The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded a grant of $637,147 to the San Jose State University Research Foundation. The funding aims to bolster the Moss Landing Marine Laboratory in San Jose, California against natural disasters and sea level rise, while also aiding the development of a working waterfront to serve as a regional commercial asset.
The grant will facilitate project feasibility, scheduling, and construction. It will also enable the hiring of specialists to carry out geotechnical and environmental assessments. The EDA’s investment will be supplemented with over $150,000 in local funds.
Alejandra Y. Castillo, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, emphasized the EDA’s role in supporting local strategies that generate economic opportunity while planning for a sustainable future. She stated that the EDA is proud to assist in disaster recovery work that strengthens regional economies and prepares them for future disasters.
Senator Alex Padilla highlighted the significant role of San Jose State and its Moss Landing Marine Laboratory in cultivating future marine leaders. He noted that the grant, along with local funding, will help the Laboratory build resilience against disasters and stimulate economic growth across the region.
Senator Laphonza Butler praised the Biden-Harris Administration’s continued support for California’s resilience against natural disasters. Butler stressed that thanks to the EDA’s funding, recovery efforts in San Jose will be more robust, and coastal communities will be less vulnerable to sea level rise threats.
Representative Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) lauded the EDA for providing federal funding to bolster the infrastructure of the Moss Landing Marine Laboratory, thereby creating new economic and scientific opportunities for the region.
The project is funded under the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023. This Act endowed the EDA with an additional $483 million in Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) Program funds for disaster relief and recovery for areas that received a major disaster declaration as a result of natural disasters in 2021 and 2022.
