August 10, 2021 — A bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman to protect marine ecosystems in northern California recently got its first hearing in a subcommittee he chairs.
The California Democrat included H.R. 4458, the Keeping Ecosystems Living and Productive (KELP) Act, before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife during a 29 July hearing. The bill calls for creating a new grant program within NOAA to fund projects to restore kelp forests. It calls for USD 50 million (EUR 42.6 million) in funding annually from the 2022 fiscal year, which starts on 1 October, 2021, through fiscal year 2026.