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NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management (OCM) works to keep the nation's coasts safe from storms, rich in natural resources, and economically strong. The office administers the National Coastal Zone Management Program, the Coral Reef Conservation Program, the Digital Coast, and the National Estuarine Research Reserve System.
The Digital Coast Act was signed into law in December 2020, solidifying formal congressional support for the Digital Coast program. The Digital Coast is a constituent-led information platform that provides data, tools, and training to the nation’s coastal management community. The content originates from a variety of authoritative sources, but each piece is vetted by NOAA and provided in an easy-to-find, easy-to-use format to build resilience and inform solutions to complex coastal management challenges. The act paves the way for additional Digital Coast content, improved efforts to reach underserved audiences, and opportunities to strengthen the partnership- and constituent-based approach that represents the foundation of the Digital Coast Program.
The Digital Coast Act was signed into law in December 2020, signifying formal congressional support for NOAA’s Digital Coast program.
The nation's marine economy produced $665.7 billion in direct sales — a 5.1% increase over the previous year — and supported 2.4 million jobs in 2019. These statistics from NOAA and the Bureau of Economic Analysis can be found in the Marine Economy Satellite Account. The statistics show the economic contributions of marine-dependent businesses, offering national estimates for ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes-related economic activity by industry, as well as data that measures the marine economy as a percentage of the nation’s gross domestic product and total output. These statistics are the most comprehensive available, and provide baseline data for businesses and industries considering ocean-dependent investments.
The Marine Economy Satellite Account, which measures the contributions to the U.S. economy of activities related to the nation’s oceans, seaports, and Great Lakes, demonstrates significant marine economy contributions.
OCM developed a pilot service equity assessment — one of only three in NOAA — with a focus on OCM’s coastal resilience planning tool, the Sea Level Rise Viewer, and its associated data, tools, and training. The pilot assessment aligns with the goals set forth in the Presidential Executive Order 13985 On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The assessment identified barriers underserved communities may face in using the tool and outlined recommendations for increasing service equity. OCM is working to reduce barriers that may exist within grant procedures, technical assistance offerings, training opportunities, and fellowship programs.
NOAA’s Sea Level Rise Viewer is a popular resilience planning tool on the Digital Coast website. OCM focused on this tool in its service equity assessment.
In March 2021, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with NOAA, announced a request for proposals under the 2021 National Coastal Resilience Fund. Congress appropriated up to $34 million to invest in projects that restore and strengthen natural systems, which in turn lessens community flooding and enhances fish and wildlife habitats. Now in its fourth year, this initiative advances regionally identified priorities and innovative approaches.
In 2020, the fund provided $37 million in federal funds for 46 projects in 25 states and territories. The total investment, including non-federal match and contributions from partners, was more than $92 million.
Restoration of a fish and wildlife habitat — an example of the projects funded through the National Coastal Resilience Fund.
NOAA tools help coastal and ocean professionals do their jobs, and OCM regularly engages with end users to update and improve these products based on their needs. One example is the Adapting Stormwater Management for Coastal Floods tool. More frequent flooding, particularly on the coast, poses a unique and growing challenge for stormwater management systems. To tackle this complex issue, OCM used feedback to update the tool, which city planners and engineers use to calculate water level thresholds where coastal stormwater infrastructure is impacted. Users can also incorporate future sea level rise projections into these calculations. The new version of the tool contains a more interactive, scenario-driven “Analyze” section for this purpose, helping communities to plan for and manage coastal flooding.
To enhance the OceanReports mapping and planning tool, and to meet a White House directive, OCM sought feedback from hundreds of ocean industry and government regulators. Enhancements based on this feedback will help with selecting locations for wind energy projects and other ocean industry and climate science priorities in the coming years.
Enhancements to the OceanReports tool (pictured here) will help with selecting locations for wind energy projects and other ocean industry and climate science priorities.
Over 100 professionals from non-profits, coastal programs, and other agencies attended OCM’s Funding and Financing Coastal Resilience 101 virtual training. The first event of this new series reached capacity almost immediately, with over 100 hopeful attendees placed on the waitlist. Presenters offered tangible approaches, many of which can be found in NOAA’s new quick reference, Funding and Financing: Options and Considerations for Coastal Resilience Projects. NOAA partnered with the Conservation Finance Network and The Conservation Fund to offer the training. In Fiscal Year 2021, over 3,000 coastal professionals built their knowledge and skills through OCM courses like Funding and Financing Coastal Resilience 101.
Programs led by OCM provide tangible economic value to coastal communities each year. A report from Resources for the Future concluded that the Digital Coast website offers “considerable demonstrated value to the public across its variety of programs.” Among the various studies performed to create the report, one focused on the use of OCM’s Sea Level Rise Viewer tool to support a decision to move critical infrastructure from a high-risk situation. According to the study, this one-time use yielded societal benefits of $1.1-2.2 million. Another study estimates that Digital Coast training programs yield benefits of up to $9.7 million annually. While the economic impacts of NOAA’s national estuarine research reserves can be difficult to quantify, a recent pilot study found that just four of the 29 reserves collectively generate more than $165 million in annual revenue, including $56.4 million in wages and at least 1,762 jobs.
Recreational activities at NOAA’s national estuarine research reserves attract tourists and help generate millions of dollars and over one thousand jobs in communities throughout the U.S.
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