When pollution harms American waterways, it’s not enough to simply clean up the contamination. Restoring the environment means implementing projects that help habitats, wildlife, and coastal communities recover quickly and completely.

In fiscal year 2021, NOAA helped to recover over $130 million to restore 10 polluted waterways after oil spills and industrial pollution. NOAA and partners worked to evaluate the impacts of pollution and reach legal agreements with those responsible for pollution to fund restoration.

Funds will be used to create salmon habitat, benefit marine mammals, construct public parks and boat launches, and restore salt marsh and other habitats that bolster coastal resilience. These restoration projects also provide economic benefits to coastal communities, including underserved and indigenous communities often disproportionately affected by pollution.

Where pollution caused harm, these funds will be used to make coastal ecosystems and communities whole.

Shown here, a rusty radiator and other debris are found at low tide along the Duwamish River in Seattle, one of the sites slated for restoration.

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