WASHINGTON, DC – (March 8, 2024) – This week, Congress passed six appropriations bills for fiscal year (FY) 2024, including the Commerce, Justice and Science bill and the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill, both of which house important ocean and environmental programs.

Kathy Tsantiris, Director of Government Relations at Ocean Conservancy, which advocates for strong funding for coastal resilience, climate-ready fisheries and a rapid shift towards clean ocean energy, issued the following statement:

“The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 gets the job done: funding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other important programs that help us understand, manage and protect our ocean and coastlines– and does so without unnecessary policy riders. We appreciate the efforts of Congressional leaders to keep out these poison pills that were direct attacks on the health of our ocean, climate science and historically marginalized communities. These policy riders have no place in the appropriations process–or any legislation– and we cannot afford to go through the same onerous and out-of-touch cycle again in the next fiscal year.”

“This funding package reflects a broader deal reached around topline spending and we remain appreciative of leaders who avoided drastic cuts. At the same time, Congress must do more to ensure that NOAA and other agencies have the resources they need to meet the moment we are in. The past year was the hottest on record, both on land and in the ocean. The effects of climate change are reaching far and deep into our ecosystems and coastal communities: scientists are anticipating a global mass coral reef bleaching event this year, and hurricane season is expected to be more active than normal. We cannot ignore that the impacts of climate change are getting more intense and more frequent, which will continue to exacerbate the inequities and vulnerabilities of redlined and coastal communities. 

“If we are to protect the ocean and those that depend on it, Congress will need to up the ante for NOAA’s budget in the coming year. “

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About Ocean Conservancy

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 http://www.oceanconservancy.org or follow us on Facebook, X (Formerly known as Twitter), and Instagram.