Federal ocean agency would study dumped waste off California’s coast

The federal ocean agency would monitor dumped waste and study its effects and possible cleanup methods. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would lead work on DDT-related waste and other industrial waste in and around the San Pedro Basin, consulting other federal agencies. The work would explore using living organisms to treat contamination, but it would not require cleanup. The agency would also develop research tools and methods that could be used at other ocean dump sites. Within three years of enactment, the agency would report to Congress on further research, treatment using living organisms, and other offshore dump sites.

The federal ocean agency could award research grants. Studies could map contamination, track where waste goes, and examine how it builds up through marine food chains. The agency could choose whether to award grants.

Congress would authorize $6 million a year for this work. The money would support the research, monitoring, grants, and reporting described in the proposal. The authorization would allow funding, but it would not itself provide the money. The authorization would cover fiscal years 2028 through 2034, including both years.