Virginia has some of the fastest-eroding coastline in the U.S, so an effort at one federal agency is bringing new focus to the region.

Inside the Commerce Department lies NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In recent years, NOAA has designated Habitat Focus Areas in select locations around the country to attempt to restore coastal habitats.

The newest area is Virginia's Middle Peninsula, and Andrew Larkin - a senior program analyst with NOAA Fisheries in Virginia - explained why.

"The Middle Peninsula was selected because it's an area that's experiencing some impacts from climate change," said Larkin. "It's an area that's experiencing a lot of flooding, and they've seen some decline in their seafood industry."

The sudden loss of infrastructure during large storms is easy to see, with washed-out highways, rail lines and utilities. But the longer-term economic impacts of habitat loss are harder to spot.

Habitat Focus Areas help to bring resources from different levels of government to bear on problems that may be too big for local governments to handle.

Efforts to slow coastal erosion in the past were often limited to concrete or rock structures like bulkheads or riprap shorelines. In some areas of the Middle Peninsula, NOAA is stabilizing the coast using so-called "living shorelines."

Larkin described how they incorporate plants and marine life to create sustainable and stable shore conditions.

"By using things like plants or oyster structures - so we're talking marsh grass or things like oyster castles - these are concrete structures which oysters adhere to, and then the oysters provide kind of a wave break," said Larkin. "So, when you've got waves that are kind of pounding a shoreline, these will kind of break up and weaken those waves. And the plants behind them, the marsh grass, will help to trap the sediment to prevent erosion from happening."

Changes to shore ecosystems often have a direct impact on jobs connected to fishing and tourism, and communities see their tax base eroded as residents and businesses leave. So, efforts to stabilize shorelines are not only seen as helping the environment but making local communities more resilient.

Lewie Lawrence, executive director of the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission, said it's about striking a balance.

"We've got to try to figure out how do we find balance and parity," said Lawrence. "If you put too much development pressure on one side, you cause too much environmental damage. If you protect too much on one side, you're losing the ability to generate economic revenue, which is needed to make government function through tax revenue."

More information on NOAA Habitat Focus Areas is online at www.habitatblueprint.noaa.gov

Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

As people head to the polls tomorrow, groups are working to ensure Georgia's Black and brown communities understand the energy saving benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act.

The Payback Campaign is a public awareness initiative led by creative firm AB and supported by Georgia Interfaith Power and Light. It is helping educate congregations and communities on Inflation Reduction Act incentives, including solar energy tax credits to lower utility costs, reduce carbon emissions and build resilience.

Jay Horton, communications manager for Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, explained access to resources is especially meaningful for congregations in underserved areas.

"One of the main advantages of the Inflation Reduction Act was that congregations and faith communities, houses of worship, can now benefit from the tax credits available for solar and battery storage," Horton explained. "Especially low wealth communities."

The group helps congregations with low-cost solar assessments, connections to vetted installers, and a zero-interest loan through its Solar Wise program. To date, the initiative has completed 23 installations in Georgia, totaling 540 kilowatts and offsetting more than 3,200 metric tons of carbon emissions annually.

Horton pointed out Georgia power bills will increase by an average of $44 over two years and solar installations can help mitigate rising energy costs. Beyond saving money, he noted solar power also reduces reliance on fossil fuels, leading to cleaner air and a smaller carbon footprint. He added congregations would be able to redirect the savings into community services, all while making a positive environmental impact.

"For example, Trinity Episcopal Church in Statesboro, they had a 30-kilowatt system through the Georgia Bright program but their utility bill savings over next 20 years, $196,000, net savings of $60,000," Horton outlined. "That's equivalent to 705 tons of CO2 offset. "

He emphasized the offset is equivalent to 1.5 million miles driven in a car, or 10,000 trees planted. The Payback Campaign also highlighted how environmental and economic benefits can inform voter choices, encouraging support for leaders who prioritize clean energy initiatives.


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On this year's California ballot, Proposition 4 has not received much attention but it could have a huge effect on the Golden State.

The $10 billion bond measure would be the largest conservation investment in state history. Opponents argued the state cannot afford to take on billions more dollars in debt.

Pamela Flick, California program director for the nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife, said the measure would be an effective way to address some of California's biggest problems.

"California faces devastating wildfires, vulnerable drinking water supplies, extreme summer heat and other major threats from a changing climate," Flick pointed out. "Proposition 4 tackles our most urgent climate needs today, before the damage becomes too costly and unimaginable."

Prop 4 would dedicate $3.8 billion for ensuring drinking water and increasing water supplies. It earmarks $1.5 billion for wildfire prevention, $1.2 billion to protect important wildlife habitat, and $1.2 billion to protect the coastline and prepare for rising sea levels. The rest of the money would go toward energy infrastructure, parks and programs to help farmers combat extreme heat.

Flick acknowledged California's ecosystems have evolved with fire for millennia but a series of megafires over the past decade have devastated some forest ecosystems.

"Severe fires pose the biggest impact to wildlife and its habitat," Flick asserted. "Because it's so much harder for those areas that were burned severely to bounce back and provide important habitat for species."

The heightened wildfire risk in California has already led some insurance companies to raise rates steeply or stop insuring homes altogether in certain areas. Backers said Prop 4 is an important step to protect the value of people's homes.

A proposed project to build a refinery on an estuary along the Columbia River is getting pushback from the public.

NEXT Renewable Fuels is proposing a diesel refinery in Clatskanie, Oregon, with a capacity of up to 50,000 barrels of fuel a day. The Texas-based company said the fuel comes from renewable sources such as organic waste materials.

Dan Serres, advocacy director for the nonprofit Columbia Riverkeeper, said the energy source is not as clean as the company claims and would in fact be a major source of pollution for the river and nearby homes and farms.

"What they heard from the community during public comment was a sharp rebuke and they heard tough questions that they failed to answer," Serres asserted. "That's why DEQ needs to move forward and deny this project."

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality was accepting public comments on water quality permits for the project. In addition to opposition submitted to the agency, 23 organizations sent a letter to Gov. Tina Kotek urging her to oppose the refinery. NEXT Renewable Fuels said the project supports the state's clean energy goals.

Serres countered the company's assertion the project will be good for the environment are dubious as well.

"It's a tremendous negative carbon impact in terms of undermining the state of Oregon's greenhouse gas reduction goals," Serres contended. "It would be one of Oregon's largest polluters on day one, producing over one million tons of greenhouse gas pollution each year."

Serres also noted NEXT's own assessment of the project said it will likely affect fish and fish habitat. He stressed the area near the project is important for the endangered salmon of the region.

"Most of the salmon that folks see swimming all the way up the Columbia River come right by Port Westward," Serres pointed out. "That fact is not lost on the people who are now weighing in with the project and pointing out that there's a major threat here."

Serres argued the state should wait for an environmental impact statement from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before moving forward.