Rep. McBride’s Amendment to Protect Delaware’s Coastal Communities from Harmful Algal Blooms Advances Science, Space, and Technology Committee

Archive Photo: 2020 Lake Gerar Algae Bloom in Rehoboth Beach / Photo courtesy Stan Mills

Delaware Congresswoman Sarah McBride has advanced an amendment to the NASA Reauthorization Act that will help to protect Delaware’s coastal communities. The amendment was passed by voice vote during a committee markup this week in the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee and would allow NASA to use its satellites and Earth Science expertise to better track, predict and warn of harmful algal blooms – helping to protect our environment, economy and public health in the First State – and across the country. Harmful algal blooms contaminate drinking water, close beaches, disrupt fisheries and pose public health risks that result in mass economic losses for coastal communities. Early warning and better forecasting can make all the difference.

Additional information from Congresswoman McBride:

“I offer this amendment because harmful algal blooms, or HABs, are an increasing threat to coastal states–like Delaware–and industries across the country,” said Rep. McBride during the markup. “HABs occur in all bodies of water in the U.S. and can only be controlled but not stopped. From the West to the East coast, HABs contaminate drinking water, close beaches, disrupt fisheries, and pose serious public health risks— resulting in mass economic losses for coastal communities.”

NASA collects a significant amount of data from space about our oceans, lakes, and coastal waters. McBride’s amendment would ensure data collected by NASA is shared with other federal agencies, universities, and local partners—including local officials, public health departments, and emergency planners—to help improve HABs control and prevention.

“This amendment reaffirms NASA’s commitment to using its existing Earth science capabilities for the detection, forecasting, monitoring, and scientific understanding of harmful algal blooms, in real-time,” Rep. McBride continued. 

McBride’s amendment supports the use of hosted payload missions, which  allows NASA to place a government instrument, sensor, or experiment on commercial satellites or a spacecraft. This cost-effective approach enhances data collection and the transfer of information to researchers and decision-makers.

“Early warning and better forecasting can make a difference by allowing local officials to issue timely public health advisories, put in place plans to protect drinking water supplies, manage fisheries, and plan ecosystem responses more effectively,” Rep. McBride added. 

Full text of the amendment can be found here.