Overview
Title
To amend the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act to improve the administration of the Marine Debris Foundation, to amend the Marine Debris Act to improve the administration of the Marine Debris Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
H.R. 2620 is a plan to help keep the ocean clean by improving programs that manage ocean trash and working with different groups to do so. It also plans to give money to support these efforts but needs clearer rules on how this money and help will be used to make sure everything is fair and effective.
Summary AI
H.R. 2620 seeks to improve the management of marine debris in the United States. It proposes changes to the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act and the Marine Debris Act, mainly focusing on enhancing the way the Marine Debris Foundation and the Marine Debris Program are administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The bill includes provisions such as promoting cooperation with Indian Tribes and Tribal Governments, updating the roles and terms of the Foundation's board, and revising definitions to clarify the scope of responsibilities. Additionally, it aims to authorize funding for marine debris efforts through 2029.
Published
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AnalysisAI
General Summary of the Bill
The proposed legislation, known as the “Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act,” seeks to amend the existing Save Our Seas 2.0 Act and the Marine Debris Act. The objective is to enhance the management of the Marine Debris Foundation and the Marine Debris Program under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The bill includes several organizational and administrative changes, adjustment of section numbers, updates to definitions, and introduces new funding authorizations.
Summary of Significant Issues
Several concerns have been identified in the bill:
In-Kind Contributions: The bill introduces the concept of "in-kind contributions" without defining what constitutes these contributions. This lack of clarity may lead to inconsistencies in how projects are funded and evaluated.
Accountability of Leadership: There is an absence of specific performance metrics for evaluating the Chief Executive Officer of the Marine Debris Foundation. Without clear guidelines, ensuring accountability and objective leadership assessments might be challenging.
Tribal Government Consultations: The language concerning consultations with Tribal Governments is broad. This could result in inadequate processes for engaging with Indigenous communities, potentially affecting their rights and involvement in decision-making.
Funding Justification: The bill authorizes $2,000,000 for the fiscal year 2025 without providing detailed justifications or specifying outcomes. This raises concerns about fiscal responsibility and efficient allocation of resources.
Complex Legal Language: The transfer and redesignation of sections within the Act are described in a complicated legal language that may not be easily understood by the general public or stakeholders, leading to potential misunderstandings about the legislative changes.
Reliance on External Definitions: Key terms in the bill rely on definitions from external documents. If these definitions change, it may create ambiguities and affect the consistent application of the Act.
Impact on the Public Broadly
For the public, the bill's amendments may result in more efficient management and implementation of initiatives aimed at tackling marine debris, which is a growing environmental concern. By improving the administration of these programs, the legislation could lead to better preservation of marine ecosystems, benefiting the environment and, indirectly, human health and recreation.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
Indigenous Communities: The broad language around Tribal Government consultations might lead to insufficient engagement unless detailed guidelines are established, potentially undermining Indigenous rights and meaningful participation.
Marine Conservation Organizations: These organizations may view the bill as a positive step towards enhancing resources and frameworks for marine debris clean-up. However, they might also be concerned about the unspecified outcomes related to the authorized funds.
Government and Non-Profit Agencies: Agencies involved in executing the amendments could benefit from clearer structures and increased funding. However, they might also face challenges interpreting new definitions and procedural changes, potentially impacting program delivery.
Taxpayers: There might be concerns about fiscal responsibility due to the lack of detailed financial justification for the newly authorized funds. Ensuring accountability in spending will be important for maintaining public trust.
Overall, while the bill aims to address significant environmental issues, the execution details will be critical in determining its effectiveness and reception by affected stakeholders. Clear definitions, transparent funding justifications, and comprehensive guidelines for stakeholder engagement will be key to its successful implementation.
Financial Assessment
The bill H.R. 2620 introduces several financial considerations, especially focused on funding for marine debris efforts. Below is a breakdown of the financial references and their relation to the identified issues.
Financial Allocations
Authorization of Appropriations:
The bill specifies an allocation of $2,000,000 for the fiscal year 2025. This appropriation is intended to support the ongoing efforts to manage and reduce marine debris, including enhancing the administration of the Marine Debris Foundation and the Marine Debris Program under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Issues Related to Financial References
- Lack of Detailed Justification for Funding:
The authorization of $2,000,000 lacks detailed justification or specified outcomes. This raises concerns about fiscal responsibility, highlighting the need for clear objectives and performance indicators to ensure the funds are used effectively and to avoid potential wasteful spending.
In-Kind Contributions:
The bill mentions "in-kind contributions" but does not provide a clear definition or framework for valuation. This ambiguity can lead to confusion or misuse, making it difficult to determine the actual financial impact and benefit to NOAA’s operations.
Accountability and Transparency in Financial Management:
- Without specific performance metrics for key roles such as the Chief Executive Officer of the Marine Debris Foundation, there is a concern over how effectively the allocated funds will be managed. The absence of clear accountability measures can lead to biased assessments and a lack of transparency in leadership roles impacting financial oversight.
Overall, the financial references in H.R. 2620 illustrate a notable investment in managing marine debris. However, the bill's financial elements could benefit from more explicit justification, clearer definitions for contributions, and robust accountability frameworks to ensure the appropriations are effectively utilized to achieve meaningful environmental outcomes.
Issues
The introduction of 'in-kind contributions' in Section 2 lacks a clear definition, leading to potential ambiguity in how these contributions are valued and applied, which could result in confusion or misuse (Section 2).
The absence of specific performance metrics for the Chief Executive Officer of the Marine Debris Foundation in Section 3 could lead to biased assessments, which raises concerns about accountability and transparency in leadership roles (Section 3).
The broad language related to Tribal Government consultations in Section 3 might lead to misinterpretation and inadequate consultation processes, potentially affecting Indigenous rights and government relations (Section 3).
The authorization of $2,000,000 in funding for 2025 without detailed justification or specified outcomes may lead to wasteful spending, raising concerns over fiscal responsibility (Section 3).
The complex legal language and lack of clarity in the purpose and implications of section transfers in Section 4 may lead to misunderstandings about the overall impact of these legislative changes (Section 4).
The reliance on external definitions for key terms in Section 5 can create ambiguity if those definitions are updated or interpreted differently, which may complicate legal consistency and comprehension (Section 5).
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of the bill states that the Act will be known as the “Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act.”
2. Modifications to the marine debris program of the national oceanic and atmospheric administration Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section modifies the Marine Debris Act by renumbering some sections and updating how the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) can use contracts, grants, and agreements. It allows NOAA to contribute in-kind to projects based on the benefits they receive and expands the definitions to include other types of agreements.
3. Modifications to the marine debris foundation Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The document details modifications to the Marine Debris Foundation, including changes to governance, the addition of best practices for engaging with Indian Tribes and Tribal Governments, and financial provisions. It outlines adjustments such as relocating certain sections, restructuring board appointment procedures, setting up best practices for outreach, and ensuring funding until 2029.
Money References
- “(i) Rule of construction.—Nothing in this Act may be construed— “(1) to satisfy any requirement for government-to-government consultation with Tribal Governments; or “(2) to affect or modify any treaty or other right of any Tribal Government.”. (h) Authorization of appropriations.—Section 118(a) of the Marine Debris Act (Public Law 109–449), as transferred by this Act, is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting “and $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2025” after “through 2024”; and (2) in paragraph (2), by striking “and State and local government agencies” and inserting “, State and local government agencies, regional organizations, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and foreign governments”.
4. Transfers Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section outlines changes to existing laws by moving parts of the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act to follow a specific section in the Marine Debris Act, and reordering sections of the Marine Debris Act itself, giving them new numbers and adding an introductory heading, "subtitle D—Administration," before these sections.
5. Definitions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section updates definitions in the Marine Debris Act by striking an existing paragraph, redesignating certain terms, and adding new definitions like "circular economy," "coastal shoreline community," and "Tribal Government." It also involves transferring and redesignating sections from the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act, including modifying references to "Indian Tribe."
6. Conforming amendments Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section from the bill makes several updates to the Marine Debris Act, including replacing references to the “Administrator” with “Under Secretary” or “EPA Administrator” and changing some section and subtitle references to reflect the new organization of the Act. It also updates the term “tribal government” to “Tribal Government” in the Act.