NRDC Applauds Introduction of a National Endowment for the Oceans

In the policy world at least, this has been a very good week for our oceans.  On Monday, President Obama signed an Executive Order establishing a national ocean policy – a milestone achievement for our oceans.  And now today, Senators Whitehouse (D-RI), Snowe (R-ME), and Rockefeller (D-WV), have introduced a bill that would provide dedicated funding for activities that protect, maintain and restore our oceans, coasts and Great Lakes.

The bill establishes a National Endowment for the Oceans, providing a stable funding source to support stewardship of our oceans, in turn benefitting the communities that rely on the many services provided by our oceans, from healthy fisheries to clean beaches to clean air. 

We don’t always appreciate the true value of our oceans, and many are surprised to learn that the coastal regions of the United States contribute approximately 50% of the gross domestic product of the United States.  However, our oceans are vulnerable, and their health is threatened by a number of human activities, including nutrient pollution, destruction of coastal wetlands and other essential habitats, depletion of fish stocks, and impacts from global warming and ocean acidification.

If we expect to continue to benefit from the myriad services, both those services we can measure with dollar signs like seafood and those we can’t like climate regulation, this nation must re-invest in our oceans.  A National Endowment for the Oceans will make that possible.

Of the funds in the Endowment, 49% would go directly to coastal and Great Lakes states and territories; 19% would go to regional planning bodies, which are collaborations between multiple States and the Federal government; and 29% would be used for a competitive grant program open to states, local governments, tribes, NGO’s and academic institutions.  (The remaining 3% would be used for administrative purposes).  All activities funded would directly contribute to the protection, maintenance and restoration of oceans, coasts and the Great Lakes.

The Endowment would be funded from a combination of sources, including money from fines collected for violations of Federal law that occur in our oceans, interest from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, and revenues from offshore energy development. Importantly, the money is distributed to coastal states in such way so as not to incentivize new drilling activity.

The disaster in the Gulf has reminded us that we have only one ocean: the marine waters that cover over 70% of the Earth’s surface are connected.   Given the importance of marine and coastal ecosystems and the cumulative impacts they face, this bill is essential to promote their resilience, ensuring our oceans and coasts can better recover when disasters happen, whether manmade or natural.

NRDC thanks Senator Whitehouse, Senator Snowe and Senator Rockefeller for their leadership to protect our oceans.