Congress Steps Up Efforts to Combat Ocean Acidification
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed four pieces of legislation aimed a mitigating ocean acidification, including two bills supported by NMMA: The Ocean Acidification Innovation Act of 2019 (H.R. 1921) and the Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2019 (H.R. 1716/S. 778). Addressing ocean acidification is a key recreational boating industry advocacy priority and NMMA applauded Congress for acting on the issue.
The Ocean Acidification Innovation Act of 2019, sponsored by Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA-06), would allow the federal government to use existing funds for competitions to increase research, monitoring, and management of ocean acidification. Sponsored by Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), the Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2019 would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to study the issue by conducting coastal community vulnerability assessments.
According to research, the acidity of oceans has increased as they absorb excess carbon from the atmosphere. Without solutions to this problem, access to the water and healthy fisheries are at risk, among other consequences.
For more information, please contact NMMA senior vice president of government and legal affairs, Nicole Vasilaros at [email protected] or NMMA director of federal government relations, Callie Hoyt at [email protected].