Marine debris - National Ocean Service

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law summary: “Shall be for marine debris assessment, prevention, mitigation, and removal.”

Marine debris is one of the most pervasive global threats to the health of the ocean and our waterways and is an issue of growing local, regional, national, and international concern. The NOAA Marine Debris Program, a division of the Office of Response and Restoration within the National Ocean Service, is the U.S. Federal lead for addressing marine debris nationwide. 

Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law the NOAA Marine Debris Program will fund projects that advance national goals and priorities of the Marine Debris Act, including marine debris assessment, prevention, mitigation, and removal. The five-year goals and execution strategy associated with these funds will be used to better understand the marine debris problem, remove legacy debris, and prevent future debris to reduce stress on ecosystem services. The NOAA Marine Debris Program expects to award the majority of these funds through national competitive funding opportunities. 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law also provides funding to the National Sea Grant College Program for funding opportunities within their 34 member institutional network for projects that prevent and remove marine debris. The NOAA Marine Debris Program is working with the National Sea Grant College Program to coordinate activities.

 $150M over 5 years

• Marine Debris Program FY 2024 NOFOs open
• NOAA Marine Debris Removal Grants - NOAA is announcing 14 recommended recipients of our NOAA Marine Debris Removal awards for Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023, totaling over $69 million.
• NOAA, NFWF award $2.6 million for largest U.S. marine national monument (September 15, 2022)
• Marine Debris Funding website