The Coastal Habitat Restoration and Protection Coalition

American Rivers American Sportfishing Association Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Association of National Estuary Programs Coastal States Organization Ducks Unlimited National Estuarine Research Reserve AssociationRestore America's Estuaries The Nature Conservancy The Trust for Public Land Trout Unlimited

March 15, 2013

The Honorable Rebecca M. Blank Acting Secretary U.S. Department of Commerce 1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20230

The Honorable Kathryn Sullivan Acting Administrator National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 1401 Constitution Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20230

Re:

Support for NOAAs Coastal Restoration and Protection Programs in FY 2014 Budget

Dear Acting Secretary Blank and Acting Administrator Sullivan: We write today to express strong support for critical programs administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that accomplish important coastal habitat protection and restoration goals in coastal communities across America. Our coalition urges you to include strong funding for the following critical programs as you finalize the Presidents Fiscal Year 2014 budget. Our coalitions shared priorities include the following programs: NOAAs Community-based Restoration Program NOAAs Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program NOAAs National Estuarine Research Reserves While we understand there is immense pressure on the federal budget, we continue to believe that the Administrations Fiscal Year 2013 budget was short-sighted because it slashed and in some cases eliminated these critical programs. We have appreciated that you and your respective staffs have been willing to discuss the challenges that these programs face, and the multiple ways that these programs benefit communities and taxpayers throughout the country. We want to reiterate again that these programs significantly leverage federal dollars with private matching funds, create direct jobs on the ground, support fish stocks, increase community resiliency to extreme weather events, and are driven by local community efforts. Now more than ever, these programs deserve our full support. Our nations coastal zone is under significant pressure from extreme weather events compounded by increasing development and competing demands for limited coastal areas. Coastal areas house almost 164 million people, with millions more traveling to visit the nations beaches and waterfronts each year. As coastal populations and visitor use continue to increase, NOAAs coastal programs offer essential support to communities throughout the nation that are willing to invest in the protection and restoration of land that has significant conservation, recreation, ecological, and aesthetic values, and that ultimately benefits the local economy. Protection and restoration of the health of coastal and riverine habitats demonstrably improves ecosystems and economies. Our coastal regions account for the great majority of the national economy totaling trillions of dollars each year. Several recent studies have found that for each $1 million invested in restoration, between 17 and 33 new jobs are created depending on the restoration type, more than in more grey infrastructure industries. Public-private projects directly create jobs by helping to improve lands that will be better able to filter pollutants from stormwater runoff, control flooding after storm events, provide vital nursery habitat for

fish and shellfish, and create nesting and foraging habitat for coastal birds. Coastal habitats also serve as natural buffers for storm surge and hurricanes and therefore protect people and property. As recently evidenced in Superstorm Sandy, costs of storm damage were reduced because of restored and protected coastal habitat. In addition, the resulting cleaner water and more abundant habitats benefit local economies by improving land values, supporting recreational and commercial fishing, boosting tourism, and creating new business and recreational opportunities. As work continues to finalize the Fiscal Year 2014 budget, we ask that you keep in mind all the important benefits created as a result of NOAAs coastal habitat protection and restoration programs not only for their immense ecologic benefits but also for their ability to increase coastal resiliency, protect people and property from extreme weather events, leverage private matching funds, and provide myriad economic benefits. Our coalition represents states, businesses, and organizations totaling millions of hunters, anglers, kayakers, hikers, fish and wildlife professionals, and others who are united by a shared commitment to restoring and protecting our nations coasts, estuaries and rivers. We remain committed to ensuring the future of these key programs and retaining NOAAs core coastal stewardship programs because of the tremendous value these programs deliver to coastal states and local communities. We urge you to prioritize strong funding for these programs as you finalize your Fiscal Year 2014 budget. Thank you in advance for your consideration of our request. Sincerely, American Rivers American Sportfishing Association Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Association of National Estuary Programs Coastal States Organization Ducks Unlimited National Estuarine Research Reserve Association Restore America's Estuaries The Nature Conservancy The Trust for Public Land Trout Unlimited

cc:

Dana Hyde, Associate Director, Office of Management and Budget Mark Weatherly, Deputy Associate Director, Office of Management and Budget Randy Lyon, Branch Chief, Office of Management and Budget Hari Sastry, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department of Commerce Karen Hyun, Senior Policy Adviser, Department of Commerce Adrienne Simonson, Budget Analyst, Department of Commerce Margaret Spring, Principal Deputy Under Secretary, NOAA David Kennedy, Deputy Under Secretary for Operations, NOAA Sally Yozell, Director of Policy, NOAA Eric Schwaab, Acting Assistant Secretary for Conservation and Management, NOAA
Holly Bamford, Assistant Administrator for National Ocean Service, NOAA Sam Rauch, Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA