Last progress April 10, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on April 10, 2025 by Patty Murray
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
This bill renews a community-led program to protect the Northwest Straits in Washington State. It addresses climate-related threats like sea level rise and ocean acidification. The program’s local advisory commission works with county marine resources committees, Tribal governments, and NOAA to protect and restore marine waters, habitats, and species, and to support healthy, sustainable use. It collects data, recommends science-based restoration, serves as a public forum, and keeps local communities informed. The commission cannot make regulations, but it can accept donations and must publish a yearly public report tracking progress on habitat, wildlife, water quality, data, and outreach, including to under-resourced communities.
Funding is set at $10 million a year from 2026 through 2031, with more as needed after that. Work may include projects like ocean literacy, kelp habitat conservation and monitoring, Veterans Conservation Corps internships, and removing marine debris.