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119-hr-8496119th CongressWALLET

Marine Mammal Climate Change Protection Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would create a __climate-driven conservation framework for marine mammal species and population stocks in U.S. waters__. It sets deadlines for listing at-risk stocks, requires climate impact management plans, and builds a NOAA monitoring program to track climate effects.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

List of climate-impacted mammals

If enacted, the bill would require the Secretary to publish a list within 24 months of marine mammal species and stocks likely to decline because of climate change. The list would mark stocks likely affected within 20 years and ESA-listed stocks with possible impacts within 100 years. The bill would require proposed listing rules within 120 days after enactment, at least 60 days of public comment, final rules within 90 days after comment closes, regulatory reviews at least every 3 years, and list reviews at least every 5 years. The Secretary would have to respond to petitions within 12 months, and lack of quantitative data alone could not be used to deny climate-impact findings.

NOAA marine mammal monitoring

If enacted, the bill would require NOAA to set up a program to monitor how climate change affects marine mammals. The program would track shifts in distribution and abundance and watch interactions with fisheries and other human activities. It would aim to detect a 20% population decline over 20 years and study marine mammals' roles in carbon storage and nutrient cycling.

Review international marine mammal agreements

If enacted, the bill would require the Secretary to periodically review agreements with other countries about transboundary marine mammal stocks and their prey when climate change affects them. Through the Secretary of State, the Administration would be required to start amendments or new negotiations to align those agreements with the bill's conservation and management goals.

Funding for marine mammal work

If enacted, the bill would authorize annual amounts for FY2027 through FY2031: $10 million per year to NOAA, $5 million per year to the Department of the Interior, and $1 million per year to the Marine Mammal Commission. These are authorizations only; Congress would still have to appropriate the funds before agencies could spend them. The money would be for monitoring, planning, and implementing actions under the bill.

Climate management plans and duties

If enacted, the Secretary would have to write Climate Impact Management Plans (CIMPs) for each listed species or stock. Drafts for stocks likely affected within 20 years would be published within 18 months after listing, and drafts for certain ESA-listed stocks within 30 months; drafts would have up to 90 days for public comment and final plans and implementing rules would follow within 120 days after comments close. Plans would require measurable conservation, prey management, monitoring, and steps to reduce harmful human interactions. If funding is insufficient, the Secretary would prioritize which stocks get plans and could designate unfunded stocks as 'depleted' and 'strategic.' Other federal agencies would have to consult with the Secretary and use their authorities to support and avoid conflicts with plans, and adopt measures the Secretary requires to minimize unavoidable conflicts.

Climate in stock and take limits

If enacted, the bill would require the Secretary to consider climate-change harms when setting the Potential Biological Removal (PBR) recovery factor in stock assessments. The Secretary would also reexamine stock definitions and geographic ranges to spot climate-driven distribution changes and assess how those changes affect human impacts. The bill would bar using only the lack of quantitative data to deny that climate-related harms are occurring.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 11/2/2026

  • Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 4/27/2026

  • Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 4/27/2026

  • Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]

    TN • D

    Sponsored 4/27/2026

  • Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 4/27/2026

  • Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 4/27/2026

  • Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 4/27/2026

  • Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/15/2026

  • Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/1/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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