The Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean is pleased to inform you that the Regional Ocean Partnership Act (H.R.5390) has been introduced to the House of Representatives to formally authorize Regional Ocean Partnerships, including MARCO, as partners with the federal government to address ocean and coastal concerns. The bill has also been introduced in the Senate (S.2166) and is awaiting a vote.
MARCO’s Management Board Chair, Kisha Santiago-Martinez, said the following about the bill: “The Regional Ocean Partnership Act represents an important step in the evolution of regional partnerships like the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO), who, for years, has led and fostered collaboration among federal, state, tribal and other stakeholders to meaningfully address ocean management challenges and opportunities. As the Mid-Atlantic ROP, MARCO expresses strong support for this bill, which would enhance its capacity to conduct collaborative activities at the regional level that are critical for conserving ocean health, and increasing the resilience of ocean and coastal areas that support a growing and vital ocean-based economy in the Mid-Atlantic.”
You can track the status of the bill online, here.
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