Should the Feds Continue Cleaning Up Marine Debris? (S. 3086)

What is S. 3086?

(Updated July 16, 2019)

This bill reauthorizes the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act through FY 2021 and makes one major change. That change is that the bill now requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to work with other federal agencies and international groups to remove marine debris rather than working with only the Coast Guard.

The rest of the original bill remains basically unchanged. The bill directed two federal organizations, the NOAA and Coast Guard, to reduce the amount of debris in the ocean (plastic, garbage, etc). It gave the NOAA $10,000,000 to fulfill its duties, and the Coast Guard $2,000,000, and allowed each organization to spend no more than 10 percent of the money on administrative costs.

The NOAA’s duties under the original bill were as follows:

• Map marine debris, assess its impact, remove the debris, and prevent more from entering the oceans;

• Reduce the effect of lost and discarded fishing gear on marine life and navigation safety;

• Educate the public on the sources and impacts of marine debris.

The Coast Guard’s duties under the original bill were as follows:

• Reduce the number of ships that produce marine debris;

• Create and implement a plan to improve the management of waste on ships;

• Improve international cooperation to reduce marine debris;

• Establish a voluntary reporting program for commercial and non-commercial ships to report on instances where marine debris damages ships or disrupted navigation.

The original bill also created a single location for data about marine debris that researchers and others could use to identify sources of marine debris and more.

Argument in favor

Continuing to remove marine debris is critical to maintaining healthy marine life and preventing damage to ships.

Argument opposed

This bill is a typical example of wasteful government spending on a program that doesn’t solve the root cause of the problem.

Impact

Marine life that is affected by debris; people who dump marine debris; people whose ships are damaged or disrupted by marine debris; NOAA; the Coast Guard.

Cost of S. 3086

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), who sponsored a previous attempt to reauthorize the Marine Debris Act, argued in a press release that his reauthorization bill would protect coastal communities and marine life:

“every year 14 billion pounds of trash are added to our oceans, endangering aquatic wildlife and threatening coastal communities whose economies rely upon the ocean. This act allows for the continued funding of a program that protects this vital resource and ensures its long-term health.”

Of Note: The Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act expired in 2010. In 2011, Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) introduced a bill in the house to reauthorize the expired bill. Although it passed in the House, it never reached the floor of the Senate for a vote. However, in 2012, Farr managed to attach his reauthorization bill to another bill about the Coast Guard, which passed both chambers of congress and became law.

Marine debris negatively affects both marine life and humans. A report from Columbia University found that marine debris can severely injure marine animals that ingest the debris accidentally, and certain types of marine debris like discarded chemicals or medical waste can hurt fishermen, coastal communities, recreational boaters, and more.

Media:

• Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) Press Release
• Columbia University