This bill updates federal law governing research and response to harmful algal blooms and hypoxia (low-oxygen water conditions) in both marine and freshwater environments. The legislation expands the scope of an existing interagency task force to address blooms and low-oxygen events in freshwater lakes, rivers, and the Great Lakes, not just coastal waters. It requires the federal government to complete comprehensive action strategies and scientific assessments every five years that examine causes, ecological impacts, and economic and cultural effects of these events across all water types.
The bill establishes several new programs and funding mechanisms. It creates a national harmful algal bloom observing network to monitor and forecast blooms using new technologies like artificial intelligence, and establishes a national incubator program to develop and test new prevention and control strategies. It also creates a special fund for responding to significant harmful algal bloom and hypoxia events, allowing affected states, local governments, and tribes to request federal assistance for assessment and mitigation activities. The Environmental Protection Agency receives new duties focused specifically on freshwater harmful algal blooms, while the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration maintains responsibility for marine and coastal issues.
The legislation authorizes $34.6 million annually from 2024 through 2028 for these programs. It emphasizes coordination among federal agencies and collaboration with state, local, and tribal governments, research institutions, and affected communities, including low-income communities and subsistence fishing communities.
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