Reports and regulations on coastal seaweed farming

(a) Definitions In this section: (1) Coastal seaweed farming The term coastal seaweed farming means the onshore or nearshore propagation and harvesting of seaweed and products derived from seaweed that— (A) does not use any— (i) synthetic pesticide (as defined in section 2 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. 136)); or (ii) plastic, unless a suitable replacement does not exist; and (B) does not produce finfish for commercial purposes. (2) Seaweed The term seaweed means any macroscopic, multicellular marine algae species. (3) Secretaries The term Secretaries means— (A) the Secretary; and (B) the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. (b) Reports (1) Preliminary report (A) In general Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall jointly submit to Congress, and publish on the websites of the Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a preliminary report analyzing the following: (i) The effects of coastal seaweed farming on— (I) surrounding communities; (II) the ecosystem; and (III) marine and coastal wildlife. (ii) Best practices for cultivating and sourcing local seeds to propagate for coastal seaweed farming, including practices based on traditional ecological knowledge. (iii) Best practices, including practices based on traditional ecological knowledge, to prevent the escape or spread during coastal seaweed farming of any organism that would— (I) alter the natural ecosystem; or (II) present a biofouling risk. (iv) Best practices, including practices based on traditional ecological knowledge, relating to species selection, harvesting cycles, spatial planning and siting, engineering and design, and environmental aspects of coastal seaweed farming that— (I) maximize benefits, and avoid adverse effects, on the marine ecosystem and marine and coastal wildlife; (II) lead to optimal yields; (III) account for the impact climate change may have on natural habitats and coastal seaweed farming operations; (IV) minimize entanglements and other harmful interactions between marine life and nearshore seaweed farming infrastructure and gear; (V) account for changes in migration patterns of marine mammals and highly migratory species (as defined in section 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802)); and (VI) account for, and avoid interference with, competing uses, including vessel traffic and commercial and recreational fishing. (v) The potential for growing seaweed for long-term carbon sequestration and best practices for measurement, reporting, and verification approaches for that growing, specific to the sequestration reservoir. (vi) The effects of cocultivation of bivalves with seaweed on the ecosystem, ocean acidification, and hypoxia levels. (vii) The effects of coastal seaweed farming on water quality. (viii) Best practices for limiting the use of plastic in coastal seaweed farming gear. (ix) The history and use of Indigenous and traditional seaweed farming practices. (x) Best practices for sustainable harvest and post-harvest processing of coastal seaweed farming products, including— (I) methods of reducing energy costs; and (II) methods based on traditional ecological knowledge. (xi) Scalable commercial applications for value-added seaweed or products derived from seaweed, including as feedstock for animals and other agricultural, commercial, and industrial applications. (xii) Processes for processing, storage, and transportation of seaweed that— (I) are cost-effective and efficient; and (II) reduce carbon emissions from transportation. (xiii) Existing and potential markets and market capacity for major cultivated seaweed species. (xiv) Baseline economic analyses and business planning models for major cultivated seaweed species. (xv) The effects of water quality on the quality of cultivated seaweed for human consumption, including the absorption of toxic heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants. (xvi) Best practices for onshore seaweed farming issues that reduce energy requirements to pump water, include management of effluent and spatial planning, and address conflicting uses of the onshore coastal zone. (xvii) Best practices in efficient and effective Federal and State regulatory systems for coastal seaweed farming. (B) Consultation and engagement In preparing the report under subparagraph (A), the Secretaries shall consult or engage, as appropriate, with the following: (i) The Interagency Working Group on Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge, with respect to— (I) the cultivation of kelp, seaweed, and shellfish; (II) the use of Tribal waters for coastal seaweed farming; (III) the impact and benefits of coastal seaweed farming on Tribal waters; and (IV) best practices for engaging with Indian Tribes (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) with respect to matters relating to coastal seaweed farming. (ii) Indian Tribes (as so defined). (iii) The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (as defined in section 2 of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3001)). (iv) The Interagency Working Group on Research for Farming of Seaweeds and Seagrasses. (v) The Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification. (vi) The Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture of the National Science and Technology Council. (vii) Such other agencies as the Secretaries determine to be appropriate. (2) Update Not later than 2 years after the date on which the report under paragraph (1) is submitted, the Secretaries shall submit to Congress an updated report based on pertinent information derived from Federal research programs and other sources of information. (c) Regulations Not later than 1 year after the date on which the preliminary report under subsection (b)(1) is published, the Secretaries, in consultation with the Chief of Engineers, shall promulgate and implement such regulations as the Secretaries determine to be appropriate— (1) to ensure that design, development, siting, species selection, operation, and production systems of coastal seaweed farming maximize potential benefits to, and avoid potential adverse effects on, the marine ecosystem, wildlife, and fisheries and surrounding communities; (2) to establish evaluation metrics to measure the impact and benefits of coastal seaweed farming on— (A) the marine ecosystem, including marine wildlife, biodiversity, productivity, water quality, and stored carbon; and (B) surrounding communities, including relating to the equitable distribution of costs and benefits (including economic and environmental costs and benefits) within those communities; and (3) to require monitoring and reporting relating to— (A) any adverse effects on the marine ecosystem and wildlife, including entanglements of marine life; and (B) any effects on commercial and recreational fishing. (d) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretaries, to be allocated between the Secretaries as the Secretaries determine to be appropriate— (1) $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 and 2028 to complete the preliminary report under subsection (b)(1); (2) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2029, of which— (A) $1,000,000 shall be used for the updated report under subsection (b)(2); and (B) $2,000,000 shall be used to promulgate and implement regulations pursuant to subsection (c); and (3) $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2030 to complete the updated report under subsection (b)(2).