U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia announced $17.5 million in federal funding for restoration and resiliency projects that benefit coastal communities and tribes across the Commonwealth.
The funding was awarded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience grant program and made possible by the bipartisan infrastructure law and Inflation Reduction Act.
“We are fortunate to have such bountiful natural resources in Virginia, which is why we have championed efforts to protect and support Virginia’s great outdoors,” the senators said. “This funding will help us continue combating climate change and preserve our beautiful.”
The funding is broken down as follows:
·Ducks Unlimited will receive $9.5 million in funding to restore Swan Cove, the southernmost impoundment at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island.
·The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources will receive $8 million in funding to protect eroding marshes at Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area in Isle of Wight County.
NOAA Fisheries’ announcement comes as a part of $286 million soon to be deployed across the nation to support critical ecosystems that will be affected by climate change and extreme weather over the coming decades. Warner and Kaine are strong advocates for Virginia’s environment. In May 2024, they announced another $14 million in funding for conservation projects across the Commonwealth.
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Rebecca Barnabi
