Last week, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., brought back the “Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Essential Forecasting Act.”
Donalds first introduced the bill that “amends the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 to ensure that during a lapse in appropriations, essential services relating to HABs receive critical federal funding” in March 2021.
“This bill utilizes federal resources for tackling the environmental and economic challenges brought on by HABs in Southwest Florida and throughout America. Over the last 60 years, these events have increased substantially––impacting local economies, our nation’s ecosystems, and the American people’s health,” Donalds said. “Safeguarding public health and our coastal ecosystems requires the collective collaboration of federal, state, and local governments. This necessary legislation bolsters the federal government’s role in combating HABs throughout the United States.”
While there are no co-sponsors, Donalds reeled in some last time out, including U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Greg Steube, R-Fla., Then-U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., also backed the bill when Donalds introduced it two years ago.
The bill was sent to the U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology and the Natural Resources Committees. So far, there is no companion measure over in the U.S. Senate.
