Habitat restoration

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law summary: "Shall be for contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements to provide funding and technical assistance for purposes of restoring marine, estuarine, coastal, or Great Lakes ecosystem habitat, or constructing or protecting ecological features that protect coastal communities from flooding or coastal storms."

NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation’s Restoration Center will implement the habitat restoration provision by providing funding through competitive grant processes and providing expert technical assistance over five years. With this once-in-a-generation funding, NOAA will prioritize and fund transformational, high impact projects through the Community-Based Restoration Program to make a difference for coastal communities and ecosystems. 

Projects will restore marine, estuarine, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystem habitats including restoring coastal wetlands, coral and oyster reefs, and riverine habitats while also strengthening the resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems by providing benefits such as reduced impacts from flooding. 

In 2022, there will be two habitat restoration and coastal resilience funding opportunities. One will support transformational projects that restore habitat for our nation’s fisheries and protected resources, while also strengthening the resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems. A separate funding opportunity will be focused on building capacity for underserved communities to implement habitat restoration. 

The goal is to support habitat restoration actions that rebuild productive and sustainable fisheries, contribute to the recovery and conservation of threatened and endangered species, use natural infrastructure to reduce damage from flooding and storms, promote resilient ecosystems and communities, and yield socioeconomic benefits.

 $491M over 5 years

• $45 Million Available to Advance Habitat Restoration Priorities of Tribes and Underserved Communities (September 1, 2023)
• $240 Million Available for Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience (August 15, 2023)
• More Than $265 Million in Funding Recommended for Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Projects (April 21, 2023)
• 35 New Projects Will Support Underserved Communities through Habitat Restoration and Capacity Building (April 21, 2023)