Sponsors (4)
The bill directs modest federal funding and technical support to restore oyster reefs—boosting local jobs, water quality, and long-term resilience—while imposing a small annual federal cost and adding project constraints and administrative duties that could slow or limit some efforts.
Coastal communities and shellfish growers receive federal funding and technical assistance to restore oyster reefs, supporting local fisheries and aquaculture jobs and small-business revenue.
Coastal ecosystems and fisheries benefit from improved water quality and habitat because grants and monitoring support science-based oyster reef restoration and adaptive management, increasing the odds of long-term project success.
Underserved local residents gain workforce training focused on coastal resilience, creating new local training and job opportunities in restoration and related sectors.
All taxpayers indirectly fund the program through a federal appropriation of $15 million per year, representing added federal spending.
Grant conditions requiring avoidance of interference with fishing or water uses may limit which projects qualify or slow approvals, delaying restoration work for nonprofits, states, and industry partners.
State, tribal, and local partners may face additional federal administrative requirements to participate in the program, increasing compliance workload even though local management is not preempted.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a NOAA oyster reef restoration program with competitive grants and authorizes $15M/year (2026–2030) for voluntary restoration, monitoring, and workforce training.
Introduced January 13, 2025 by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez · Last progress January 13, 2025
Creates a NOAA Oyster Reef Restoration and Conservation Program that provides technical and financial assistance and competitive grants to public and private groups to plan, carry out, monitor, and share oyster reef restoration and enhancement projects. Authorizes $15 million per year for fiscal years 2026–2030 to fund voluntary restoration, monitoring, workforce training, partnership building, and activities that prioritize benefits to underserved communities while protecting State and Tribal oyster management authority. Grants must show projects will not reasonably interfere with commercial or recreational fishing or other water uses; covered entities include federal, State, local, and Tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, industry, and private entities.