Kaptur cosponsors bill to increase funds and bolster federal response to combat toxic algal blooms

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) announced her support as a lead cosponsor of bipartisan legislation dedicating more federal resources to combating toxic algae. This bill reauthorizes the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act and increases annual funding to $22 million.

"Though serious work remains in our shared challenge to address harmful algal blooms, this is a good step and a commonsense measure to bolstering a coordinated federal response to this crisis," said Kaptur. "From Lake Erie to Florida to Oregon – harmful algal blooms take their toll on our property values, our economy, our environment and threaten clean water access. With the Senate passage of a fully funded Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, we now need to double down at every level of government to heal our Great Lakes."

The bill was led by Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18) and also cosponsored by Congressman Bill Posey (FL-08) and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01).

More about the bill:

This bipartisan bill will make federal funding available to communities impacted by harmful algal blooms and ensure that a federal program aimed at combating harmful algal blooms is not allowed to expire. The bill also expands grant eligibility to include proposals for the intervention and mitigation of harmful algal blooms and also directs NOAA to improve their monitoring of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia.

Read a copy of the bill here: