In July, NOAA and the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the available of $54 million to address marine debris throughout the coastal and Great Lakes states and territories.
NOAA said the funding would support impactful, large-scale marine debris removal projects, as well as the installation monitoring and maintenance of proven marine debris interception technologies.
“Marine debris threatens the health, productivity and overall economic viability of coastal communities throughout the nation,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said. “These new funding opportunities, made possible thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, will strengthen our coastal infrastructure, keep debris from entering our waterways, and help protect our public health and marine ecosystems.”
The funding opportunities are part of NOAA’s Climate-Ready Coasts Initiative, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The funding is split into two opportunities – the Marine Debris Removal program that prioritizes large-scale removal debris removal projects generally unable to be collected by hand including abandoned and derelict vessels, derelict fishing gear and other large debris; and the Marine Debris Interception Technologies program that prioritizes the installation, monitoring and maintenance of interception technologies that capture marine debris at or close to debris sources or pathways.
“Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is creating opportunities for the coordinated removal of marine debris at an unprecedented scale, including the removal of legacy debris that has impacted the marine environment for decades,” NOAA Marine Debris Program Director Nancy Wallace said. “We are helping coastal communities build the future they want to see by investing in high-impact projects that increase resilience, restore habitat and prevent debris re-accumulation in the environment.”