Washington D.C. - U.S. Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Susan Collins (R-ME) announced that $2,556,000 has been awarded to the Maine State Planning Office from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The funding will be used for Maine's Coastal Zone Management. "Maine's coastal areas provide abundant recreational, aesthetic, and economic opportunities," said Senators Snowe and Collins in a joint statement. "It is imperative that we adequately manage our coastal zones and the resources that go along with them so we can continue to enjoy them for years to come. This recent funding from NOAA will allow planners in the state of Maine to adequately maintain and conserve the areas that are so important to our state's heritage, identity, and economy." This award marks the 31st year that NOAA has provided ongoing funding to assist the State of Maine in administering its coastal management program. These funds provide ongoing support of the coastal zone management permit, planning, environmental restoration, monitoring, public access, and stewardship programs and activities.
The National Coastal Management Program is a federal-state partnership dedicated to comprehensive management of the nation's coastal resources, ensuring their protection for future generations while balancing competing national economic, cultural and environmental interests.
The Coastal Zone Management Program (CZMP) is authorized by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 and administered at the federal level by the Coastal Programs Division (CPD) within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration''s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM). The CPD is responsible for advancing national coastal management objectives and maintaining and strengthening state and territorial coastal management capabilities. It supports states through financial assistance, mediation, technical services and information, and participation in priority state, regional, and local forums.
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