Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act of 2025

This bill sets up a national program to protect and restore coasts and estuaries. The Commerce Department can work with states, research reserves, and nonprofits to save important coastal lands and fix damaged areas to help protect communities from storms and rising seas . It gives priority to projects that help low-income communities, stop risky development, and reduce climate risks, including by storing carbon and allowing shorelines and wetlands to move inland as waters rise. Nonprofits can get grants if the state coastal program supports the project; they must allow public access (or limit it only to protect sensitive habitats) and include a plan for who takes over the land if the group shuts down. The bill also factors in the value of “ecosystem services,” like storm-surge protection, fish habitat, and long-term carbon storage, when weighing land decisions.

It aims to grow and strengthen the National Estuarine Research Reserve System by adding at least five new reserves within 5 to 8 years, improving climate tracking (including sea level and lake level changes), and using reserves as “living labs” for research, education, and training, including a graduate fellowship program . It also lets existing activities like fishing, hunting, and cultural practices continue at reserves unless a site’s plan says otherwise, and sets grant funding for reserves at $47 million per year from 2025 through 2029.

Key points

• Who is affected: Coastal communities, states, Tribal and Indigenous communities, research reserves, and nonprofits working on coastal protection.
• What changes: New restoration and land protection grants; clear rules for nonprofit grantees; decisions consider ecosystem benefits; stronger climate monitoring; “living lab” research and training; at least five new reserves; ongoing traditional uses allowed unless restricted by a site plan .
• Funding: $47 million per year for reserve grants from 2025–2029.
• When: Start adding new reserves within 5 years and finish at least five designations within 8 years of enactment.