Projects of Special Merit Competition - FY2013

The objective of Section 309 is to encourage States or Territories with federally-approved coastal management programs (CMPs) to continually improve their programs. The intent of Projects of Special Merit (PSM) funding is to offer CMPs the opportunity to develop innovative projects that further their approved enhancement area strategies and focus on national priorities. The Secretary is authorized to make grants to a CMP for the development and submission of Federally approved program changes that support attainment of one or more enhancement area objectives established at § 923.122. PSM funds...

Additional Information on Eligibility: Any State or Territorial coastal zone management program that has been approved by NOAA pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1455) is eligible under this announcement if the requirements established at � 923.121 are met. Applicants must have successfully completed an approved Assessment and Strategy which includes an approved strategy for one or more of the priority enhancement areas identified in Section I.B to be eligible for funding under this announcement. In addition to strategies approved as part of the Assessment and Strategy, approved strategies include added or substantially modified strategies that were approved by NOAA's Office and Coastal Resource Management prior to the start of the competition. Strategies added or substantially modified after the date on which this notice was published are not approved strategies for the purposes of this competition. The designated lead agency for implementing each approved CMP is eligible to submit projects for funding under this competition. For the purposes of this competition, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission is an eligible applicant. Eligible applicants may submit a proposal on behalf of state agency partners within the approved state coastal zone management program network, if applicable. Local governments and nonprofits may participate as partners on the proposed projects; however, projects should be focused upon enhancing the approved coastal zone management program.

Elizabeth Mountz Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management NOAA Ocean Service 1305 East West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 Telephone: 301-713-3155 ext. 148