Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Funds

Background
NOAA announces the availability of Federal funding, authorized pursuant to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Pub. L. 117-58 (November 15, 2021) and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, for necessary expenses associated with the restoration of Pacific salmon populations. The Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) program makes such funding available to the States of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, California, and Alaska, and federally recognized Tribes of the Columbia River and Pacific Coast for projects necessary for the conservation of salmon and steelhead populations listed as threatened or endangered, or identified by a State as at-risk to be so-listed; for maintaining populations necessary for exercise of tribal treaty fishing rights or native subsistence fishing; or for the conservation of Pacific coastal salmon and steelhead habitat.

Grant Details
PCSRF was established in Fiscal Year (FY) 2000 to address a coast-wide need to restore and conserve Pacific Chinook salmon, coho salmon, chum salmon, sockeye salmon, pink salmon and steelhead, and their habitat. Under this solicitation, NMFS seeks applications for projects from eligible States, Indian tribes, representative Tribal Commissions, and Alaska Native Tribal Consortia so that it can allocate the FY 2023 Federal funds for PCSRF grants based on scientific and merit principles.

The objective of the FY 2023 PCSRF is to supplement state and tribal programs for salmon restoration by allocating federal funding to projects and activities that provide demonstrable and measurable benefits to Pacific anadromous salmonids and their habitat. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill (BIL) funds will specifically be used to provide federal financial assistance to states and tribes to support Priority One projects that protect, restore, and conserve Pacific salmon and steelhead and their habitats.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants are the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, California, and Alaska, and Federally-recognized tribes of the Columbia River and Pacific Coast (including Alaska). State applicants are required to match or document in-kind contributions of at least 33% of received Federal funds. Indian tribes, representative tribal commissions and consortia are exempt from any cost share requirement.

Period of Performance
The PCSRF program announcement is for programs and projects to be conducted for a 1-year or up to a 5-year period with an anticipated start date no earlier than July 1, 2023.

Grant Value
Total funding available under this notice is anticipated to be between $50 million and $160 million. The amount of funds available for competitive awards will depend on the final fiscal year 2023 appropriation. Depending on the number of applications and amount of funding requested for each PCSRF Program Priority, NOAA may limit or proportion the distribution of FY 2023 PCSRF funds to each PCSRF Program Priority.

Place of Performance
The specific geographic locations where the grant will be performed include the States of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, California, Alaska; federally recognized Tribes of the Columbia River; Pacific Coast including Alaska.