Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Projects Selected for Funding

NOAA has run two rounds of the Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience funding opportunity under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. In the first round of funding, NOAA awarded more than $265 million in funding for 38 projects. In the second round of funding, NOAA recommended nearly $220 million in funding for 32 projects. 

These projects span a broad range of habitats and restoration techniques. They will reconnect rivers to their historic floodplains, outplant corals to rebuild reefs, restore salt marshes that protect coasts from erosion and sea level rise, and more.

Alaska

Second Round

The Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition will work with the community and local collaborators to assess and design restoration projects on the Mendenhall River. These efforts are in response to reoccurring high water releases due to climate change, which are causing flooding and erosion. The projects will serve as examples for restoration versus riprap for anticipated future climate change events, and aim to shift thinking to solutions that are salmon habitat-friendly while also mitigating flood risk for landowners. ($750,000 in first year; up to $1.5 million total over 3 years) 

First Round

The National Forest Foundation will restore salmon habitat in Resurrection Creek, in an area historically altered by gold mining. Resurrection Creek is located on Kenai Peninsula, which supports one of the largest sport fisheries in North America. This effort will benefit numerous salmon species, and will support prey for Cook Inlet beluga whale, a NOAA Species in the Spotlight. It will also provide benefits such as flood reduction and job creation to nearby communities like the Town of Hope. ($3.8 million) 

West Coast

Second Round

California

California Trout will work with partners to implement landscape-scale floodplain habitat projects in the Sacramento River watershed. These projects will benefit endangered Sacramento River Winter-run Chinook salmon, which hold cultural significance for local tribes. By creating floodplain habitat and increasing the frequency and duration of floodplain inundation, these projects will also help address land subsidence caused by severe drought in the Sacramento Valley. ($3.8 million in first year; up to $10 million total over 3 years) 

The Nature Conservancy will bring together a diverse array of partners to launch the Pacific Coast Ocean Restoration Initiative, which will catalyze a large-scale restoration of rocky reef and kelp forest habitats in California. They will advance efforts to restore habitats important to the recovery of endangered white abalone. They will also pilot a workforce program to support rocky reef ecosystem restoration projects and increase the capacity of historically underserved communities. ($8 million in first year; up to $18 million total over 3 years) 

The Yurok Tribe will restore habitat in several tributaries of the Upper Klamath Basin that were identified as priorities in the Klamath Reservoir Reach Restoration Plan. This work will include restoring floodplain habitat, improving fish passage, enhancing side channel habitat, and creating new instream habitat features. Restoration will occur in key tributaries that have been cut off to fish migration for more than 100 years. ($18 million)

Oregon

The McKenzie Watershed Alliance will work with partners to plan and implement several high priority projects in the Upper Willamette Basin. They will remove barriers to fish passage, reconnect rivers to floodplains, and restore natural ecosystem processes to help support the recovery of Upper Willamette River spring Chinook salmon. Robust environmental education and engagement with local communities—including tribal partners—are integrated throughout the projects. ($8.5 million)

The Wild Salmon Center will implement a suite of habitat restoration projects to support five populations of threatened Oregon Coast coho salmon. These projects were prioritized with local community input through a multi-year process to generate Strategic Action Plans focused on population-scale coho recovery. In addition to supporting coho, many of the restoration efforts will increase resilience to climate hazards such as flooding. ($8.1 million) 

Washington

The South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group will work with partners to plan, design, and implement delta and floodplain channel restoration, culvert and road removal, and installation of engineered log jams in the Puyallup River Basin. This work will support the recovery of threatened Puget Sound Chinook salmon, steelhead, and bull trout. It will also improve community resilience to flooding. The project will be carried out in full partnership with the Puyallup and Muckleshoot Indian Tribes, supporting their tribal fisheries and traditional way of life. ($8.4 million)

Trout Unlimited will restore and improve habitat in the Queets-Clearwater watershed to support wild coho salmon. A lack of stable wood and healthy forests throughout the basin has caused extreme channel incision, disconnecting the river from floodplain and side channel rearing habitats that are critical for salmon. This project will design and install engineered log jams and perform riparian restoration treatments (such as thinning and planting) to provide future shade, wood recruitment, and restore old forest characteristics. ($10 million) 

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will work with partners to implement large-scale restoration across the Snohomish and Stillaguamish Rivers within the Whidbey Basin. This work takes a holistic perspective to recover Chinook salmon, targeting restoration to support two critical life stages: upper watershed habitat for spawning and freshwater and estuarine habitat for rearing. ($1.6 million in first year; up to $10.1 million total over 3 years) 

First Round

California

The California State Coastal Conservancy will restore high-priority salmon habitat in northern Humboldt County by reconnecting floodplains, adding channel complexity, and restoring vegetation in Prairie Creek. The work will support recovery of key salmon species and will provide an opportunity for the Yurok Tribe to implement restoration efforts on their ancestral lands. It will also strengthen the climate resilience of both salmon and local communities by helping maintain cool stream temperatures and reducing flooding. ($7 million) 

Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District will lead wetland and floodplain habitat restoration at seven sites in two high-priority tributaries in the lower Russian River watershed. These efforts will significantly improve connectivity between streams and their floodplains, restore and reconnect wetlands, and remove barriers to fish migration. This work will support the recovery of endangered Central California Coast coho salmon (a NOAA Species in the Spotlight) and other salmon and steelhead species. The work will also help reduce flooding in surrounding communities, which have become more frequently inundated as the region’s precipitation comes in larger, less predictable storm events. ($8.4 million)

Greater Farallones Association will restore bull kelp at four locations along the Sonoma County coastline in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. They will restore nearly 47 acres of kelp forest by planting bull kelp and removing purple sea urchins to protect new kelp growth and restore balance to the ecosystem. Bull kelp is a foundational species, but has been in serious decline over the past decade. Restoring this habitat will help build ecological and community resilience within the sanctuary and along the northern California coast. ($4.9 million)

San Mateo County Resource Conservation District will advance 18 projects to restore estuary, stream, and floodplain habitat in two high-priority watersheds in San Mateo County. This work on Pescadero and San Gregorio Creeks will benefit endangered Central California Coast coho salmon, a NOAA Species in the Spotlight. The work will also reduce flooding in a rural community and improve community access to a clean, reliable water supply. ($4.9 million)

Smith River Alliance will restore habitat in the Smith River watershed to support one of the largest runs of salmon and steelhead in California. This work will also help improve the climate resilience of local communities. For example, an existing bridge will be relocated and replaced with a new structure that will withstand stronger storms and maintain access for emergency services, helping protect Del Norte County communities against future flood and wildfire risk. ($5.4 million)

The Nature Conservancy will restore high-priority floodplain and stream habitat on three rivers in coastal Mendocino County. This work will significantly benefit endangered Central California Coast coho salmon (a NOAA Species in the Spotlight) and other threatened species, building on more than 10 years of previous efforts. It will also benefit downstream communities through reduced flooding. ($8.3 million)

Oregon

The Johnson Creek Watershed Council, in close collaboration with the Clackamas Partnership, will conduct 10 restoration projects near Portland in the Clackamas and Lower Willamette Rivers. The work will benefit several threatened salmon species. It will also help reduce community flooding in downstream areas and address safety concerns by improving infrastructure needed for emergency access for local communities. ($3.8 million) 

The McKenzie Watershed Alliance will improve access to habitat in Quartz Creek by replacing an aging, undersized bridge and implementing floodplain restoration. The project area is considered to be the most important remaining area for natural production of Upper Willamette River spring Chinook in the Willamette Basin. A fire in 2020 significantly impacted the project area. This work is expected to help prevent further impacts from fire and climate change by creating landscape scale fire breaks, preventing flooding and erosion, and creating cold water refuge habitat. ($7.5 million)

Washington

The Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group will restore habitat in the Big Quilcene River and estuary. Past channelization, dredging, and bank armoring disconnected the river from its floodplains and confined it to a channel that frequently floods. This project will reconnect the river to its entire 140-acre floodplain, eliminating flood hazards in the community of Quilcene. It will also create habitat for threatened Puget Sound Chinook salmon and other key salmon species. ($9.6 million)

The Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership will restore habitat along the lower East Fork Lewis River that has been severely impacted by legacy gravel mining and residential development. This river is a critical watershed for the recovery of Lower Columbia River Chinook salmon, which is a significant portion of the diet for endangered Southern Resident killer whales, a NOAA Species in the Spotlight. ($7.5 million) 

Lummi Nation will advance three high-priority salmon restoration projects along the South Fork Nooksack River. Salmon in the Nooksack River watershed are critically important to the livelihood, culture, and well-being of the Lummi Nation, but their abundance has declined substantially from historical levels. This work will support two threatened species: Puget Sound Chinook and Puget Sound steelhead. It will also benefit Southern Resident killer whales, a NOAA Species in the Spotlight, by supporting their prey. ($4.2 million)

Nooksack Indian Tribe will restore habitat to support salmon and steelhead in the South Fork Nooksack River. Declining populations of Chinook salmon and other species have had significant impacts on the tribe’s cultural, subsistence, and commercial fisheries. By increasing habitat complexity and increasing the number of pools in the region to address summer flows, this work will support multiple life stages of salmon, enhance their resilience to climate change, and increase opportunities for tribal uses. ($5.2 million) 

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will conduct large-scale marsh restoration in the Skagit River estuary of the North Whidbey basin in Puget Sound, building on more than two decades of NOAA-supported restoration work in the watershed. The effort is expected to significantly contribute to recovery of threatened Puget Sound Chinook and steelhead, and endangered Southern Resident killer whales, a NOAA Species in the Spotlight. ($11.6 million) 

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will restore habitat on a landscape scale within the South Whidbey Basin of Puget Sound. The Whidbey Basin contains Puget Sound’s three biggest salmon producing rivers and nearly 70 percent of its remaining tidal wetlands, which salmon and steelhead rely on for spawning and rearing habitat. This work will significantly contribute to eliminating estuary habitat as a limiting factor in the recovery of threatened Puget Sound Chinook salmon and steelhead. The work will also benefit endangered Southern Resident killer whales, a NOAA Species in the Spotlight. ($12.1 million) 

Hawaii

Second Round

The Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources will work from forest to sea to reduce land-based sources of pollution impacting the Olowalu Reef in West Maui. They will help stabilize soils by reforesting native plants, controlling feral ungulates, and reducing the frequency and intensity of fires in the watersheds above the reef. They will construct a sediment capture basin to prevent sediment from entering the ocean and begin plans for restoration of a wetland in the area. This project will incorporate Native Hawaiian traditional and cultural knowledge and will partner with community organizations to implement restoration and malama 'āina (care for the land). ($9.9 million) 

The Nature Conservancy will restore 1,300 acres of coral reef and coastal habitats at Kealakekua Bay on Hawai'i. This mauka to makai (ridge-to-reef) effort will include expanding coral restoration and creating reef restoration training programs for community members. It will also include efforts to reduce erosion, sedimentation, and other land-based sources of pollution, and reduce human-caused degradation of coral reef and fish habitat, such as littering, coral trampling, and wildlife harassment. ($4.9 million) 

First Round

Conservation International Foundation, in close collaboration with the University of Hawaii at Mānoa and other partners, will construct permanent, concrete reef framework structures off of Waikiki Beach on the Island of Oahu. These reef frameworks will serve as coral nurseries, eventually becoming natural coral reefs. This work will benefit the coral reef ecosystem and the many species these habitats support. By enhancing the ecological resilience of Waikiki coral reefs, the project will also increase the socioeconomic resilience of the local communities that depend on them. ($8.9 million) 

Mālama Maunalua will use a traditional Native Hawaiian-based ridge-to-reef (ahupua’a) strategy to restore habitat in the Niu, Kuli‘ou‘ou, and Wailupe watersheds in southeast Oahu. Restoration across the mountains, flatlands, and coral reefs of the bay itself will holistically build resilience across the ecosystem, supporting the many species and communities that rely on these habitats. ($7.8 million)

Gulf of Mexico

Second Round

Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas

The Nature Conservancy, through the GulfCorps Resilience Collaborative, will support the work of young adult conservation corps crews to implement 200 science-guided and community supported conservation and nature-based restoration projects across approximately 10,000 acres of diverse Gulf of Mexico habitats. The Corps crews will be located in nine ecologically important but socially vulnerable sub-regions of the Gulf, from Florida through Texas. ($4.6 million in first year; up to $12 million total over 3 years)

Florida

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will implement a large-scale effort to create and enhance estuary and coastal habitat in Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park on the Southwest Florida Gulf Coast. The project will benefit Florida sportfish nursery habitat by providing ecological enhancement for up to 410 acres of coastal habitat, including conversion of canals into upland, wetland, and marsh habitats; and removal of barriers to provide access to new and restored fish nursery habitat. ($3.7 million)

Louisiana

The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority will restore the Chandeleur Islands to improve the function, resilience, and longevity of the island chain. By working with nature to reintroduce sand lost from the system, they will help extend the islands’ lifespan and prevent a tipping point toward complete submergence of the islands. Improvements to the islands will support fish and wildlife in the northern Gulf of Mexico and will provide protection to local communities by reducing the effect of tropical storms. ($25,000 in first year; up to $10 million total over 3 years)

Texas

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will collaborate with local partners to select, construct, and monitor at least 20 acres of oyster reef throughout the Mission-Aransas Estuary near Corpus Christi, Texas. The work will expand a network of protected oyster reserves that will provide a long-term source of larvae for nearby reefs, increasing the resilience and sustainability of the habitat and fishery. Community-based restoration and education activities will engage the local community in oyster biology, ecology, and habitat conservation. ($8.2 million)

First Round

Alabama

The Nature Conservancy will construct 5,000 feet of living shoreline breakwaters to protect Coffee Island in Mississippi Sound. Coffee Island is a front-line barrier to the northern Mississippi Sound coast, but it has been subject to high erosion rates. Multiple fish species will benefit from the protection of marsh and seagrass habitats around the island and along coastlines to the north. The protection of Coffee Island will also protect shorelines located near coastal communities in south Mobile County and aquaculture installations in Portersville Bay. ($14.6 million)

Alabama and Florida

The Nature Conservancy will enhance climate resilience in Alabama and Florida as part of the Perdido Watershed Habitat and Community Resilience Initiative. Living shorelines and habitat restoration will be implemented at multiple locations across the coastlines of both states to protect communities from flooding and storms. This will be coupled with a large-scale planning effort to help communities prioritize, plan, and implement additional nature-based solutions to climate impacts. ($12.8 million)

Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas

Restore America’s Estuaries will restore oyster reef habitat at multiple sites across the Gulf of Mexico, focusing on the resilience priorities of tribal and underserved communities. They will also develop the Gulf Regional Oyster Network, which will expand and enhance oyster shell recovery programs across the region. The GRO Network will collect oysters from restaurants, recycle them, and put them back in the environment at the oyster reef restoration sites. ($4.9 million)

Florida

The Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program will launch the Oyster Restoration Initiative, an estuary-scale oyster restoration project in the Pensacola Bay watershed. The project also includes the early stages of restoration planning for the Sandy Hollow Gully Restoration Project, which will address upstream sediment impacting downstream oyster habitat quality. A new program will provide cost assistance to encourage the use of living shorelines and other nature-based solutions by local property owners. ($10.9 million) 

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium will restore coral reefs at multiple sites in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, focusing on reefs associated with the Mission: Iconic Reefs effort—an unprecedented, decades-long approach to restore iconic coral reef sites in the sanctuary. They will outplant multiple species of coral, including threatened staghorn and elkhorn coral, as well as massive reef-building species such as brain, boulder, and star corals. They will also significantly increase the production and release of Caribbean king crabs to help combat algae. ($7 million)

The Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners will restore stream and floodplain habitat in Alligator Creek. Removal of stream barriers will increase access to low-salinity habitats, which are important as fish nurseries and as safe harbor during toxic red tide algal blooms. Habitat restoration will benefit endangered smalltooth sawfish and important recreational species such as red drum. Local communities will benefit from increased protection from flooding, reduced park maintenance costs, and enhanced recreational opportunities. ($14.5 million) 

Louisiana

Jefferson Parish will construct a living shoreline and restore shoreline habitats along the southern edge of Lake Pontchartrain. This work will rebuild the previously existing natural first-line of defense against storm surge, waves, erosion, and rising sea levels. It will support habitats like marshes and seagrasses, which provide important nurseries and refuge for fish, shrimp, crabs, and more. Protecting the existing levee system from damage will in turn increase the resilience of homes and infrastructure in the local community. ($4.5 million)

Caribbean

Second Round

Florida

The University of Miami and partners will implement and scale-up strategies to increase the heat tolerance of restored corals, by focusing on corals that survived the summer 2023 heating event and conditioning early life stages of corals to prepare them for warmer temperatures. The project will use its partner network to restore tens of thousands of corals at key sites in South Florida and the Florida Keys, including Mission: Iconic Reefs locations. Partners will also provide bilingual education and community science opportunities in seven South Florida counties focused on how coral restoration contributes to creating healthy reefs that are part of Florida’s cultural identity. ($7.7 million in first year; up to $16 million total over 3 years)

Puerto Rico

Sea Ventures will implement the largest single-site coral restoration project in Puerto Rico, near the community of Fajardo. In addition to coral propagation—focused primarily on threatened elkhorn coral—the project will develop a coral gene bank to provide for rescue of genetic material. Collaboration with local partners will generate K-12 education opportunities, undergraduate and graduate coral restoration internships, and support for the Coral Restoration Technician apprenticeship program. ($5 million) 

U.S. Virgin Islands

The University of the Virgin Islands will enhance ecosystem and community resilience by restoring coral reefs and mangrove habitat. They will build local restoration capacity by forming multi-disciplinary teams that will establish coral nurseries and apply science-driven methods to improve the survival of coral outplants and mangrove seedlings. The team will develop a module for the Youth Oceans Explorer program, pilot a Corals in the Classroom program, and train university and high school students to assist in restoration and community engagement. ($2.5 million) 

First Round

Florida, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands

Coral Restoration Foundation will help rebuild populations of five Endangered Species Act-listed corals across Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The project will span multiple sites associated with ongoing NOAA efforts in these areas. It will also use technologies and best practices from the Florida Keys—where practitioners are at the forefront of coral restoration—to help increase the capacity for coral restoration in Puerto Rico and USVI, developing and scaling up coral nursery infrastructure. ($6.9 million)

Puerto Rico

The Institute for Socio-Ecological Research will construct five acres of coral reef at three locations in Puerto Rico: Fajardo, Mayaguez, and La Parguera. This work will strengthen ecosystem resilience by addressing the impacts of new coral reef diseases and by reintroducing slow-growing, massive reef-building coral species, including threatened Orbicella coral species and pillar coral. ($10.5 million) 

Protectores de Cuencas will improve water quality and reduce land-based sources of pollution in the Guánica Bay watershed by working to restore the Guánica Lagoon. Historically, the lagoon spanned approximately 1,200 acres and provided important benefits for fish, wildlife, and local communities. Draining of the lagoon in 1955 significantly affected the ability of the watershed to prevent sediment and nutrients from reaching Guánica Bay and adjacent coastal habitats, including seagrass and coral reefs. ($1 million in first year; up to $7.4 million total over 3 years)

U.S. Virgin Islands

The Nature Conservancy will restore coral reefs within St. Croix East End Marine Park. This large-scale effort will benefit five species of corals, including threatened elkhorn and staghorn corals. Coral outplants will be sourced from donor corals that have survived bleaching events and disease in order to increase genetic diversity and support the reef’s ability to withstand climate change. The work will contribute to a healthy reef ecosystem that supports tourism and fisheries, benefiting the community of St. Croix. ($6.6 million) 

South Atlantic

Second Round

Florida

The Indian River Lagoon Council will implement a suite of fifteen projects to restore fish habitat, enhance ecosystem function, and increase resilience in the Indian River Lagoon in Florida. These efforts will help reverse recent habitat declines by restoring and enhancing seagrass, oyster, salt marsh, and shoreline habitats. Individual projects will engage the community through outreach events and volunteer opportunities. ($9.4 million) 

Georgia

The University of Georgia Research Foundation will work with community members and local partners to restore oyster reefs and salt marshes around the Gullah Geechee community of Hogg Hummock on Sapelo Island, Georgia. Using natural and nature-based features, this work will both restore essential fish habitat and increase community flood protection. Engagement with community members in collaborative habitat restoration design will help to improve the multiple benefits to the community. ($2.8 million) 

North Carolina

The City of Jacksonville, North Carolina, will restore critical habitat and alleviate flooding within the New River watershed through work in five project areas. Building upon the successful New River Estuary Oyster Highway and Wilson Bay Project, this effort will include wetland restoration, culvert replacement, living shoreline creation, and outplanting of three million oysters. In addition to restoring habitat, this work will improve water quality, recreational access, and community resilience. ($8 million in first year; up to $16 million total over 3 years)

The Nature Conservancy will lead extensive community engagement to improve fish passage and increase resilience on the Cape Fear River. This project will identify and garner consensus around a fish passage solution at two dams on the mainstem river. It will also build capacity for local governments by sharing best practices for nature-based solutions to address concerns related to water quality, flooding, and other community hazards. ($4 million in first year; up to $7.9 million total over 3 years) 

First Round

Florida

Groundwork Jacksonville will restore habitat on the Branches reach of McCoys Creek. The project will support the creek’s overall food web, and will improve habitat for forage fish relied on by species like red drum. The project is a top flood reduction priority for the City of Jacksonville, and will eliminate or reduce flooding for homes and other structures. It will also provide enhanced green space and improve water quality in the stream. ($2.8 million) 

Groundwork Jacksonville will undertake early planning stages for restoring wetland and upland habitat along Hogans Creek. Once implemented, this work will create habitat for species such as sturgeon and shrimp. It will also significantly reduce flooding in nearby communities, improve water quality in the creek, and provide community access to green space and recreation along the river as part of a 30-mile trail system. ($2.9 million) 

North Carolina

North Carolina Coastal Federation will restore nearly 120 acres of oyster habitat in Pamlico Sound, leading to the completion of the 500-acre goal of the Jean Preston Memorial Oyster Sanctuary. Restoration will benefit key recreational and commercial species such as striped bass. NCCF will also join with North Carolina State University Center for Marine Sciences and Technology and North Carolina Central University to provide hands-on opportunities for underrepresented graduate and undergraduate students studying marine sciences. ($14.9 million)

South Carolina

The Nature Conservancy will expand and significantly scale up the use of nature-based solutions along the entire coastline of South Carolina. The project will accelerate existing efforts to implement living shoreline projects in underserved communities and develop a plan to address statewide coastal risks in using large-scale nature-based solutions. It will also construct a living shoreline demonstration project at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. The project will collaborate with the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Commission to support a community ambassador program for living shorelines. ($6.2 million) 

Northeast

Second Round

Connecticut

The Nature Conservancy will complete initial planning and design steps to restore estuary and salt marsh habitat along Bride Brook in Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme, Connecticut. This work will improve the tidal connection between Bride Brook and Long Island Sound, and support the migration of river herring and American eel. Engagement with and input from the local community will be used to help determine the greatest needs for improving public access, facilities, and recreational opportunities in the park. ($4 million)

Maine

The Maine Department of Marine Resources will undertake initial planning and design steps to restore more than 400 acres of salt marsh on the west branch of the Pleasant River. The project will replace and enlarge a culvert along Addison road, as part of a larger effort to replace six tidal crossings and raise the roadway. Roadway flooding is a concern in the project area, and improved tidal and freshwater flows will help reduce flooding hazards. ($9 million)

Maryland

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will construct approximately 50 acres of reefs within existing oyster sanctuaries in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. The restored oyster reefs will provide fish habitat and water filtration, and will serve as a source of broodstock to both sustain the new reefs over the long term and to bolster oyster populations on nearby harvest reefs. This work builds a decade of collaboration across partners and successful techniques developed as part of a large-scale effort to build oyster reefs in the Chesapeake Bay. ($10 million)

Massachusetts

The Association to Preserve Cape Cod will work with an array of partners to lead the collaborative planning, design, and implementation of projects to restore rivers, retired cranberry bogs, and salt marshes on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. These efforts will support important species like river herring and American eel. They will also provide benefits to communities such as increased climate resilience and protection from flooding. ($15 million)

Pennsylvania

Ducks Unlimited will restore the Lower Darby Creek wetland complex in John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, an urban wildlife refuge located in Philadelphia. They will provide habitat for numerous species that depend on wetlands by increasing tidal connectivity to the 150-acre Henderson Marsh. They will also complete design and permitting to reintroduce a natural tide into an adjacent man-made impoundment. Installation and improvement of a kayak launch, observation tower, interpretive signage, and the surrounding trail system will expand opportunities for the local community to access and experience these natural areas. ($9.5 million)

Virginia

Ducks Unlimited will restore Swan Cove, the southernmost impoundment at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island in Virginia. This work will restore and protect valuable salt marsh habitat on the Delmarva Peninsula and support several important fisheries. It will also help improve community and ecosystem resilience in an area that is vulnerable to sea-level rise, by reestablishing a protective dune system, increasing the elevation of the marsh behind the dune system, and enhancing tidal exchange. ($9.5 million)

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources will protect an eroding marsh ecosystem at Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area with a series of low breakwaters and a living shoreline. This project will protect and benefit a significant area of shoreline and natural marsh, and will help create new marsh in the backfill area between breakwaters and marsh edge. The project design also includes adding oyster reefs to each breakwater, resulting in restored habitat for oysters and fish species that use oyster reefs. ($8 million)

First Round

Maryland

South Baltimore Gateway Community Impact District Management will restore marsh habitat in an urban ecosystem in Baltimore City. The project is part of a larger initiative called Reimagine Middle Branch—a community-led initiative to reconnect South Baltimore residents to the nearby river. The project will increase public access to the river and will help reduce erosion and flooding. ($1 million in first year; up to $4 million total over 3 years)

Massachusetts

The Ipswich River Watershed Association will support habitat restoration in the Great Marsh, the largest remaining salt marsh in New England. Across this region, physical barriers prevent the flow of tidal waters and limit natural marsh functions. IRWA will plan for and begin construction on several efforts to address all remaining high-priority barriers that have been identified in the area. ($1.3 million)

Massachusetts Audubon Society will support coastal marsh restoration in southeastern Massachusetts by prioritizing restoration sites and restoring wetlands degraded through historic cranberry farming. Coastal marshes are at severe risk due to climate change and sea level rise. Retired, low-lying cranberry farmlands provide a potential space for coastal wetlands to migrate inland to avoid disappearing. This effort will implement two pilot restoration projects to inform similar, future projects across the region and support sustained cultural land uses for tribal communities. ($4.3 million)

The Town of Wellfleet will implement the first phase of the Herring River Restoration Project, the largest salt marsh restoration effort in the northeast United States. Once all phases are complete, the overall effort will restore 890 acres of tidal wetlands and reconnect a functioning estuary to Cape Cod Bay and the Gulf of Maine. The project will significantly improve water quality and habitat for fish and shellfish, help restore the flood and storm protection that healthy salt marshes provide, and rebuild and improve the resilience of local bridges and roads. ($14.6 million) 

Great Lakes

Second Round

Michigan

The City of Monroe, Michigan, will reroute a sewer line and remove a dam that are currently preventing fish passage in the River Raisin. This work is part of a larger long-term effort to restore River Raisin fish habitat connectivity to Lake Erie, increase resilience to flooding, and open 23 miles of habitat for Great Lakes fish species. ($3 million)

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians will preserve and restore coastal habitat on Mashkiigaki, a parcel of sacred ancestral land along West Grand Traverse Bay. They will also support an innovative fish passage project, Giigook man-jowang (FishPass), to fully re-connect the Boardman-Ottaway River to Lake Michigan. This project emphasizes traditional ecological knowledge and tribal-led multi-generational community engagement. ($8.9 million in first year; up to $11.9 million total over 3 years)

Wisconsin

Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, will complete a large-scale stream restoration project to reconnect Sucker Creek, a tributary to Lake Michigan, to nearby wetlands and floodplains. This work will directly benefit Great Lakes fish species by restoring habitats they rely on for spawning and rearing. The project will also be designed to improve the protection of infrastructure in the face of more frequent and extreme flood events. ($3.2 million)

First Round

Michigan

The Edsel and Eleanor Ford House will develop design plans to restore habitat along Lake St. Clair, in an area where nearly all of the lake’s shoreline has been hardened. Restoration will benefit several native Great Lakes species. It will also reduce impacts from waves and flooding, reduce polluted runoff, increase recreational fishing opportunities, and increase public access to the water. ($500,000 in first year; up to $7 million total over 3 years)

Ohio

The Nature Conservancy will restore shoreline and marsh habitat in Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area along Lake Erie’s Sandusky Bay. The project is part of the broader Sandusky Bay Initiative, a landscape-scale effort to provide cleaner water and healthier habitat for the bay’s fisheries, wildlife, and communities. When fully implemented, an offshore berm will reduce the energy of waves, helping to rebuild a historic shoreline that has been severely eroded. This work will help address significant water quality issues by filtering nutrients and trapping sediment. ($1.5 million in first year; up to $6 million total over 3 years)