CSO Newsletter

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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Spotlight on Coastal Management: Strengthening Coastal Communities Resilience in the Great Lakes Region Challenge

The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) and its partners – the American Planning Association, Coastal States Organization, and Wisconsin Sea Grant – have designed the Strengthening Coastal Counties Resilience Challenge to help communities develop policies and plans to improve their community’s resilience to coastal flooding, while building their knowledge and understanding of the tools available to assist them.


The Challenge invites U.S. Great Lakes coastal communities with populations of less than 250,000 to form multidisciplinary teams to apply to join a one-year technical assistance program.


Participating communities will leave the program with:

  • One coastal flooding vulnerability self-assessment,
  • A set of planning scenarios,
  • At least one identified natural or nature-based project for implementation,
  • One action plan,
  • At least two identified potential funding source(s) to support its implementation, 
  • Access to a regional community of practice, and
  • Improved hard and soft skills around coastal resilience.


Application Deadline: November 9, 2022


Learn more and apply here.

Official Signing of the Great Lakes Coastal Resilience Study


The formal agreement to launch the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study - a comprehensive watershed assessment of the Great Lakes coastal areas to identify areas vulnerable to storms, flooding, erosion, and other coastal hazards and to develop solutions to enhance coastal resiliency - has been signed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the eight Great Lakes states.

Celebrating 50 Years of Ocean and Coastal Conservation

2022 is a BIG year for ocean and coastal conservation! Not only is it the 50th anniversary for the CZMA, it is also the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, Marine Mammals Protection Act, and National Marine Sanctuaries Act.

Learn more here and follow #OceanAndCoasts50 on social media!

Learn about the CZMA 50th here!
CZMA at 50 Podcast Series

Join CSO's Executive Director, Derek Brockbank, in a five part podcast series to learn about the basis of the act, why it’s important, how it’s changed, and more.

All five episodes of the series are now available! Listen to all of them here or wherever you get your podcasts!

In the States and Regions

Gulf Coast

How Hurricane Ian's Damage Could Exacerbate Inequality

Hurricane Ian has already caused at least 34 deaths, and early numbers suggest that financial losses could hit $40 billion. But these numbers tell only part of the story. What they don’t reveal is how Ian will lead to growing inequality, and heighten racial disparities.

Research from across the United States shows that climate-related disasters have made our communities more unequal. Put another way, climate change is increasingly becoming a cause of inequality. Part of the problem is our existing recovery policies, which do not distribute post-disaster aid in fair or equitable ways. For example, Black households affected by disasters have often received less aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency compared with their white counterparts, and in communities that have gotten more FEMA aid, the racial wealth gap has grown. These disparities stem, in part, from different rates of post-disaster property inspections conducted by FEMA across racial groups, as well as the burden of the application process in applying aid. Overall, more recovery dollars have been invested in white communities, which has helped housing values bounce back there. Read more


20 Years In the Making: How the Nation's Largest Coastal Restoration Project Came to Be

More than 20 years ago, local, state and federal leaders as well as conservation organizations saw the need to protect one of the county's most vulnerable ecosystems, thus embarking on a multi-faceted $150 million-plus project to restore and rebuild the region's coastline and ecosystem, resulting in the nation's largest coastal restoration project. Now, with significant headway made on coastal restoration and several projects completed in Jefferson County, the public and private partners that spearheaded the project are recognizing their feat. Read more

Great Lakes

Port of Cleveland Board Approves $3.75 Million Design Contract to Make Lakefront CHEERS Project ‘Shovel-Ready’

The Port of Cleveland announced that its board of directors approved a $3.75 million contract with Arup, a global engineering consultancy with offices in 20 countries, to design the project and seek permits needed to advance the project. The project in question is known as CHEERS, a happy-sounding acronym for Cleveland Harbor Eastern Embayment Resilience Strategy. It carries initial estimates of $300 million to build. Envisioned over the past couple of years in partnership with Cleveland Metroparks and other agencies, the project calls for using clean dredged sediment from the Cuyahoga River to create an “isle’' in Lake Erie north of the city’s shoreline east of the airport and west of Gordon Park. The idea is to create a sheltered cove with new parkland that would protect Interstate 90 Shoreway from damaging storms capable of closing the highway, as happened during superstorm Sandy in 2012. In all, the CHEERS project could create 70 to 80 acres of new land along the shoreline, vastly benefiting communities on Cleveland’s East Side that have been walled off from the shoreline for decades. Wetlands, hills, lawns, numerous trails, and an area to launch paddle craft would all be part of the project, according to preliminary plans developed by project partners. In addition to the Port of Cleveland and Metroparks, those partners include the City of Cleveland, the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Black Environmental Leaders Association. Read more


City of Marquette Finalizes Shoreline Restoration Project

Work to protect part of Marquette’s lakeshore is complete. The city of Marquette unveiled a finished coastal zone Thursday afternoon. The coastal restoration project is located at the intersection of Pine Street and Lakeshore Boulevard. The area acts as a natural floodgate to mitigate possible flooding onto the road. The city’s Director of Community Development, Dennis Stachewicz said this project is just one part of an effort over the past decade. “It is a culmination of a lot of community planning that dates back to about 2012. Where we had begun planning the whole Lakeshore Boulevard relocation and shoreline and coastal resiliency and all of that,” Stachewicz said. A Michigan Coastal Zone Management grant made this restoration project possible. Stachewicz said the city received a $200,000 grant and the Lake Superior Watershed Partnership helped the city match that amount. The project utilizes natural resources and Stachewicz said there are many benefits to that. Read more

East Coast and Caribbean

Rhode Island Issues 1 GW Offshore Wind Call

Rhode Island Energy, the state’s primary utility company, has issued a request for proposal (RFP) for offshore wind, targeting an additional 600 MW to 1,000 MW of capacity. Offshore wind project proposals by bidders will be due to Rhode Island Energy on 1 February 2023. In July, Governor McKee signed into law clean energy legislation that seeks to expand Rhode Island’s offshore wind energy resource. The new law requires a market-competitive procurement for between 600 and 1,000 MW of newly developed offshore wind capacity. The project could meet at least 30 per cent of Rhode Island’s estimated 2030 electricity demand and power about 340,000 homes each year. Read more


Rising Sea Levels Mean Rising Groundwater—and That Spells Trouble for Coastal Septic Systems

Sea-level rise and big storms are hammering coastal communities, causing increased flooding and land loss, saltwater intrusion, wetland loss/change, and impacts to local infrastructure. Communities along the coast often have their individual, onsite wastewater treatment systems, also called septic systems. In North Carolina alone, there are about one million homes with septic systems that are either on a coastline or are located in watersheds that drain into the ocean. To operate effectively, coastal septic systems rely on unsaturated soils to filter wastewater and direct flow away from homes. But in some communities, the shallow groundwater table is rising, leaving homeowners in a precarious position. Read more

West Coast and Pacific

Humboldt County Plans to Use Living Shoreline to Mitigate Sea Level Rise Between Brainard, Bracut

The county is planning on mitigating the risks of sea level rise along a particularly vulnerable stretch of Highway 101 between Eureka and Arcata by restoring salt marsh. Restoring about 17 acres of salt marsh along a 1.25-mile stretch of Highway 101 between Brainard and Bracut would reduce the risk of flooding and the erosion of the shoreline for at least a century, Humboldt County Public Works Deputy Director Hank Seemann told the commissioners of the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District on Thursday. Read more


Kauaʻi Mayor Signs Proactive Law That Regulates Development In Areas Prone to Sea Level Rise

Mayor Derek S. K. Kawakami signed into law a proactive bill that amends construction design standards to incorporate expected sea level rise impacts – making Kaua‘i one of the first counties in the nation to enact development regulations based on scientific modeling projections. The county’s Planning Department worked with the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s Climate Resilience Collaborative on the progressive measure.

“Kaua‘i is no stranger to the impacts of climate change, as we’ve seen in the floods of 2018 and the recent historic south swell and king tides in July which resulted in significant infrastructure damage,” Maor Kawakami said. “This new ordinance ensures that the inevitable effects of coastal erosion and flooding are determining factors in the future growth and development of our island.” Read more

Events & Webinars

October 20, 2022


October 25-27, 2022


October 31, 2022


November 2, 2022


November 17, 2022


December 4-8, 2022


December 12-15, 2022


February 6-9, 2023


May 7-11, 2023

Announcements

Request for Information for the U.S. Ocean Climate Action Plan

The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), on behalf of the interagency Ocean Policy Committee (OPC), request input from all interested parties to inform the development of a U.S. Ocean Climate Action Plan (OCAP) that will help guide and coordinate actions by the Federal government and civil society to address ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes-based mitigation and adaptation solutions to climate change. Learn more and submit comments here.


New Data from NOAA Provides Insight into How Flooding Affects Employment

new NOAA dataset provides the number of businesses and employees, split out by industry, in inundation footprints modelled for hurricanes, tsunamis, and other flood hazards via the FEMA special flood hazard areas (sea level rise footprints coming soon). Read more. NOAA is interested in hearing from newsletter readers who have used the data or are interested in using the data to inform their flood risk scenarios or in communicating with partners or members of the public. Please reach out to Polina Dineva for assistance or to share usage details.


Gulfwide Oyster Map Now In GOMOD

Oyster data for each of the five Gulf states are now available in a single distribution map on the Gulf of Mexico Open Data Platform (GOMOD). These data represent a comprehensive collection of publicly available data from state agencies across the region; data will be further refined in the coming months and more data will be added as it becomes available. Learn more here.


FEMA Celebrates National Community Planning Month

During October, FEMA celebrates National Community Planning Month. Planning helps communities  prevent hazard events from becoming disasters. It identifies long-term, equitable solutions that reduce risk from natural hazards. Explore FEMA resources to learn how how mitigation planning can build resilient communities here.


FEMA Implements an Alternative Cost-Effectiveness Method to Increase Program Accessibility for BRIC and Flood Mitigation Assistance

For the fiscal year 2022 BRIC and Flood Mitigation Assistance application cycle, the agency is introducing an alternative cost-effectiveness method that will modify the threshold for mitigation projects to be considered cost-effective under limited conditions. By modifying the threshold for Benefit-Cost Analysis calculations, FEMA expects more projects will benefit disadvantaged communities to develop projects that address climate change effects. Learn more here.


FEMA and EDA Release New Resource to Align Community Plans and Build Resilience

FEMA and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) released a new guide to help align hazard mitigation plans with Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS). A CEDS must include economic resilience in its strategy; a hazard mitigation plan identifies and plans for natural hazard risks to key sectors, including the economy. Aligning these means community partners can coordinate better, share priorities and actions that reduce risk, and better use funding. Read the guide here.


NOAA Adaptation Sciences (AdSci) Program FY2023 Funding Competition: Island Resilience

The NOAA Climate Program OfficeAdaptation Sciences (AdSci) Program is now accepting proposals for research projects beginning in Fiscal Year 2023. Through the FY2023 competition, NOAA’s AdSci Program is soliciting proposals for interdisciplinary and participatory research activities that address island-identified resilience needs in the Caribbean and Pacific; with an emphasis on projects that result in: (1) contextually relevant and usable information about climate impacts, vulnerabilities and solutions; (2) the evaluation, identification and strengthening of the adaptive capacities of institutions, communities, sectors and islands; (3) and/or the integration of climate information in adaptation planning, action and long-term resilience strategies. Letter of Intent (LOI) are due October 31, 2022. Full Applications are due by January 31, 2023. Learn more here.


NOAA Holding Public Meetings on Louisiana NERR

NOAA has announced two public meetings will be held for the purpose of providing information and receiving comments on the preliminary recommendation by the State of Louisiana that portions of the Atchafalaya River area be proposed to NOAA for designation as a National Estuarine Research Reserve. The in-person public meeting will be held on November 2, 2022, in the Morgan City Auditorium (728 Myrtle Street, Morgan City, Louisiana 70380). The virtual public meeting will be held on November 3, 2022 here. More information is available here.


NOAA releases Restoration Blueprint for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries released a proposed rule and a revised draft management plan for the Restoration Blueprint—a significant update to Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary’s management plan, boundary, regulations, and marine zones. NOAA will accept public comment on the Restoration Blueprint through October 26, 2022. There will also be multiple advisory council and public information meetings will provide opportunities for engagement and public comment. Learn more here.


ASFPM Call for Abstracts

The call for abstracts for the 2023 ASFPM Annual National Conference is now open. The 2023 Call for Abstracts seeks a broad range of professionals to submit for 30-minute concurrent sessions and/or 2-4 hour workshops that address issues, problems, and solutions associated with managing and communicating flood risk, making communities more resilient, and protecting floodplains and fragile natural resources. Submissions are due October 31, 2022. Learn more and submit your abstract here.


FEMA Announces FY22 BRIC and FMA Notice of Funding Opportunities.

FEMA announced the FY22 Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) programs. The funding level for BRIC has increased to $2.3 billion for FY22, with FMA funding increasing to $800 million. BRIC’s non-financial Direct Technical Assistance program will also increase to at least 40 communities (from 20) for the FY22 cycle. The application period closes on January 27, 2023. Learn more here.

Job Openings

In The States

City of Hampton - Coastal Resilience Coordinator


City of Boca Raton - Coastal Program Manager


Florida Department of Environmental Protection Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection Resilient Florida Program, GIS Support Section - Engineering Specialist


Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management - Environmental Specialist


Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management - Surveyor


Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Natural Resource Specialist (Coastal Ecologist)


Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve - Coastal Training Program Coordinator


Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management - Offshore Project Review Specialist


Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game - Offshore Wind Specialist


Washington Department of Ecology, Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program - Shorelands/Wetlands/401 Water Quality Certification Specialist


Washington Department of Ecology, Shorelands and Environmental Assistance - Regional Shoreline Compliance/Enforcement Specialist


Washington Department of Ecology, Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program - Shoreline Management Act Compliance Lead


California Coastal Commission - Coastal Resiliency Supervisor


California Coastal Commission - Multiple Coastal Program Positions


In The Agencies

NOAA National Ocean Service - Deputy Assistant Administrator for Navigation Observation and Positioning


EPA Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds - Director


USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center - Center Director


BOEM Office of Environmental Programs - Interdisciplinary Social Scientist/Biologist/Oceanographer


USFWS Branch of Habitat Restoration - Supervisory Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences


FEMA - Environmental Protection Specialist


USACE New York District, Coastal/Harbor Team - Interdisciplinary


USACE San Francisco District, Water Resources Section - Civil Engineer (Hydraulics)


EPA ORISE Fellow - Assessing Carbon Sequestration Potential of Coastal Natural Infrastructure


USACE ORISE Fellow - Coastal Engineering w/ Nature & Flood Reduction Strategies


In NGOs, Industry, and Academia

Washington Sea Grant - Coastal Management Specialist


University of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Center and Rhode Island Sea Grant - Marine Research Associate


Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative - U.S. Policy Manager


The Nature Conservancy - Director, Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds Program


The Nature Conservancy - Marsh Management Scientist


The Nature Conservancy - CoralCarib Project Manager


Job Boards


Office for Coastal Management State Programs


Sea Grant Careers Page


SEVENSEAS Media

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.
Coastal States Organization | 50 F Street. NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20001 | 202-508-3860 | cso@coastalstates.org | www.coastalstates.org
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