WASHINGTON – On Friday, December 13, President Biden signed the bipartisan Coastal Habitat Conservation Act into law. The bill authorizes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Coastal Program, which helps protect U.S. coastal areas. Rachael DeWitt, Senior Manager of Government Relations at Ocean Conservancy, issued the following statement in response:

“Coastal habitats like mangroves, seagrasses, and wetlands play a critical role in buffering storm surge, minimizing sea level rise, and preventing flooding and coastal erosion. With storms, flooding, and other effects of climate change felt more and more every day, these habitats are only becoming more important.

“For 40 years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Coastal Program has been essential to restoring and protecting millions of acres of habitat and providing significant conservation benefits to coastal communities, ecosystems, and wildlife.

“Now more than ever, we need to ensure the continued success of this program. The bipartisan Coastal Habitat Conservation Act will authorize the Coastal Program in perpetuity and provide consistent funding. We were thrilled to see Congress come together to support this critical legislation, and thank President Biden for signing it into law.”

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Ocean Conservancy envisions a healthier ocean, protected by a more just world. Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram.