Save Our Seas 2.0 Act

Save Our Seas 2.0 Act

This bill establishes requirements and incentives to reduce, recycle, and prevent marine debris (e.g., plastic waste).

TITLE I--COMBATING MARINE DEBRIS

Subtitle A--Amendments to the Marine Debris Act

(Sec. 101) This section increases the authorization of appropriations for the Marine Debris Act through FY2022.

In addition, it requires relevant federal agencies to prioritize efforts to combat marine debris when carrying out existing innovation and entrepreneurship programs.

Subtitle B--Marine Debris Foundation

(Sec. 111) This section establishes the Marine Debris Foundation, a nonprofit organization, and outlines its purposes, rights, and obligations. The foundation must accept and administer gifts to benefit the Marine Debris Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The foundation must also support federal actions to access, prevent, reduce, and remove marine debris and address the adverse impacts of marine debris on the U.S. economy, the marine environment, and navigation safety.

(Sec. 119) This section terminates the foundation 10 years after its establishment.

Subtitle C--Genius Prize for Save Our Seas Innovations

(Sec. 122) This section establishes the Genius Prize for Save Our Seas Innovations. The prize competition must (1) encourage technological innovation with the potential to reduce plastic waste, associated pollution, and potential pollution; and (2) award at least one prize every two years for projects that advance human understanding and innovation in removing and preventing plastic waste.

(Sec. 123) The Department of Commerce may enter into an agreement with the Marine Debris Foundation for the foundation to administer the prize competition. If the foundation administers the prize competition, it may request and accept federal and nonfederal funds for a cash prize or administration of the competition.

(Sec. 127) This section terminates the prize competition after the completion of five competition cycles.

Subtitle D--Studies, Pilot Projects, and Reports

(Sec. 131) The Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee must report on microfiber pollution and innovative uses for plastic waste in consumer products.

(Sec. 133) NOAA must arrange with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on U.S. plastic pollution data and report on findings of the study.

(Sec. 134) The National Institute of Standards and Technology must study and report on the availability of methodologies that are or could be readily standardized to track and certify the amount of circular polymers (i.e., polymers that can be reused multiple times or converted into a new, higher-quality product) in finished goods.

(Sec. 135) NOAA must also report on the scale of fishing gear losses by domestic and foreign fisheries and the ecological, human health, and maritime safety impacts of derelict fishing gear. The study must include recommendations on management measures to prevent such losses and reduce such impacts.

(Sec. 136) NOAA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must jointly conduct a study to determine the feasibility of developing a nationwide derelict vessel recycling program. The agencies must use the pilot project in Rhode Island led by Rhode Island Sea Grant and its partners as a model.

(Sec. 137) In addition, NOAA must establish a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing incentives to fishermen based in the United States who incidentally capture marine debris while at sea to (1) track or keep the debris on board, and (2) dispose of the debris properly on land.

TITLE II--ENHANCED GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT TO COMBAT MARINE DEBRIS

(Sec. 202) The Department of State must implement the U.S. policy to cooperate with foreign governments and the private sector to combat marine debris, which includes support for (1) strengthening systems for processing and reusing plastic waste, (2) developing and using reusable alternatives to disposable plastic products, and (3) deploying technology for capturing value from postconsumer materials and municipal solid waste streams.

(Sec. 203) The President must direct U.S. representatives to various international bodies to support U.S. marine debris policies. The EPA is authorized to build partnerships in support of such policies.

(Sec. 205) The State Department must report on the potential for entering into new agreements or creating a new forum to reduce land-based sources of marine debris and derelict fishing gear.

TITLE III--IMPROVING DOMESTIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO PREVENT MARINE DEBRIS

(Sec. 301) The EPA must develop a strategy to improve postconsumer materials management and infrastructure for the purpose of reducing plastic waste and other postconsumer materials in waterways and oceans. The EPA must then publish it and distribute it to states.

(Sec. 302) Further, the EPA may provide grants to states to implement the strategy and to (1) support improvements to local postconsumer materials management, including municipal recycling programs; and (2) assist local waste management authorities in making improvements to local waste management systems.

The EPA may also provide grants to local governments, Indian tribes, and public water systems to support improvements in reducing and removing plastic waste and postconsumer materials from drinking water or sources of drinking water.

In addition, the EPA may provide grants to certain municipalities or Indian tribes that own and operate treatment works (systems that treat municipal sewage or industrial waste) for the construction of improvements to reduce and remove plastic waste and postconsumer materials.

Finally, the EPA may provide grants to local governments, Indian tribes, and nonprofit organizations for various efforts to reduce trash in water.

(Sec. 303) The Department of Transportation and the EPA must jointly enter into an arrangement with the National Academies to conduct a study concerning the uses of plastic waste in infrastructure.

(Sec. 304) Further, the EPA must also enter into an arrangement with the National Academies to conduct a study on human health and environmental risk assessment on microplastics.

(Sec. 305) In addition, the EPA must recommend to Congress ways to eliminate barriers to increasing the collection, processing, and use of recyclable materials.

(Sec. 306) The EPA must also report on the most efficient and effective economic incentives to spur the development of additional new end-use markets for recycled plastics.

(Sec. 307) Additionally, the EPA must study and report on minimizing the creation of new plastic waste.