NOAA gets $75M to study coastal threats and help communities adapt.
H.R. 10888 — Coastal Ocean Research for Management Act of 2026 · Filed by Seth Magaziner (D-RI) · Introduced Oct 22, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill directs NOAA to establish and fund a National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science program to study and monitor coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes ecosystems. The program will conduct long-term ecological research, provide technical assistance to state and local governments, fund external research grants, and coordinate coastal science activities across NOAA. It authorizes $75 million annually from 2027–2033 for these activities.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is straightforward: it establishes a NOAA research program and appropriates funds for coastal ecosystem monitoring, studies, and grants. This is routine environmental science legislation with no hidden provisions or narrow beneficiaries.
What the text implies
- Long-term funding commitment (7 years) may create institutional expectations for continued appropriations beyond 2033, potentially locking future Congresses into coastal science spending.
- Grants and cooperative agreements with academic institutions and NGOs will distribute federal funds to external entities; oversight mechanisms and accountability standards are not detailed in the bill text.
- Coordination mandate across multiple NOAA authorities and existing statutes (ICOOS, Marine Debris Act, RESTORE Act, etc.) may create administrative complexity or turf conflicts if implementation guidance is unclear.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
The bill funds scientific research and monitoring that directly supports coastal community resilience, fisheries management, public health, and economic protection. Citizens in coastal regions and those dependent on ocean resources gain access to better data and management tools; the program serves broad public interests in environmental stewardship and disaster preparedness.
Who stands to gain
- academic institutions (through competitive grants)
- nongovernmental organizations (through cooperative agreements)
- research contractors and consultants
Named in the bill
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009, Marine Debris Act, RESTORE Act (Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies o, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992, America COMPETES Act (section 4001), Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972
Where it stands
- Oct 22, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Oct 22, 2026 — Referred to House Committee on Natural Resources · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the bill text published by Congress.gov (4,274 characters) on Oct 31, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,778 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-31.
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