Shaheen, NH Delegation Applaud Announcement of Climate Crisis Action Spurred by Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
**Shaheen Chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration**
**Shaheen and Hassan negotiated the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which includes key priorities to address the climate crisis and which this funding will support**
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), along with U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01), applauded the Biden administration’s announcement that $1.467 billion included in the bipartisan infrastructure bill will be invested through existing NOAA programs to support priorities that address the climate crisis. The new Climate Ready Coasts initiative will invest resources toward helping coastal communities address infrastructure needs to increase resiliency to climate change and extreme weather. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan were both lead negotiators of the bipartisan infrastructure law.
“Climate change is an existential threat that carries key implications for New Hampshire’s Seacoast region. Coastal resiliency has long been a critical concern for me, which is why I’ve always fought to secure the funding NOAA and other federal agencies need to make climate research, mitigation efforts and infrastructure investments high priorities,” said Senator Shaheen. “As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds NOAA and as a negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure law that spurred this new initiative, I’m thrilled to see how it will support coastal communities, which are particularly vulnerable to infrastructure damage and consequential economic distress from extreme weather. This is an important step forward, but our work to address the full scope of the climate crisis is far from over.”
“Strengthening coastal resilience is key to combating the harmful effects of climate change in the Granite State,” said Senator Hassan. “That is why I worked to secure funding for coastal resiliency in the bipartisan infrastructure bill. I am glad to announce this federal funding opportunity that can help both our economy and our environment, and I will continue working to help reduce the impact of flooding and other climate change-related events on our local communities.”
“Protecting and preserving our state’s beautiful natural habitats and ecosystems is a critical step to address the impacts of climate change and ensure our communities and economy continue to thrive,” said Rep. Kuster. “I am thrilled to see the Climate Ready Coasts initiative make its way to New Hampshire to help our state take action against climate change and prevent its worst effects. I will continue working to bolster our natural infrastructure so our state remains a wonderful place to live and raise a family.”
“The risk of severe weather and flooding is growing because of climate change, and it’s costing our state more and more each year,” said Rep. Chris Pappas. “It’s critical that our communities on the Seacoast and across our state have resilient infrastructure to protect our environment. I fought hard to pass the bipartisan infrastructure law, and I’m pleased to see these funds coming to New Hampshire to address the threat of climate change and ensure our infrastructure is resilient for years to come.”
Additional information on funding opportunities through the Climate Ready Coasts initiative is available here. Specifically, NOAA will select high-impact projects that will incentivize investments in communities, states and regions that can drive additional funding to complementary projects. Funded projects will support three major initiatives:
- Climate Ready Coasts will help coastal communities build the future they want to see, investing in natural infrastructure projects that build coastal resilience, create jobs, store carbon, remove marine debris and restore habitat. ($1.467 billion over five years)
- Climate Data and Services will support a whole-of-government effort to address the climate crisis by getting critical information and tools in the hands of decision-makers, particularly to address floods, wildfire, drought and ocean health. ($904 million over five years)
- Fisheries and Protected Resources will advance efforts to restore important fisheries habitat and promote community economic development. ($592 million over five years)
As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds NOAA, Shaheen routinely secures robust funding for programs that address numerous issues impacting New Hampshire, from offsetting at-sea monitoring fees to combating the climate crisis. In the fiscal year 2022 government funding bill that was signed into law, Senator Shaheen secured $5.877 billion for NOAA, a $447 million or 8 percent increase above the fiscal year 2021 enacted level. This included $648 million to support NOAA research, including critical research to combat the climate crisis, marking a 5.5 percent increase from 2021. This funding is helping coastal communities in New Hampshire and across the nation strengthen their resilience to a changing climate, as well as support ocean health and research.
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