Sponsors (10)
The bill directs significant, predictable federal resources and institutional support to strengthen coastal resilience, research, and equity, while creating higher federal costs, risks of diverting funds from some public Reserve priorities, added administrative burdens, and potential land‑use constraints for local property owners.
Coastal communities and ecosystems will get increased and more predictable federal funding (including $47M/year for FY2025–2029) for protection, restoration, and resilience against storms and sea‑level rise.
Local, state, and tribal coastal managers will receive centralized, standardized climate and sea‑level monitoring data to inform adaptation planning and decisionmaking.
Expansion of eligible partners (National Estuarine Research Reserves and qualified NGOs) combined with deed/transfer safeguards increases local capacity to carry out restoration while protecting long‑term public benefits.
The bill increases federal spending to expand and operate new reserves and programs, which could raise taxpayer costs if not offset.
Expanding eligibility to NGOs and allowing acquisition funds to be used for non‑Reserve acquisitions risks diverting limited federal resources away from State or Reserve priorities, potentially reducing support for existing reserve programs.
Designation and reserve management, plus priority land acquisitions, could restrict land uses or impose constraints on property owners and some coastal economic activities.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Expands a coastal resilience and restoration program, updates grant rules and valuation, requires NOAA to create at least five new estuarine reserves, and strengthens monitoring and data coordination.
Introduced April 9, 2025 by Mike Levin · Last progress April 9, 2025
Creates a strengthened coastal and estuarine resilience and restoration program by expanding who can participate, changing grant priorities and review rules, and requiring valuation of ecosystem services. Directs NOAA to start and finish designation of at least five new National Estuarine Research Reserves on a multi‑year timetable, improves long‑term monitoring and centralized data coordination across the Reserve System, and requires recurring reporting to Congress.