Grays Harbor coalition pitches regional coastal-erosion investment plan; NFWF proposal due July 17

A coalition led by Grays Harbor County and including Ocean Shores and Westport is seeking funding and local commitments to develop a coordinated coastal erosion and resilience investment plan, presenters told the Ocean Shores Planning Commission on July 8.

Consultant Scott Boettcher, who is working with the county, said the group has submitted an initial FEMA Cooperating Technical Partners summary and has reshaped that summary into a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) full proposal due July 17. "The name of the game to successful solutions that require money is collaboration with many people," Boettcher said, urging cities and the county to work from a common plan rather than competing for grants piecemeal.

The commission was shown Department of Ecology survey results indicating rapid shoreline change in parts of Grays Harbor: presenters said Oyet Bay has seen average erosion of about 60 feet per year from 2017–2023. The coalition plans a staged approach that starts with community capacity building and planning, then site assessment, final design and restoration — an approach that NFWF favors for follow-on funding.

Marshall (coalition partner and county representative) described the FEMA review process: if a short summary is accepted, FEMA invites a full application and then funds can follow relatively quickly. He said the coalition has already worked to involve state agencies including the Department of Ecology and Department of Fish and Wildlife and has engaged the Washington State Department of Emergency Management and Department of Commerce.

Presenters outlined pilot and nature-based approaches the coalition plans to highlight: beneficial use of Corps dredged material for beach nourishment, installation of log structures and cobble revetments to dampen wave energy, and coordinated stockpiles for emergency responses. Boettcher cited work elsewhere in the region — including examples in the Chehalis Basin — where log structures and staged investment plans reduced costs and hastened results.

Presenters also asked Ocean Shores and Westport to consider regular budget line items to support a cooperative technical partnership (CTP) so local jurisdictions can continue planning in years when federal notices of funding opportunity (NOFOs) are not available. Materials and discussion indicated the county has provided a $20,000 match for the current grant submission; the coalition said more and larger matches could be required for future grants.

Speakers warned of two challenges: (1) a changing federal funding climate that makes local readiness more important, and (2) permitting timelines and agency caution that can slow projects. The presenters argued that early engagement with regulatory agencies and an agreed regional plan could streamline permitting for nature-based remedies in places where they are appropriate.

Next steps presented to the commission: submit the NFWF full proposal by July 17, expect a decision by November, begin planning and engagement if funded, and continue coalition outreach and pilot project development whether or not federal funds are immediately available. Boettcher closed, "Don't count your money till it's in the bank. But we're optimistic."