From Legislation to Action: Nicole LeBouef on NOAA's Funding Boost for Coastal Communities | Capitol Beach

On The Capitol Beach, Derek Brockbank speaks with Nicole LeBouef, the assistant administrator for NOAA’s National Ocean Service, about NOAA’s recent announcement of $562 million investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to make coastal communities resilient to climate impacts. Funding 149 projects across 30 states and territories, this is the first major announcement of NOAA funds coming from these landmark pieces of legislation. Nicole explains how the BIL and IRA funds complement each other, what lessons NOAA has learned from the first year of funding, and how communities should talk about their funded projects to help ensure this investment is not once-in-a-generation, but a paradigm shift for how we invest in coastal resilience in an era of sea level rise and other climate impacts.  You can learn more about the funded projects on an interactive map on NOAA’s website, and learn more about BIL and IRA funding – including upcoming funding opportunities - at: https://www.noaa.gov/infrastructure-law