WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Rep. Bill Delahunt announced that the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies will receive $549,450 in federal funding to support the Northeast Coastal Monitoring Collaborative.

"The information age has come to ocean science and the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies is leading the way,” said Delahunt. “This funding was provided by the Congress because the health of our coastal waters is vital to the economic health of all coastal communities.” 

The federal funding for this project from the U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was requested by Delahunt in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010.  The funds available will be used for a comprehensive coastal zone reconnaissance mapping using advanced remote sensing, and spectral technology. The project is used to help scientists understand and assess the impacts of various uses of our oceans.  The data and analysis produced by the Collaborative helps identify nonpoint pollution sources, highlights areas for environmental restoration and areas likely to be impacted by sea level rise.  

“The Northeast Coastal Monitoring Collaborative not only plays a crucial role in assessing the health of our marine ecosystem, but in sustaining our region’s position as a world leader in marine science by developing and testing cutting edge ocean sensing technologies,” said Delahunt.

The Northeast Coastal Monitoring Collaborative (NCMC) is a partnership of organizations that utilize the latest scientific tools and technologies to enhance the monitor of the New England coastline and nearshore waters. Collaborators include the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, Salem Sound Coastwatch, Nantucket Soundkeeper, Coalition for Buzzards Bay, Lewis Bay Research Center, Save the Bay Narragansett Bay, Applied Analysis, Inc. These organizations working with citizen volunteers, scientists and government agencies have been conducting water quality/natural resources monitoring and research programs for years throughout the Gulf of Maine.  All scientific findings and information will be available to the public as well as interested researchers and organizations.