Sponsors (6)
The bill directs modest federal funds and higher federal cost-share to expand kelp restoration and science—helping coastal communities, fisheries, and Tribes—while imposing a small fiscal cost and creating competitive, administrative, and matching hurdles that could limit equitable participation and slow implementation.
Coastal communities, fisheries, nonprofits, and small businesses receive federal grants and higher cost-share support (up to 85% federal funding and match-waiver authority) to restore and protect kelp forests, enabling more restoration projects and potential local economic and fisheries benefits.
Indian Tribes receive dedicated annual funding (at least $750,000/year) for tribal-led kelp recovery and co-management, supporting tribal sovereignty over local restoration efforts.
Scientists, researchers, and rural coastal communities benefit from required project monitoring and use of best-available science, improving environmental monitoring, data, and understanding of kelp ecosystems.
All taxpayers fund a new appropriation of $5 million per year for FY2026–2030 to support the program, increasing federal spending modestly.
Small fishing operations, some Tribes, and lower-capacity applicants risk being underserved because the competitive grant process may favor better-resourced institutions (states, universities), limiting equitable access to funds despite set-asides.
Nonprofits, tribal communities, and other low-capacity applicants may face barriers from the standard grant match requirement (up to 15%) unless waivers are granted, potentially restricting participation.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced February 11, 2025 by Jeff Merkley · Last progress February 11, 2025
Creates a NOAA-administered grant program to fund conservation, restoration, and management projects for kelp forest ecosystems. The program will accept applications from fishing industry members, colleges, nonprofits, Indian Tribes, state and local governments, and others; NOAA must set it up within 180 days of enactment and use science and community engagement to evaluate projects. Authorizes $5,000,000 per year for FY2026–FY2030, allows federal funding to cover up to 85% of project costs (with in-kind matches allowed), and reserves at least $750,000 per year for Tribal awards (with outreach and reallocation rules if no Tribe is funded). The NOAA Administrator may waive matching requirements in certain cases and must publish implementation guidance and ranking criteria.