WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced today that Hampton Roads will receive $844,847 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for adaption and management strategies to address sea level rise. Hampton Roads is one of the communities most vulnerable to the impacts of sea level rise in the country, second only to New Orleans.

“Families in Hampton Roads are already experiencing the consequences of climate change through flooding roads and sidewalks that make travel difficult and at times dangerous,” Warner and Kaine said. “Today’s federal funding will help protect the region from the damaging impact that sea level rise threatens to have on long-term economic vitality and defense readiness. We applaud NOAA for its approach to working with regional and local stakeholders - who have the best understanding of their communities’ needs - to find innovative solutions to this complicated problem.”

Today’s funding was made available by NOAA’s Regional Coastal Resilience Grant Program, which provides grants to support communities and their planning efforts to combat negative impacts of rising oceans and coastal flooding. More information on today’s awards is available here.