Energy and Environment
Information regarding my stance on Energy and Environment issues.
"Every person on this planet benefits from a healthy ocean," Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), the bill's sponsor, said in a speech on the House floor Monday afternoon. Bonamici, the co-chairwoman of the House Oceans Caucus and the Congressional Estuary Caucus, said oceans and estuaries have grown more acidic as they absorb more carbon dioxide, threatening fisheries and coastal communities alike. But she said more federal research is needed because "our understanding of the long-term consequences of ocean acidification is still limited."
WASHINGTON, DC [04/29/21] – During Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Don Young (R-AK), Jared Huffman (D-CA), and Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR) introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) response to sexual assault and sexual harassment, and to secure more resources for survivors.
Blue carbon is what scientists and policy makers say is a critical part of the global effort to mitigate climate change. Coastal environments are home to mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrass, all of which sequester carbon at rates greater than mature tropical forests. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, is sponsoring the bipartisan "Blue Carbon for Our Planet Act." We talk with her about this bill and about how it fits into larger legislative efforts to combat climate change.
"Our ocean and coastal ecosystems are often overlooked and undervalued, but they are among the world's most productive working ecosystems and can help in our work to solve the climate crisis," said Bonamici. "We must act now to capture the great power of our coastal ecosystems to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it. The bipartisan Blue Carbon for Our Planet Act recognizes the potential of this natural climate solution by mapping, protecting, and restoring coastal blue carbon ecosystems."
Second, healthy coastal habitats are efficient carbon sinks and provide myriad additional benefits to coastal regions, including protection from storm surges, erosion control and providing critical habitat for commercially and recreationally important species. A bipartisan coalition of legislators led by Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Don Young (R- Ark.) have called for a $10 billion investment in coastal restoration projects that would begin to capitalize on this potential.
OCEAN EYED: Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Bill Posey (R-Fla.) are calling on the Biden administration to include at least $10 billion in the next coronavirus recovery package for coastal restoration and resilience projects, citing the potential for healthy coastal ecosystems to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The lawmakers suggest projects like blue carbon sequestration; natural infrastructure; and the restoration of habitat to help threatened or endangered species. They also call on the administration to establish an Advanced Research Project Agency–Ocean.