; (ii) incorporates as many natural elements as possible, such as native wetlands, kelp forests, submerged aquatic plants, corals, oyster shells, native grasses, shrubs, or trees; (iii) utilizes techniques that incorporate ecological and coastal engineering principles in shoreline stabilization; and (iv) to the extent possible, maintains or restores existing natural slopes and connections between uplands and adjacent wetlands or surface waters; (B) may include the use of— (i) natural elements, such as sand, wetland plants, logs, oysters or other shellfish, submerged aquatic vegetation, corals, native grasses, shrubs, trees, or coir fiber logs; (ii) project elements that provide ecological benefits to coastal ecosystems and habitats in addition to shoreline protection; and (iii) structural materials, such as stone, concrete, wood, vinyl, oyster domes, or other approved engineered structures in combination with natural materials; and (C) may include a project that expands upon or restores natural living shorelines or existing living shoreline projects. (3) State The term State means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 1002. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Research Programs (a) Coastal science and assessment: competitive external research (1) In general The Administrator shall carry out an extramural competitively awarded grants program (referred to in this section as the Program ) focused on interdisciplinary coastal resilience and sustainability in accordance with subsection (b). (2) Objective The objective of the Program shall be to develop scalable, best practices— (A) to prepare more resilient, sustainable coastal communities