This week, the U.S. House passed U.S. Rep. Bill Posey‘s, R-Fla., proposal fighting coastal acidification.
The House passed Posey’s “National Estuaries and Acidification Research (NEAR) Act” on a voice vote in June 2019. U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oreg. and U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., who lead the Congressional Estuary Caucus with Posey, were co-sponsors.
The bill “directs the Ocean Studies Board of National Academies to conduct a two-year study examining the science of ocean acidification and its impact on our estuaries” and will, Posey’s office insisted, “create a better understanding of coastal acidification so we can better manage and mitigate its effects on our nation’s estuaries and other natural treasures.” The bill funds the study with $1 million.
Posey brought the proposal back with the support of Bonamici and Mast last month and the House cleared it on a voice vote again this week.
“Estuaries are some of most diverse ecosystems in the country, and because estuaries are places where freshwater mixes with salt water from the oceans, preserving this delicate balance is necessary but also challenging,” said Posey after the House passed his bill on Wednesday. “This critical legislation will help protect our estuaries by ensuring that we continue to study and monitor the effects of coastal acidification.”
“This bipartisan piece of legislation aims to address the impacts of climate change and water pollution by fighting coastal acidification. The NEAR Act will improve our understanding of coastal acidification so we can mitigate its effects on our nation’s estuaries and other water bodies. In turn, this will help waterways like the St. Lucie River, Indian River Lagoon, and Lake Worth Lagoon,” Mast noted. “The bottom line is that this legislation goes a long way toward protecting marine life and promoting healthier communities.”
Posey’s bill was received by the U.S. Senate this week and it was sent to the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.
Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.
