Posted on December 7, 2022
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced on Tuesday that a record investment was made to help Louisiana communities with coastal flooding.
The funding came from the Department of Defense and other private partners, totaling $136 million.
Louisiana and 28 other states will receive money for natural infrastructure projects.
Some of the money has been earmarked for projects dedicated to restoring salt marshes in Louisiana, according to a news release issued by NOAA.
NOAA said the natural infrastructure projects provide a buffer for communities against intense storms and flooding, while also improving wildlife habitats.
“Water does an awful lot of damage, more than anything else associated with tropical storms and hurricanes, so our ability to contain it (and) use nature based solutions is going to be really valuable to the coastal communities of Louisiana,” said Rick Spinrad, the administrator for NOAA.
These projects are estimated to restore and create more than 16,000 acres of coastal habitat.
They come at a time when the United States is experiencing billion-dollar natural disasters in more rapid succession.
“Think hurricanes, tornadoes, fires,” said Spinrad. “Back in the 1980s, it was about 85 days between billion-dollar disasters every year. Now that’s more like two and a half weeks. So this year, we’ve seen 15 of those billion-dollar disasters. Last year, it was more like 20.”
