Today, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department of Commerce and NOAA have recommended nearly $2 million for a project in Rhode Island to make the state’s coast more resilient to climate change and other coastal hazards. The awards are being made under the Biden Administration’s Climate Resilience Regional Challenge, a competitive, $575 million program funded through the nearly $6 billion total investment under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. 

“As part of President Biden’s commitment to combating the climate crisis, we are investing $575 million to help make sure America’s coastal communities are more resilient to the effects of climate change,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “As part of this historic investment in our nation’s climate resilience the Biden-Harris Administration is investing $2 million to help underserved communities in Rhode Island develop and implement new strategies to protect themselves from increased flooding, storm surge, and extreme weather events.” 

Administered by the Department of Commerce and NOAA, the Climate-Ready Coasts initiative is focused on investing in high-impact projects that create climate solutions by storing carbon; building resilience to coastal hazards such as extreme weather events, pollution and marine debris; restoring coastal habitats that help wildlife and humans thrive; building the capacity of underserved communities and support community-driven restoration; and providing employment opportunities.

“This historic funding is vital for helping Rhode Island communities confront the unique coastal challenges posed by a changing climate,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “The recommended project will empower Rhode Islanders to better prepare for climate change, fostering a more resilient, equitable future for these coastal communities.”

The recommended project in Rhode Island includes $1,999,777 for work with the Aquidneck Land Trust in partnership with the municipalities of Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth and Naval Station Newport. The project, Growing Regional Resilience Coordination on Aquidneck Island, capitalizes on the momentum of resilience initiatives already underway on the island. Committed to conserving the island’s open spaces and building on prior successful projects (including the conservation of over 2,800 acres), the land trust will use this opportunity to grow their island-wide approach to resilience, offering technical assistance, capacity building, and actionable strategies for responding to climate change. Implemented projects will include nature-based solutions to address threats from flooding, increasing storms, extreme temperatures, drought, sea level rise and water pollution.

“Coastal communities are on the front lines of climate change and face unique climate challenges – from flooding to water pollution to sea level rise.  This federal funding will help the Aquidneck Land Trust and its partners work collaboratively to strengthen their collective resiliency to the impacts of climate change.  I applaud their cooperative approach to mitigating the impacts of climate change for future generations and look forward to seeing the results of their work in these Rhode Island communities,” said Senator Jack Reed.

“Thanks to our Inflation Reduction Act, we’re accelerating climate resiliency across the Ocean State,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who helped shape major climate provisions included in the Inflation Reduction Act. “This federal funding will provide a big boost to resiliency and conservation projects on Aquidneck Island and help strengthen our defenses against climate change.”

“As the Ocean State, coastal management is essential to protecting our communities and our way of life from the existential threat of climate change,” said Congressman Gabe Amo (RI-01). “That is why I am proud to have joined my colleagues in supporting the Aquidneck Land Trust in their quest to receive more than $2 million in federal funding. This federal investment will help expand their island-wide approach to resilience and leverage nature-based solutions to fight the climate crisis.”

Additional information is available on the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge website. 

Climate, weather, and water affect all life on our ocean planet. NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict our changing environment, from the deep sea to outer space, and to manage and conserve America’s coastal and marine resources.