Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Ms. PINGREE. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Michigan for both being a strong supporter of this bill and yielding me the time.

I thank the gentleman from Ohio for understanding the role of the Great Lakes and how the role of ocean acidification impacts all of us. I truly appreciate his support of this bipartisan bill.

I thank Chair Lucas and Ranking Member Lofgren for their work to address the impacts that climate change has had on our oceans

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 676, the Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act, a bipartisan bill that would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to support the current efforts of coastal communities already facing the impacts of ocean acidification, particularly underserved and rural coastal communities, and better equip them with the resources to respond.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are now higher than at any time in the last 2 million years, and about 30 percent of the carbon dioxide we release into the atmosphere is absorbed by the ocean.

More carbon dioxide in our waters creates challenging growing conditions for marine organisms, especially those with calcium carbonate shells, such as clams, lobsters, and oysters.

Ocean acidification threatens not only our fisheries but the entire blue economy, our marine resources, industries, and jobs, as well as coastal communities like mine that depend on them. A 2020 report found that in the United States, particularly in the waters off Maine and Massachusetts, ocean acidification hot spots could lead to economic losses of $400 million a year by 2100.

In a State renowned for its lobster and shellfish--which as you know, Madam Speaker, is Maine--you can imagine we take this threat very seriously. I am proud of the efforts in Maine to tackle this challenge, such as through implementing ocean monitoring and data collection and exploring the ability of seaweed and kelp to lower acidity.

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Ms. PINGREE. Madam Speaker, my bill would support these efforts and more by improving NOAA's collaboration with State, local, and Tribal Governments on community vulnerability assessments, research planning, and similar activities related to ocean and coastal acidification. In addition, ensuring the Ocean Acidification Information Exchange will bolster data sharing on ocean acidification research, data, and monitoring efforts between Federal experts, community acidification networks, and other affected stakeholders.

This legislation will address the growing and far-reaching threat of ocean acidification to help ensure our ocean industries, including fisheries, and the communities that depend on them are more resilient to our changing oceans.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 676 today.

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