SHAHEEN ANNOUNCES $4.7 MILLION FOR COASTAL LAND MANAGEMENT AT UNH

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today announced that the University of New Hampshire’s National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Science Collaborative has won a $4,727,383 competitive grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  The national program seeks to develop solutions to protect coastal zones, like the Great Bay Estuary, from environmental degradation through a collaborative approach that takes into account both scientific and commercial concerns.

“While our coastal areas are home to some of our most vibrant economic activity, they are also home to some of our most fragile natural habitats,” Shaheen said.  “Since we must protect both, it’s critical we develop solutions that reflect both scientific and economic realities—which is exactly what the NERRS Science Collaborative seeks to do.”

“We are extremely grateful that Senator Shaheen and NOAA recognize the importance of our mission in these challenging economic times," said Richard Langan, Director of the NERRS Science Collaborative. “Our program puts NERRS-led science directly to work for coastal communities coping with environmental problems that impact economies, business, infrastructure, property, human health, and well-being. We do this by involving the people who need to use the science in its generation, and by using UNH resources to educate the next generation of professionals who can link science to problem solving.”

The NERRS Science Collaborative operates through a cooperative agreement between the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  It supports projects across the country affiliated with estuarine research reserves that bring a multidisciplinary range of stakeholders from the public, private, and academic sectors together to address coastal land use problems.