To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to allow the Secretary of Commerce to establish a Coastal and Estuarine Resilience and Restoration Program, and for other purposes.
This bill amends the Coastal Zone Management Act to establish a Coastal and Estuarine Resilience and Restoration Program that would allow the Secretary of Commerce to protect and restore coastal and estuarine areas through grants. The program would prioritize lands with conservation value, those threatened by development, areas benefiting low-income communities, and properties vulnerable to climate change or sea level rise. The bill also expands the program to allow non-governmental organizations to receive grants if they meet requirements including state agency support, public access provisions, and plans for property disposal. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary to designate at least five new national estuarine research reserves within five years, establishes climate change monitoring and tracking initiatives across the reserve system, and creates a graduate fellowship program for coastal research. The legislation authorizes $47 million annually for fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to fund these programs and activities.
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