October 16, 2019 9:30 a.m. 
On Tuesday, Congressman Peter DeFazio announced that Oregon State University will be the recipient of grants totaling almost $1.6 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to advance new climate-related research.
DeFazio, Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, said OSU continues to be at the forefront climate change research and innovation. He said the recognition by NOAA is “well deserved”. DeFazio said “combatting climate change is one of the most important battles of our time”. He said it was important to support initiatives that work towards reducing carbon emissions, combatting rising sea levels and investing in renewable energy. DeFazio said the research happening at OSU will benefit community across the country and will “better prepare us to face the greatest existential threat to our plant that we have ever known”.
Details on the grants include:
*Nearly $500,000 for the first of a three-year funding award to optimize the ecosystem services of U.S. Pacific Northwest coastal beaches and dunes.
*Just over $500,000 for the first year of a three-year funding award to document the environmental and economic benefits provided by tidal wetlands in the Pacific Northwest and predict the impact of sea level rise on those benefits.
*Nearly $864,000 to study the representation of trade wind clouds in climate models and their importation implications for predicting regional climate change impacts.
*Almost $300,000 to assess climate-related risk and adaption options for water suppliers along the Oregon coast.