Member for Bega Andrew Constance is encouraging local councils who manage coastal and estuary environments to apply for funding under the NSW Government's Coastal and Estuary Grants Program.
Mr Constance said our unique coastal and estuary environments are enjoyed by our local community and provide habitat for a vast range of animals and marine plant species.
The $63 million Coastal and Estuary Grants Program is part of the NSW Government’s $83.6 million coastal reforms funding package to support Councils to implement works in their certified coastal zone management plans (CZMPs).
“These grants were designed to support local government in managing the risks from coastal hazards, such as coastal erosion, restoring degraded coastal habitats or improving the health of NSW estuaries, wetlands and littoral rainforests,” Mr Constance said.
There are five streams under the program: one for planning and studies which includes investigation, design and cost-benefit analysis and four for implementing works under each of the coastal management areas in the Coastal Management Act.
Funding is available for activities without a certified Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) or Coastal Management Program (CMP) for this year’s round, including:
• beach scraping to mitigate immediate coastal erosion risk
• management and stabilisation of dune systems
• formalising or reducing the number of beach access points to reduce environmental damage/impact
• estuarine riparian restoration
• littoral rainforest regeneration
• coastal wetland rehabilitation for sites with an approved management plan.
Applications for funding under the four streams for implementing works are part of a contestable funding round each financial year.
The 2018-19 funding round is now open for planning and implementing works and I encourage our council’s to prepare applications. General enquiries on grants administration should be directed to coastalestuary.floodgrants@environment.nsw.gov.au or Coast, Estuary and Flood Grants Unit on 02 9895 6494.
Further information and application forms are available here: www.environment.nsw.gov.au/coasts/coastalgrants.htm.
