NOAA awarded $3.9M in funds to help US adapt to climate disasters

NOAA will receive $3.9 million over four years toward climate adaptation
They hope to help regions mitigate and recover from flood and fire damage
The U.S. has seen 371 billion-dollar weather/climate disasters since 1980

Updated: Sep 29, 2023 / 04:34 PM CDT

This collage depicts floods and wildfires, which have been increasing in the United States and globally, fueled by climate warming. The Department of Commerce and NOAA have announced new funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will help communities develop greater resilience and adaptation to address floods and wildfires. (Image credit: NOAA)

(NewsNation) — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will be awarded $3.9 million in funding over four years to help the nation adapt to floods and wildfires.

The funding, provided through t he Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will be put toward existing projects that will test and help build national adaption to floods and wildfires, according to an NOAA announcement published Thursday.

Other projects focus on improving engagement with coastal communities so they can better plan for severe weather, and studying the ways communities and wildlife can recover long term.

NOAA’s Climate Adaptation Partnerships (CAP) and Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) teams are overseeing the projects.

“Communities across the country are working to build resilience against climate change and unlock climate-smart economic growth,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in an official statement.

The U.S. has experienced 371 separate billion dollar weather and climate disasters since 1980, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. That includes 42 flooding events and 22 wildfires.

With the added funding, NOAA hopes to help communities mitigate the risk of those events by exploring infrastructure options and applying the ones best suited for different communities.