Oregon Letter to Congress in Support of Sea Grant

Dear Oregon congressional delegation: We, the undersigned constituents from Oregon, are writing to urge your support for federal funding for the Sea Grant Program in fiscal year (FY) 2026. Sea Grant is funded in the Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) appropriations bill and is in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Operations, Research, and Facilities (ORF) Account within the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR). As one of the 34 Sea Grant programs, each year Oregon receives a portion of the annual appropriation to Sea Grant. The Oregon Sea Grant program partners with local, state, regional, and national organizations to meet and exceed the legally required match of $1 dollar for every $2 federal dollars, which increases the impact of every federal dollar. In Oregon, we work hard to exceed that, leveraging $5 dollars in additional funding and economic benefits for every federal dollar. We benefit from this, as the money is invested in Sea Grant staff and their work in communities right here in the state. Our work results in more than $7,000,000 dollars in additional funding and $14,000,000 dollars in economic benefits for Oregonians. For example, this includes work supporting rural coastal communities through the Discover Local Seafood tours, Fisherman First Aid and Safety Training program, Guide and Outfitter Recognized Professional training. They also help coastal communities prepare for flooding, tsunamis and other natural hazards through community education and technical research that helped bring major funding to Oregon and the PNW region. These locally relevant programs and solutions help save lives and keep our communities and economies resilient. Oregon Sea Grant research supports our local fishing industry by demonstrating the high quality and benefits of frozen seafood to chefs, retailers, and consumers and by increasing understanding of seafloor habitats to support sustainable management of local fisheries. They also support local shellfish and seaweed farmers by developing probiotic treatments to increase production of oyster “seed” and improving the efficiency of red seaweed production. Oregon Sea Grant marine and STEM education programs are preparing students for the jobs and challenges of the future, reach tens of thousands of Oregonian school kids (K-12 and homeschoolers), educators, and learners of all ages through their marine education programs, the Oregon Coast STEM Hub, and their hands-on exhibits and public programs at the Hatfield Marine Science Center. They foster workforce development and Oregon’s growing Blue and Green economies while helping Oregon businesses save money, reduce pollution and waste by supporting university students working as paid summer interns (57 since 2017) through our Oregon Applied Sustainability Internships program (a collaboration with the Oregon Department for Environmental Quality and partial funding from US EPA). Oregon Sea Grant scientifically rigorous and societally relevant research supports environmental health and conservation. Researchers are addressing the challenges of now ubiquitous microplastics and microfibers in marine and freshwater environments by developing practical solutions to reduce contamination. Another research team is investigating the impacts of harmful algal blooms on shellfish and the people and industries in Oregon that harvest them. The project will develop tools and inform policies to reduce threats to human health and community resilience. Oregon Sea Grant is also funding research to better understand and manage Oregon’s iconic sand dunes. These dunes protect coastal communities from storm surge and provide habitat for wildlife. Researchers learned that a new hybrid of two nonnative beach grasses is altering and encroached dune habitat essential to two threatened bird species. They also improved a sediment transport model to understand how dune grading, habitat restoration, and other management interventions will affect coastal dunes and help protect people and wildlife. As constituents and beneficiaries of Oregon’s Sea Grant Program, we cannot overstate the value Sea Grant brings to our state. In addition, coastal communities around the country are protected and supported thanks to the Sea Grant national network’s important activities around resilient communities and economies, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, healthy coastal ecosystems, environmental literacy, and workforce development. I respectfully request you support funding the Sea Grant Program in FY 2026 appropriations. Thank you for your consideration, and please reach out if we can be of further assistance. Respectfully,