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3. GRANTS TO N.C. UNIVERSITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE CHANGE <br />RESEARCH <br />N.C. Sea Grant Program (North Carolina State University): <br />The Trump proposed budget (as reported in the media) would, if passed, eliminate all funding <br />for Sea Grant programs nationwide. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration <br />(NOAA) budget funds Sea Grant programs in 33 states and territories to do research and <br />provide extension services on coastal issues such as erosion and other coastal hazards, <br />fisheries, aquaculture, and threats to coastal resources such as algal blooms. A NOAA grant <br />provides about half of the total funding for the N.C. Sea Grant program. As reported by the <br />News and Observer, N.C. Sea Grant N.C. Sea Grant received about $1.7 million in federal money <br />last year, $1 million in state matching funds and about $774,000 in funding from other sources. <br />The N.C. Sea Grant program employs 26 people and distributes millions of dollars for research <br />on coastal issues by faculty at a number of UNC campuses. <br />Other university -based research organizations that receive research grants through the NOAA <br />and EPA budgets include the UNC Institute for the Environment (UNC -CH), the Institute for <br />Marine Sciences (UNC -CH) in Morehead City, and individual departments /faculty at UNC -CH, <br />NCSU, UNC - Wilmington, and other UNC system campuses. EPA has awarded millions of dollars <br />in grants to university -based researchers in North Carolina on subjects ranging from water <br />infrastructure funding and maintenance to nutrient pollution reduction; the health effects of <br />exposure to airborne particulates, arsenic, and endocrine - disrupting chemicals; and climate <br />modeling. Grants through NOAA's National Center for Coastal and Ocean Science also makes <br />grants to university -based researchers. Research funded in North Carolina included mapping of <br />wind energy resources off the coast; study of alternative ways to stabilize coastal shorelines; <br />invasive lionfish; and development of training to identify harmful algae. <br />Page 7 of 7 <br />