At the Agencies

Forecasters at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center say the Atlantic could see another above-normal hurricane season this year. 
For the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through November 30, forecasters predict a 45 percent chance of an above-normal season, a 35 percent chance of a near-normal season, and only a 20 percent chance of a below-normal season. 

NOAA Fisheries is seeking public comment on proposals under the Marine Mammal Protection Act that would allow companies that are proposing to conduct geophysical surveys in the Atlantic Ocean using seismic air guns to incidentally, but not intentionally, harass marine mammals.
In the News
 
The frequency and severity of coastal flooding throughout the world will increase rapidly and eventually double in frequency over the coming decades even with only moderate amounts of sea level rise, according to a  new study  released today in "Scientific Reports."

As mass bleaching continues to devastate large swathes of the Great Barrier Reef, scientists are fast losing hope that the world's largest living organism can be saved in its entirety. Conceding that climate change will "inevitably" cause the decline of the reef's overall health in the coming decades, reef experts have started talking about a possible "Plan B" - a strategy that won't save the reef as a whole, but may at least ensure that it doesn't disappear completely.
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In the States and Regions 
 
East Coast 

Mexico Beach successfully completed the last phase of its largest ever artificial reef project at a cost of $629,000.
The Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) Phase III (Early Restoration Plan) provided $1,374,185 for the five-phased project that got underway on Sept. 15, 2016 and finished May 9.The project added 47 new reef arrays and expanded 12 existing reefs in State waters.

Three of Florida's 15 sea ports-Port Tampa Bay, JAXPORT and Port Everglades-will receive significant funding from the federal government as the result of an appropriations bill signed into law by President Trump earlier this month.  Together, the three ports will receive $29.3 million dollars from the federal government.
 
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Gulf Coast 

Harbors in Gulfport and Pascagoula are about to get an influx of cash to pay for dredging work. Wednesday, Senator Thad Cochran announced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will allocate an additional $67.5 million in FY2017 appropriations in Mississippi.

A group of Texas agencies overseeing restoration funds from the 2010 BP oil spill has announced a draft plan for spending $45.76 million on 13 coastal restoration projects.
The Texas Trustee Implementation Group's draft restoration plan and environmental assessment settled on the projects after reviewing 800 proposals.
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West Coast and Pacific Islands 

Many California cities are planning for the future effects of climate change. Sea level rise and increases in storm flooding pose real challenges to life as usual along the coast. Scientists and municipal staff are working behind the scenes to identify risks and propose actions to address future vulnerabilities to our communities. In addition to minimizing impacts on roads, homes and businesses, there is also interest in identifying actions to aid natural habitat's ability to respond to threats of sea level rise. 

As Wahkiakum County commissioners try to set up a long-term dredge disposal program to nourish eroding beaches at Cape Horn and on Puget Island, they've encountered a concern from the US Army Corps of Engineers.  The county has set up four flood control zone districts (FCZD) for beach nourishment, and commissioners are trying to obtain easements from property owners in the districts to allow dredging crews to work along the shoreline. All property owners in a district must sign the easements, for the Corps has said it won't deposit sand in a non-contiguous zone.

Great Lakes
More than $1 million earmarked for dredging and repairing flood-damaged Saxon Harbor will bring the harbor to a "usable depth," the forest administrator for Iron County, Wis., said on Monday.  The project, expected to take place next year, "(will) allow larger boats to access Lake Superior and get off of Lake Superior in the event of a storm," Eric J. Peterson said. The funding, which totals $1.375 million, is included in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers work plan for fiscal year 2017, according to an announcement on Monday (May 29) from U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, has awarded a contract for dredging the St. Joseph harbor.  King Company Inc. of Holland, Mich., has been awarded $374,000 to dredge about 30,000 cubic yards of material from St. Joseph Outer Harbor. The company has been further hired to dredge 34,000 cubic yards of material from Holland Harbor.
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Announcements & More   

Please take a moment to watch a short CBS news video -  Sea change: How the Dutch confront the rise of the oceans. Featuring not only the Dutch massive storm surge barriers, but also Jim Murley, Miami Dade Chief Resilience Officer and CSSF President.

The Coastal Conservancy announces the availability of technical assistance to help vulnerable communities develop Climate Ready Projects.  The Climate Ready Program seeks to encourage local governments and non-governmental organizations to take steps to prepare for a changing climate by advancing planning and implementation of on-the-ground actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or lessen the impacts of climate change on California's coastal communities and natural resources. Applications are due on June 30, 2017. Link to the Grant Announcement and to the FAQ.

OneNOAA Science Seminars, 2017  
 
Title: A Coastal Conservation Leadership Program in Washington State
Date & Time: June 8, 2017 - 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET

Title:  Acoustic Monitoring of Marine Mammals within and surrounding the Maryland Wind Energy Area
Date & Time: June 21, 2017 - 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET
 
Seminars are open to the public. For remote access, location, abstracts and more, visit the OneNOAA Science Seminar Calendar at:   http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/seminars/ 
Seminars are posted in Eastern Time and subject to changes without notice; please check the web page for the latest seminar updates.   

 

The Voice of the Coastal States and Territories on Ocean, Coastal & Great Lakes Affairs

 

The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not represent or reflect the views of CSO.