'i Coastal Management Program, click here.

Find more information on the work being done by the State Coastal Zone Management Programs on CSO's Publication page.
In the States and Regions
East Coast and Caribbean
New Program Enriches 25 Years of Environmental Education
Maryland's Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is launching a new initiative, Shoring Up Resiliency through Education, focusing on teaching fifth, seventh, and ninth graders about coastal hazard impacts and resilience strategies. The initiative will reach more than 600 students. Read more

Virginia Beach Eyes Expansive Program to Buy Out Frequently Flooded Homes
Virginia Beach officials are considering a program that would offer money to residents who want to move out of homes that have flooded or face such a risk. These houses would then be demolished, and the city would restrict future development on the property, earmarking it as a park, land to plant trees or to be used as a flood-control project. It’s one of several strategies city leaders are weighing to prevent damage in flood-prone areas. This voluntary program was identified in the city’s recent sea level rise study as the most cost-efficient way to limit future expenses from flooding. Read more

Lake Mattamuskeet Plan Gets State's OK
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s  Nonpoint Source Planning Branch  approved the  Watershed Restoration Plan for the coastal Lake Mattamuskeet , which identifies several ways to address water quality and flooding issues. The approval makes the plan eligible to apply for restoration implementation funds administered by the state. Read more
Great Lakes
State government awards thousands to Door County environmental efforts, Dunes Lake project
Wisconsin Department of Administration awarded Coastal Management Program grants to three county projects. The projects aim to preserve natural habitats, as well as provide education and greater recreational space throughout Door County. Funds awarded to Door County Soil and Water Conservation allows their Dunes Lake Restoration Project to move forward substantially. The Coastal Management Program grant added $100,000 to the Dunes Lake project's funds, leaving Soil and Water Conservation with enough to move onto phase two of the project. Read more
West Coast and Pacific
Fears of Coastal Climate Change Prompt Santa Cruz Action
Looking to make proactive change, Santa Cruz’s sustainability and climate action manager is about eight months into the city’s  Resilient Coast Santa Cruz initiative , which looks at and plans for how the  effects of sea-level rise  will come home to roost along the city’s West Cliff Drive, via worsening coastal storms, flooding and cliff erosion. Under the initiative, the city is working to create the West Cliff Drive Adaptation and Management Plan, a two-year project funded with a  $353,677 California Department of Transportation grant  matched by the city’s $45,825. Also under the Resilient Coast initiative, the city has a California Coastal Commission $200,000 grant to update its Local Coastal Plan, looking at all city beaches and nearby development. Read more

Working the Plans: State, County Planners Take Community Input
Hawai'i state and Hilo county planners have been holding planning sessions over the past several weeks. The county is working on its general plan, a comprehensive blueprint updated every decade to guide growth. The state held statewide listening sessions for its ocean resources plan. The mission is to improve the condition of ocean resources and the coastal zone to sustain ecological, cultural, social and economic benefits for future generations. Read more
Gulf
Major Galveston Beach Expansion Kicks Off
Galveston has begun replacing hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of sand that were eroded from its beaches during Hurricane Harvey, working to make the city safer from future storms and bolster its tourism industry. FEMA’s Public Assistance program is providing 90% of the funding for three Galveston beach restoration projects whose combined cost exceeds $14.8 million. Read more

Mobile Country to Buy Bayfront Property with State Grant
The Mobile County Commission has moved to accept a $4.4 million state grant that will fund the purchase of about 165 acres on the western shore of Mobile Bay. A statement from the commission said the purchase will serve a larger goal of "providing increased water access to area residents." Read more
Events & Webinars
September 10, 2019

September 15 - 18,2019

September 16 -17, 2019

September 17, 2019

September 18, 2019

September 18, 2019

September 23 - 25, 2019

September 24 - 25, 2019

October 2, 2019

October 8 - 9, 2019

November 3 - 7, 2019

November 4 - 8, 2019

November 4 - 8, 2019

November 15, 2019

November 18 - 20, 2019

January 22 - 23, 2020

January 29 - 30, 2020

February 3-6, 2020

February 16 - 21, 2020

July 5 - 10, 2020
Announcements
Abstract Submission - 2020 Social Coast Forum
The biennial Social Coast Forum will be held in Charleston, South Carolina February 3-6, 2020. The Social Coast Forum to explore how social science tools and methods are being used to address the nation’s coastal issues. Abstracts are being accepted for a variety of session types and topical tracks. Submissions are due September 23, 2019. More information on abstract submission is available here .

New FEMA Benefit-Cost Analysis Toolkit Available
Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) is the method by which the future benefits of hazard mitigation projects are determined and compared to its costs. FEMA requires a BCA to validate cost effectiveness of proposed hazard mitigation projects prior to funding. Get the new toolkit and other BCA resources here.

New Resources for Living Shorelines
The Green Infrastructure Work Group of the Climate and Resilience Community of Practice has recently compiled a catalog of available living shoreline resources to help stakeholders across the Gulf find information on design and construction, cost, and permitting. Target audiences include environmental consultants, engineers, and landscape architects; installation contractors and suppliers; realtors and property developers; researchers; resource managers and local land use planners; and property owners. Materials available here .

Funding Opportunity - FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance and Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Programs
FEMA has posted their FY19 Notice of Funding Opportunity announcements for the Flood Mitigation Assistance and Pre-Disaster Mitigation grant programs on grants.gov. FEMA will be offering a series of informational webinars in September and October. Learn more about the grant programs and see the webinar schedule here.

Funding Clean Water State Revolving Fund Projects Under Clean Water Act Section 320 Authority (National Estuary Program)
The EPA’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) is a source of funding for water quality improvement projects that implement Section 320 National Estuary Program Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans. The CWSRF offers a broad range of eligibilities and flexible, affordable financing options. Learn more about CWSRF here .

Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship
It’s an exciting new fellowship program for graduate students at the national estuarine research reserves. One two-year fellowship opportunity will be available at each of the 29 coastal sites.Through a research project, fellows will address a key coastal management question to help scientists and communities understand coastal challenges that may influence future policy and management strategies.

The research reserves represent the apex of estuary science. At  these coastal sites , fieldwork, research, and community engagement come together to create the scientific advances that change our communities and our world. Apply here.

Session Abstract Submission - Physical Processes Governing the Distribution and Transport of Dispersed Particles in the Ocean
Session to be held at the 2020 Ocean Sciences Meeting in San Diego, CA (USA) from 16-21 February 2020. The Ocean Sciences meeting is jointly convened by the American Geophysical Union (AGU), The Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO), and The Oceanography Society (TOS). This conference, held once every two years, brings together marine and aquatic scientists and presents an excellent opportunity to convene communities of researchers across a variety of disciplines. The abstract submission deadline is Wednesday, 11 September 2019. Submit abstracts for this session here .
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: rkeylon@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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