Southeast states win coastal resilience grant

NOAA Regional Coastal Resilience Grant program awarded $803,713 to the Southeast states to strengthen disaster recovery of coastal communities.

The project will improve planning for long-term recovery from storms, hurricanes and other natural disasters for Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA) Executive Director Debra Hernandez is the project PI. “I’m excited about the opportunity to work with this talented team that will be working to strengthen our coastal communities’ recovery capabilities.” SECOORA will coordinate the regional collaboration effort and oversee project management.

“Natural disasters are not constrained by state, political, or geographic boundaries,” said Robert Haywood, Federal Recovery Coordinator for FEMA Region IV. “Through this award, numerous partners in the Southeast will be working towards a collaborative approach to long-term disaster recovery that allows coastal communities to create even more vibrant economies and healthier environments after a natural disaster.”

The proposal, titled Utilizing Regional Collaboration to Implement the National Disaster Recovery Framework in South Atlantic Coastal Communities,is supported through a NOAA grant of $803,713 and matching funds of $453,746 provided by states, local governments, private sector, and non-profit partners.