Current observing capabilities for coastal environmental monitoring require the integration of data from several in-situ and satellite systems. The challenge is to fuse these data in time and space to comprehend key changes occurring in coastal environmental ecosystems. The GOES-R system will provide two sensors, the ABI and HES, to help address this challenge - improving both temporal and spatial resolution- enabling closer observation and monitoring of coastal environmental flux. In addition, the HES sensor will provide the capability to observe surface and near-surface coastal environmental characteristics, utilizing the revolutionary capabilities of the Coastal Waters (CW) task. The result of the improved GOES-R era observing capabilities will be a paradigm shift from current capabilities. This paper will summarize key coastal environmental observing capabilities in the GOES-R era.