WASHINGTON, DC – President Donald Trump today signed into law the Save Our Seas Act 2.0 (S. 1982), a comprehensive, bipartisan effort to address the challenge of plastic debris in the world’s oceans.
In addition to an important step forward in reducing marine plastic debris, Save Our Seas 2.0 is an example of what can be achieved when policymakers work across the partisan divide in an open and inclusive legislative process.
Read MoreOn January 9, the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act unanimously passed out of the full Senate. The bill, sponsored by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ), will tackle the plastic pollution problem on our beaches.
Read MoreOn Wednesday, after many months of work and consultation with us and other ocean experts and stakeholders, Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) introduced Save Our Seas Act 2.0.
Save Our Seas Act 2.0 builds on the original legislation in substantial ways. Here’s what we love about the new bill:
SOS Act 2.0 proposes a variety of new measures to bolster international engagement and cooperation to research and address the marine debris crisis.
It commits resources to scientific research to better understand and address the root causes of plastic pollution, both here in the U.S. and around the world.
The bill also proposes a host of new efforts here at home to improve our waste management system, particularly our recycling infrastructure. For example, the bill creates a loan program for states to support trash wheel and litter trap technologies.
