Bill > HR6893

This bill, known as the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Advancement for Training, Education, Restoration, and Science (WATERS) Act, reauthorizes and strengthens the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Chesapeake Bay Office, designating it as NOAA's primary representative in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The bill clarifies the Director's responsibilities, including administering the office, implementing its programs, and coordinating with various entities like the Chesapeake Executive Council, which is a key body for Bay restoration efforts. It expands the office's focus to include coastal hazards, climate change, and education, and mandates the development of an integrated coastal observation system for the Bay, including the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System, to improve forecasts and environmental monitoring. Furthermore, the bill establishes a Chesapeake Bay watershed education and training program to enhance understanding of the Bay's ecosystem for students and teachers, offering grants for relevant projects, and creates a program for the management, protection, and restoration of coastal habitats and living resources, such as oysters and blue crabs. The bill also requires biennial reports to Congress detailing the office's activities and an action plan for future work, and allows the office to collaborate with other government agencies and organizations to achieve its goals.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6893/all-info