Ocean Policy Roundup
May 31 - June 10, 2024
A schedule update from team ESP: Starting next week, our news roundups will be published Mondays. Diving Deeper with Emily will hit your inbox towards the end of each week.
It was an ocean-focused week in DC leading up to World Ocean Day on June 8. The Hill was abuzz during Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW), a free, two-day conference organized by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. If you missed it, keep an eye on the CHOW archive for session recordings. Concurrently, leaders from Azul, Urban Ocean Lab, and the Center for American Progress organized the second annual Upwell symposium: A Wave of Ocean Justice. Upwell prioritizes the experiences and voices of experts from marginalized communities in ocean policy, science, and conservation. Watch the speaker and panel discussions here.
Ocean Week News Highlights:
The White House announced three new ocean-related strategies: the National Strategy for a Sustainable Economy, the National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy, and the National Aquatic Environmental DNA Strategy.
NOAA formally designated the 16th national marine sanctuary in eastern Lake Ontario.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced final management plans for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts and Mariana Trench marine national monuments.
NOAA and EarthEcho International signed a five-year collaboration agreement to enhance youth engagement in ocean policy, restoration, and protection.
NOAA and the Department of Energy (DOE) signed an agreement to advance marine carbon dioxide removal.
The Food and Agriculture Organization released the 2024 State of the World's Fisheries and Aquaculture report.
The UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission released the State of the Ocean Report 2024.
Both the House and Senate are in session Tuesday through Friday. The House plans to vote on the annual defense policy bill (NDAA) this week and will continue to plug along on federal funding in the Appropriations Committee.
Important Dates and Deadlines
August 5 - September 6: August recess
September 30, 2024: end of fiscal year 2024
Check out our public Google calendar and printable PDF to keep track of the 2024 congressional schedule.
Recap: NOAA Budget Hearing
On Tuesday, June 4, NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad testified before the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology regarding his agency’s fiscal year 2025 (FY25) budget request. The discussion highlighted the importance of NOAA's work on environmental science, climate resilience, and weather forecasting—especially in the face of increasingly frequent extreme weather events. Concerns were raised over proposed funding cuts to critical programs within the National Ocean Service and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, which could impact NOAA's capacity to execute its mission.
Upcoming Relevant Congressional Budget Hearings
Stay on top of appropriations markups and other key funding steps using our FY25 Appropriations Activity Tracker.
*NOTE: The markup for the Commerce, Justice, Science funding bill, originally scheduled for June 12, has been moved to June 26.
June 11, 2024
6:00 PM — Subcommittee Markup of FY25 Agricultural, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill; House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
June 12, 2024
9:00 AM — Full Committee Markup of FY25 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs/Homeland Security Bills; House Appropriations Committee
10:00 AM — Hearing to Examine the FY25 President's Budget Request for the Fish and Wildlife Service; Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
June 13, 2024
9:00 AM — Full Committee Markup of FY25 Defense, Financial Services, and General Government/Legislative Branch Bills; House Appropriations Committee
Upcoming Relevant Congressional Hearings
June 12, 2024
10:00 AM — Recapitalization of the United States Coast Guard; House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
10:15 AM — Markup of 10 environment-related bills, including the Delaware River Basin Conservation Reauthorization Act; House Committee on Natural Resources
Introductions
Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI-01) introduced the Revitalizing and Enhancing America’s Community Harbors (REACH) Act (H.R.8644). The bill aims to provide more opportunities for underserved harbors on the Great Lakes to access federal funds for water infrastructure projects.
People
Beginning in August 2024, NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps Rear Adm. Nancy Hann will serve as NOAA’s deputy under secretary for operations. Hann will succeed Ben Friedman, who is retiring from the federal workforce after 30 years of service. Additionally, Rear Adm. Chad Cary’s nomination to replace Hann as Director of the NOAA Corps and NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations is currently being considered by the Senate.
Fisheries and Ecosystems
The White House announced three new ocean-related strategies: the National Strategy for a Sustainable Economy, the National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy, and the National Aquatic Environmental DNA Strategy.
The Food and Agriculture Organization released the 2024 State of the World's Fisheries and Aquaculture report.
NOAA formally designated the 16th national marine sanctuary in eastern Lake Ontario.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced final management plans for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts and Mariana Trench marine national monuments.
The Departments of Interior (DOI) and Agriculture announced a $2.8 billion investment through the Great American Outdoors Act to protect and sustain public lands in all 50 U.S. states and multiple U.S. territories.
DOI announced $700 million from the Investing in America agenda for water conservation projects across the Lower Colorado River Basin.
NOAA and EarthEcho International signed a five-year collaboration agreement to enhance youth engagement in ocean policy, restoration, and protection.
The new finance system at NOAA—launched in early 2024—continues to cause major issues. The system, which withheld fisheries disaster aid earlier this year, also caused power outages at several National Weather Service facilities due to unpaid electric bills.
Ocean Data and Technology
A new report from NOAA and the bureau of Economic Analysis found that the marine economy contributed $476 billion in economic impact in 2022, generating $777 billion in sales and 2.4 million jobs.
NOAA and DOE signed an agreement to advance marine carbon dioxide removal.
A new study by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that total air quality and climate benefits from wind and solar deployment from 2019 to 2022 amounted to $249 billion.
A new study released by the Joint Economic Committee Democrats found that between $70 and $345 billion in infrastructure upgrades are needed for nationwide flood protection.
The UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission released the State of the Ocean Report 2024.
Offshore Wind and Energy
BOEM announced the availability of its final Environmental Assessment for potential offshore wind development off the Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia coasts. The assessment found no significant impacts from lease issuance.
BOEM and the State of Maryland signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support coordinated development of wind energy generation in the state’s offshore waters.
The Biden Administration’s two-year pause on tariffs for solar energy technology from four Southeast Asian nations expired last week. The change has implications for U.S. manufacturers of clean energy technologies and products from wind turbines to electric vehicles.
Get to know the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary!
