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119-hr-1124119th Congress

Help Our Kelp Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]

Introduced

Summary

Creates a NOAA grant program to conserve and restore native kelp forest ecosystems and prevent large-scale losses. The program would fund community-led restoration, monitoring, and non‑mechanized recovery actions while emphasizing Indigenous knowledge and long-term socioeconomic resilience.

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  • Fishermen and coastal communities: Eligible to receive grants for restoration work such as targeted urchin removal, seeding, and actions that support seafood livelihoods and local resilience.
  • Indian Tribes: At least $750,000 each year is reserved for tribes, with match waivers possible for tribal lands and required outreach to tribal governments.
  • Researchers, nonprofits, and colleges: Can partner or lead projects that must include monitoring, evaluation, and collaboration with other eligible entities.
  • NOAA and program rules: NOAA would design guidelines and ranking criteria based on best available science and community engagement and limit federal grant shares to no more than 85 percent of project costs with narrow waiver options.

*Would authorize $5.0 million per year from 2026 through 2030, totaling $25.0 million in authorized funding.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

New grants to restore kelp forests

This bill would create NOAA grants to conserve and restore kelp forests within 180 days of enactment. Congress would authorize $5 million per year for 2026-2030, subject to future funding. Eligible applicants include fishing groups, universities, nonprofits, Tribes, states, and local governments, and they must partner with other eligible groups and include a monitoring plan. Grants could cover up to 85% of costs with in-kind matches allowed; NOAA could waive matches only if no reasonable way to meet them, the public benefit outweighs the rule, and the project is on Tribal lands. At least $750,000 each year would be set aside for Tribes; if unused, it could fund others and NOAA would conduct Tribal outreach. Projects would target the biggest kelp losses, build long-term resilience, support seeding and connectivity, restore predator–urchin balance (like targeted urchin removal and sunflower sea star recovery), and integrate Indigenous knowledge or Tribal co-management.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 7/17/2025

  • Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 4/9/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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