Silver Spring, Md. – July 26, 2024 – The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation applauds the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the historic investment of nearly $220 million in funding for transformational habitat restoration and coastal resilience projects, including several investments in national marine sanctuaries and sanctuary communities.  

Thirty-two new projects will strengthen the climate resilience of coastal ecosystems and communities under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. Projects benefiting from funding include floodplain habitat restoration in multiple regions, coral reef restoration in Hawai’i, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, coral heat tolerance strategy research in support of Mission: Iconic Reefs in Florida, oyster reef and salt marsh restoration in Georgia, saltmarsh habitat restoration in the Northeast, and coastal habitat restoration and preservation in the Great Lakes region. 

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation released the following statement: 

 The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation applauds the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for their continued support of critical habitat restoration work, in particular for the coral reefs and kelp forests that are the cornerstones of our coastal ecosystems, the communities, economies, and species they support, and climate resilience for our country.  

“This week Americans experienced the hottest day ever recorded on Earth. As our climate and our ocean warms, our coastal ecosystems and communities are reeling from the impacts of climate change more than ever. It’s paramount that we invest in our national marine sanctuaries as nature-based solutions that protect and restore these critical coastal ecosystems. We must lift up Indigenous peoples and underserved communities, longtime stewards of our treasured waters,” offered Joel R. Johnson, President and CEO of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. 

The work of the NOAA and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation does not happen in a vacuum and without resources. If we are to confront the most challenging issues of our time – climate change, biodiversity loss, and systemic inequity – we must center coastal communities and develop solutions hand-in-hand with our partners.  

Johnson stated, “We must also adequately fund NOAA’s national marine sanctuaries. A proposed cut of 1/3rd of the current budget of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries for 2025 would severely reduce our capacity to respond to the climate crisis; threaten coastal livelihoods, and hamper the implementation of NOAA’s historic investment.” 

The innovative techniques for habitat restoration and sharing of best practices and new approaches will build capacity across the restoration community and enable us all to work together towards a shared sustainable and equitable future for people and our planet. 

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation celebrates the funding allocated towards the Mission: Iconic Reefs program in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. This critical funding will enable our partners at the University of Miami to scale-up and implement new approaches for increasing the heat tolerance of restored corals, using lessons learned in the wake of the marine heat wave in summer 2023 which raised water temperatures to teapot levels resulting in widespread coral bleaching and mortality.  

The Foundation is also pleased to see the funding for the Hawai’i Department of Land and Natural Resources’ work to reduce land-based sources of pollution impacting the Olowalu Reef in the waters of Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. This project incorporates Native Hawaiian traditional and cultural knowledge and demonstrates a holistic ecosystem approach through the connection between land and water. 

The Foundation also is encouraged by funding for the Nature Conservancy that will launch the Pacific Coast Ocean Restoration Initiative, to catalyze a large-scale restoration of rocky reef and kelp forest habitats in California, including in national marine sanctuaries like Monterey Bay, Channel Islands, and Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries. These groundbreaking habitat restoration efforts will also include work focused on the recovery of the endangered white abalone.  

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The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, established in 2000, is the official non-profit partner of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The Foundation directly supports America’s national marine sanctuaries through our mission to protect species, conserve ecosystems and preserve cultural and maritime heritage. We accomplish our mission through community stewardship and engagement programs, on-the-water conservation projects, public education and outreach programs, and scientific research and exploration. The Foundation fosters innovative projects that are solution-oriented, scalable and transferable, and develop strategic partnerships that promote the conservation and recovery of species and their habitats. Learn more at marinesanctuary.org.  

Contact: Chip Weiskotten 

Director of Strategic Communications 

301-754-6134

chip@marinesanctuary.org