Washington, D.C. – The following statement was issued by Sarah Cooley, Director of Ocean Conservancy’s Ocean Acidification Program, in response to Senators Ed Markey (MA) and Dan Sullivan (AK) introducing legislation in the U.S. Senate to protect our coasts and wetlands from ocean acidification’s harmful effects:

“With the introduction of this legislation, Senators Markey and Sullivan provide the U.S. Senate with an opportunity to take action against the invisible threat of ocean acidification and protect our coastal communities and the vital services they provide. The Senate must take hold of this opportunity and pass these bills into law.

It is essential that we continue to research and monitor ocean acidification and its impacts on nearshore waters and estuaries as well as the ocean at large. As the ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide, chemical reactions occur that increase the ocean’s acidity. A more acidic ocean harms all manner of marine life — such as the oysters, lobsters and corals that communities all around the nation rely on for jobs, sustenance and ways of life. Without action, ocean acidification could damage communities, economies and cultures all across the nation.

The U.S. House of Representatives already passed with overwhelming bipartisan support similar legislation to the bill introduced to the Senate. Ocean Conservancy thanks Senators Markey and Sullivan for championing these bills in the Senate and taking action for our ocean and the communities that rely on it. We now call on the rest of the Senate to do the same.”

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Sarah Cooley, Director of Ocean Conservancy’s Ocean Acidification program, is available for media interviews upon request.

NOTES TO EDITOR:

• Legislation introduced to the U.S. Senate:
  • S. 2699, the “OCEAN Research Act” 
• In June, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the following legislation:
  • H.R. 1237, the “COAST Research Act of 2019”
  • H.R. 1716, the “Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2019”
  • H.R. 1921, the “Ocean Acidification Innovation Act of 2019”
  • H.R. 988, the “NEAR Act of 2019”
• Ocean Conservancy has worked on ocean acidification for over 7 years, building stakeholder support among affected communities and bringing their voices to the national conversation to elevate ocean acidification as a bipartisan issue.

Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create science-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, Twitter or Instagram.