Marine Mammal Climate Change Protection Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]
Introduced
Summary
Climate-focused management for marine mammals. This bill would add a new title to the Marine Mammal Protection Act to require the Commerce Secretary to identify species and population stocks at risk from climate change and to develop targeted climate impact management plans. It would also create a NOAA monitoring program to track climate-driven distribution, abundance, and interactions with fisheries and require other federal agencies to coordinate actions with those plans.
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- Coastal communities and fisheries: Plans must identify shifts in marine mammal distributions and propose measures to monitor and reduce harmful interactions with fishing gear and other human activities, which could change local management and operational practices.
- Scientists and agencies: A new NOAA monitoring program would improve models of distribution and density, watch for a 20 percent decline over 20 years, and support stock assessments and periodic 3 to 5 year plan reviews.
- Conservation and recovery programs: Stocks placed on the climate-impact list would get draft and final plans with measurable recovery criteria and may be integrated into Endangered Species Act recovery actions; stocks left unplanned because of funding can be deemed depleted and prioritized.
*Authorizes about $16.0 million in new annual appropriations for 2027–2031 to NOAA, the Department of the Interior, and the Marine Mammal Commission to support listings, planning, and monitoring.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Listing and monitoring of marine mammals
This bill would require NOAA to publish rules within 120 days for listing marine mammal species and stocks harmed by climate change and to finalize rules soon after public comment. The Secretary would publish a Federal list within 24 months naming stocks likely harmed within 20 years and ESA-listed stocks with risk within 100 years, and review the list at least every 5 years. The bill would require NOAA to include climate in stock assessments (PBR and recovery factors) and to set up a monitoring program to detect a 20% decline over 20 years. It would authorize $10 million a year to NOAA, $5 million to Interior, and $1 million to the Marine Mammal Commission for 2027–2031 to carry out listings, monitoring, and related work.
New climate plans and agency duties
The bill would require the Secretary to write a climate impact management plan for each listed marine mammal stock. Draft plans must be published within 18 months for stocks with likely 20-year impacts and within 30 months for certain ESA stocks, allow up to 90 days for public comment, and be finalized within 120 days after comment. Plans must include measurable recovery goals, steps to reduce fishing and habitat harms, prey management, and steps to increase resilience. Other federal agencies would have to use their authorities to follow the plans and avoid conflicts, the Secretary could require measures to reconcile conflicts, and the Secretary would report to Congress four years after enactment and every two years thereafter; the Secretary would also review and pursue changes to international agreements when needed.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 4/27/2026
Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/27/2026
Cohen
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
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov