Biden-Harris Administration recommends funding of $17.7 million for projects in Oregon to strengthen Climate-Ready Coasts as part of Investing in America agenda

Today, Vice President Harris announced that the Department of Commerce has recommended $17.7 million for projects across Oregon to make communities and the economy more resilient to climate change, as part of the Investing in America agenda. Across Oregon, six projects will create jobs and boost economic and environmental outcomes for coastal communities. The awards are made under the Biden Administration’s Climate-Ready Coasts initiative funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) with additional funds leveraged from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). 

“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to combating the effects of climate change on coastal communities across the country, including Oregon,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “We are proud to recommend funding for six state and locally led programs that will restore some of Oregon’s most precious habitats, protect threatened species, educate students and the community on impacts of marine debris and create jobs.”

Administered by the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Climate-Ready Coasts initiative is focused on investing in high-impact projects that create climate solutions by storing carbon; build resilience to coastal hazards such as extreme weather events, pollution and marine debris; restore coastal habitats that help wildlife and humans thrive; build the capacity of underserved communities and support community-driven restoration; and provide employment opportunities.

“As a long-time resident of Oregon, I appreciate both the unique beauty of Oregon’s coast, as well as the challenges that lie ahead as communities there prepare for the impacts of climate change,” said Rick Spinrad, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “These historic investments will make a difference for communities throughout Oregon, helping to create jobs and economic opportunity and develop innovative approaches to tackling the climate crisis.” 

“This federal investment takes a significant and historic step to protect the Oregon Coast and coastlines across America from the deepest impacts of the climate crisis,” said Senator Ron Wyden. “I’m glad the landmark Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act that I worked to pass are continuing to produce such local gains for Oregonians and their communities throughout our state.”

“I am pleased that funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act is moving swiftly to communities in need,” said Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-03). “This funding will support important habitat restoration for fisheries in both metropolitan and coastal areas, including the Johnson Creek Watershed which contains critical habitat for native salmon and steelhead in a heavily urbanized area. This work is especially important as Oregon works to mitigate the impacts of climate change on threatened and endangered species.”

“NOAA’s Climate Ready Coasts initiative is making it possible for communities to invest in coastal restoration,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01). “I helped lead the effort to get funding for this important initiative into the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, and I'm grateful that these resources will be available to support projects in Oregon and across the country.”

“Oregonians from the south coast already see first-hand the impacts climate change have had on our fisheries and habitats. That is why I’m excited to announce that two projects in Oregon’s Fourth Congressional District received a combined $9.5 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act,” said Congresswoman Val Hoyle (OR-04). “The Quartz Creek project will help restore fish habitats damaged in the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire, and the Cape Foulweather project will conserve marine ecosystems and boost coastal resilience through tribal management and stewardship. This funding will go a long way in making our communities and ecosystems more resilient.” 

These projects are part of NOAA’s nearly $6 billion total investment under BIL and IRA. Recommended projects and funding amounts in Oregon include:

• Quartz Creek Ecosystem Resiliency Project
  McKenzie Watershed Alliance: $7.5 million
  Funding Source: Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants
  This investment will replace an aging, undersized bridge and improve access to over 10 miles of spawning and rearing fish habitat in lower Quartz Creek thereby benefiting species such as the Upper Willamette spring Chinook salmon, and recreational species such as cutthroat trout. The project area is considered to be the most important remaining area for natural production of Upper Willamette River spring Chinook in the Willamette Basin where a recent fire severely impaired the ecosystem. This project is expected to prevent further fire and climate impacts by creating landscape scale fire breaks, buffering flooding, preventing erosion, as well as creating cold water refuge habitat for fish.
• Clackamas Partnership Native Fish Population Habitat Resilience
  Johnson Creek Watershed Council: $3.8 million
  Funding Source: Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants  
  The Johnson Creek Watershed Council will conduct 10 habitat restoration projects in the Portland metro area to benefit several threatened species of Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead trout. This work will be completed in close collaboration with the Clackamas Partnership, a coalition of organizations committed to improving watershed health. The projects will restore habitat in the Clackamas and Lower Willamette Rivers. The opportunity for floodplain restoration of this scale in urban areas is unusual, and this project serves as a great example of how increasing habitat function for fish serves the community by decreasing the effects of extreme weather and flooding. 
• Wasson Creek Watershed Ridgetop-to-Estuary Restoration Project
  Oregon Department of State Lands: $3.5 million
  Funding Source: National Estuarine Research Reserve System Habitat Protection and Restoration Grants
  This project will restore the ecological health of and cultural connections with the Wasson Creek watershed in the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, resulting in more resilient wetlands, streams, tidal forested swamps, and upland forest habitats. These restored systems will provide habitat for ecologically and culturally important fish species, have significant blue carbon storage benefits, support sustainable harvesting for Indigenous cultural practices, and provide a seed source for local restoration projects.
• Conservation of Cape Foulweather Headland, an Icon of the Central Oregon Coast Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development: $2 million
  Funding Source: Coastal Zone Management Habitat Protection and Restoration Grants  
  The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians will purchase the ecologically and culturally significant “Cape Foulweather” property, located on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. This project will conserve the undeveloped coastal property that hosts habitats rich in marine mammals, a rare salt spray meadow complex, and upland forest connections that are important to threatened species. The headland will provide opportunities for community resilience education and play a central role in the stewardship and conservation of these important tribal lands and waters. Partners in the project will build from this investment toward a conservation and education program that strengthens community resilience in an inclusive, informed manner.
• Chankawan Side Channel Restoration
  Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde: $695,000
  Funding Source: Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Underserved Communities
  The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde will restore habitat for salmon, steelhead, and other species on the tribally owned Chankawan Wildlife Area property near Stayton. They will remove culverts and other barriers to improve fish passage, reconnect the North Santiam River to its floodplain, and increase the amount of large wood to provide more habitat complexity.  
• Oregon Coalition to Combat Marine Debris
  Oregon Sea Grant: $278,000
  Funding Source: Marine Debris Community Action Coalitions
  The coalition formed by this project will leverage industry partnerships, K-12 education programs and undergraduate internships to enhance community literacy around marine debris and marine debris prevention in Oregon at the local scale. Students and educators will gain access to scientifically accurate, rigorous, engaging resources and activities that will inspire actions to address the problem of marine debris beyond the classroom at the community level.