The Washington State Coastal Climate Resilience Initiative: Accelerating Implementation of 20 Years of Partnership Efforts

Recipient: Washington Coastal Zone Management Program
Funding Amount: $73,587,134

Summary

With this funding, Washington State moves a shared vision for climate change resiliency from planning to implementation, making a profound difference for the health and resilience of its coast and coastal communities. This is the state’s first effort to implement coordinated, coast-wide climate response projects.

Projects include three habitat restoration projects; nature-based shoreline improvements for several coastal highways including State Route 112 and 105; shoreline restoration; and stormwater drainage improvements. Funds will also be used to grow a climate-informed workforce, strengthen regional coalitions, and build tribal capacity to help Washington advance integrated and equitable coastal management.

Details

Washington’s coastal areas are increasingly vulnerable. Projected disasters currently hover at six per year, a dramatic increase from the single predicted disaster for 1990. If this trend continues, Washington can expect up to ten disasters annually by 2040, with a strong potential for extreme upward variations.

The multifaceted projects associated with this grant represent a strong, proactive response 20 years in the making through the work of the Washington State Coastal Climate Resilience Partnership. This collaborative effort, facilitated by the Washington Coastal Zone Management Program, developed a shared vision for coastal climate resilience alongside many local, state, and tribal partners.

Restoration and Adaptation Projects
Several projects are ready to go. These projects are designed to improve resilience for urban, rural, agricultural, and tribal communities; set back critical infrastructure; and undertake planning exercises to determine future priority projects. Locations include the North Puget Sound, North Olympic Peninsula, and the Pacific Ocean coast.

Investment in People
This grant includes funding for a resilience-focused grant program developed for coastal tribes; a coastal resilience fellowship program; and the development of climate resilience career pathways for citizens. The project will also address data gaps, including the collection and subsequent distribution of coastal topobathymetric data.

Coastal Climate Resilience Partnership
Convened by the Washington Coastal Zone Management Program, the University of Washington’s Climate Impacts Group is compiling the information needed to better understand coastal risks and vulnerabilities. The group will also develop adaptation action case studies, document best practices and lessons learned from partnership efforts, and create educational materials designed to inform a strategy for continued climate resilience-focused coordination, governance, and leadership.

(View handout.)

For more information on the grant program funding this project, please visit the Inflation Reduction Act webpage. For more information on the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge, visit the Office for Coastal Management’s resilience challenge webpage.