BOEMRE Awards $200,000 for California Ocean Public Awareness Campaign

Encourages Ocean Awareness and Stewardship

CAMARILLO, Calif. – The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) announced that it has awarded a $200,000 Coastal Impact Assistant Program (CIAP) grant to the state of California to support the state’s ongoing Thank You Ocean campaign to raise awareness of ocean and coastal issues. The grant will fund radio and outdoor advertising and the development of informational material for distribution at California aquaria and science centers. The grant will also support programming and maintenance for the campaign’s bi-weekly podcast series and bilingual website. 

Created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, CIAP provides funding to the six Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas producing states to conserve and protect the coastal environment. CIAP is an ongoing program with grant funding that is allocated based on the offshore energy revenues collected by the United States. 

“This CIAP grant supports California’s ongoing effort to enhance awareness and appreciation of the value of our oceans throughout the state,” said BOEMRE Director Michael R. Bromwich. “We believe that broad education of the public concerning our marine and coastal environments is crucial for protection and preservation of these valuable resources.” 

“This infusion of money will help California continue its commitment to conserving both our ocean and coastal resources and the economy they support,” said Secretary for Natural Resources John Laird. “Thank You Ocean is a great example of the important work under way to promote the protection of critical California coastal environments for current and future generations.”

California’s Thank You Ocean campaign is a nonprofit partnership supported by the state of California, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the California Ocean Communicators Alliance.

The campaign features an interactive website in English and Spanish, public service announcements, an outdoor advertising campaign, and a bi-weekly podcast series featuring leaders in ocean policy. The campaign is focused on educating the public about the importance of sustaining ocean life and raising awareness about four major threats to the ocean: climate change, marine debris, water pollution, and marine life decline.

CIAP received $250 million in appropriated funds for each of the Fiscal Years 2007-2010 to be disbursed to six eligible OCS oil and gas producing states: Louisiana, Alabama, Alaska, California, Mississippi and Texas.

Contact: BOEMRE Public Affairs-Pacific