H.R. 10536: Ocean Protection and DDT Reduction Act

This bill would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to study waste that was dumped in and around the San Pedro Basin off the coast of California. The main focus is on “covered waste”, which the bill defines as DDT and related byproducts, as well as certain other industrial wastes such as military explosives, radioactive waste, refinery byproducts, and associated chemicals.

What NOAA would have to do

• Track and monitor the condition and spread of the dumped waste in and around the San Pedro Basin.
• Research how much waste is present, what effects it may have, and whether it can move into the marine food web.
• Develop scientific tools and methods that could be used to study similar ocean dumping sites elsewhere.
• Examine whether bioremediation, meaning the use of biological processes to help clean up contamination, could work at the San Pedro offshore dump sites.

Grant funding

The bill would let NOAA award grants to support research on deep-sea contamination from dumped waste off California. This research could include:

• mapping where contaminants are located and what other pollutants are present nearby;
• studying how the waste moves and what happens to it over time;
• examining whether the contaminants build up and increase through the ecosystem as they move up the food chain.

Report to Congress

Within 3 years after the bill becomes law, NOAA would have to send Congress a report describing a strategy for further research and possible cleanup efforts in the San Pedro Basin. The report would also identify any other offshore dumping sites used for the same kinds of waste.

Funding

The bill authorizes $6 million per year for fiscal years 2028 through 2034 to carry out these activities.

Relevant Companies

None found.