From NOAA
August 16, 2024
Since the passage of the historic Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022, NOAA has received an unprecedented $3.3 billion and invested billions into projects that help ensure America is better able to prevent and adapt to our rapidly changing climate and the weather and climate disasters that the nation continues to experience.
Here are seven ways NOAA’s Inflation Reduction Act investments are helping people, communities and local economies communities be more resilient to the changes in our climate and environment:
1. A whopping $575 million for 19 projects under the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge grant program is helping the nation’s coastal and Great Lakes states and territories weather climate-driven hazards.
These projects are addressing climate-related threats to public infrastructure and natural habitats, such as extreme heat and drought, food and water security and mental and physical health. This was also the most popular program to date in the IRA across all agencies.
2. Nine projects under the Climate Ready Workforce funding opportunity are training and placing thousands of people in climate jobs that help coastal and Great Lakes states, tribes and territories adapt to climate change
This $60 million program is supporting vulnerable communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis – especially those that face disproportionate climate risks and inequities due to systemic and historical socioeconomic disparities and injustices – by training an estimated 4,000 people within the public and private sectors.
3. NOAA’s Ocean-Based Climate Resilience Accelerators program is developing new, innovative technologies to help communities prepare and respond to changing ocean conditions, habitats and coastal hazards.
This $60 million investment is focusing on starting businesses in four key areas: ocean renewable energy, coastal and ocean carbon sequestration monitoring and accounting, hazard mitigation and coastal resilience, and ecosystems services. More awards will be announced later this year.
4. NOAA and the Bureau of Indian Affairs are investing $240 million to help Pacific salmon and steelhead fish hatcheries become more productive and profitable.
An initial $54 million has already been made available to 27 tribes in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. The remaining funding will be made available by way of a competitive selection process later this year.
5. Thanks to $3.1 million from NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System program and $1.8 million from the IRA, the western U.S. is benefiting from improved drought monitoring and prediction.
This investment – which supports both NOAA and partner research on drought – is enhancing decision-makers’ capacity to protect life, property and ecosystems in the region from the impacts of drought.
6. NOAA’s Industry Proving Grounds program is gathering the actionable climate information private-sector businesses need to prosper.
Building on existing private sector engagement, this $85 million investment is helping to improve NOAA’s efforts to deliver climate data and services to the finance and reinsurance, retail and architecture and engineering industries.
7. Two virtual centers of excellence are helping community organizations study the effects of excessive heat on human health and reduce heat risks.
One center, based out of Durham, North Carolina, is helping community-serving organizations conduct local climate and health studies. The other, based out of Los Angeles, is helping communities make better decisions around heat risks using the latest climate and health research.