A new bill introduced in the Senate would provide a route to funnel more money to states plagued by marine debris — the millions of tons of trash that drifts toward U.S. shores, littering coastlines and tangling in fishing nets.
The bill focuses on using the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s authority to authorize more funding for cleanup and response to marine debris. Like declaring a disaster, a governor could request a declaration — and matching funds — from the NOAA administrator.