DOI Project Numbers 24 & 67; Decision Support for Hurricane Sandy Restoration and Future Conservation to Increase Resiliency of Tidal Wetland Habitats and Species

This is an announcement for issuing a single source financial assistance award to The Gulf of Maine Association for the Northeast Regional Ocean Council. As part of The Department of the Interior (DOI) Projects #24, Decision Support for Hurricane Sandy Restoration and Future Conservation to Increase Resiliency of Tidal Wetland Habitats and Species in the Face of Storms and Sea Level Rise and #67 Decision Support for Hurricane Sandy Restoration and Future Conservation to Increase Resiliency of Beach Habitats and Beach-Dependent Species in the Face of Storms and Sea Level Rise. These projects included a goal related to science delivery to make decision support tools, maps and monitoring results easily available to decision makers at scales and formats needed; work with partners to translate and use information at the regional, state and local level and enhance existing capacity to work with communities. The intent of the award is to support this science delivery goal through the Northeast Regional Ocean Council partnership and network (through an award to their fiscal agent, the Gulf of Maine Association). This announcement is for notification purposes only. This project was previously vetted and approved for funding by the Department of the Interior. The appropriation for this project is the Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act of 2013, Public Law 113-2. Criteria for funding was based on the project¿s ability to yield the greatest return on investment by taking advantage of existing science and regional planning tools for resiliency and by working with states, cities, communities, and partners who contribute to the goals of restoring and rebuilding national wildlife refuges and other federal public assets; and to increase resiliency and the capacity of coastal habitat and infrastructure and to withstand future storms and to minimize the damage incurred. This project is authorized by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, Public Law 113-2.