The SAFE for Manatees Act directs the Secretary of the Interior to study alternative habitats for manatees in Florida that may be displaced by the decommissioning of coastal industrial sites, which will change water temperatures in areas where manatees currently live. The study must identify both natural warm water locations not currently used by manatees and locations where artificial warm water refuges could be built to sustain the animals. The Secretary must coordinate with Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and work with the Army Corps of Engineers to develop methods for constructing artificial warm water habitats if needed. The legislation requires the Secretary to complete and publicly release the study results within 180 days of the bill's enactment. This bill affects manatees that depend on warm water habitats in Florida's coastal areas and addresses the potential habitat loss from industrial site closures.
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