Wednesday December 18, 2024
SeafoodSource —
U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California) has introduced new legislation to redirect revenue from offshore energy projects to the priority needs of Tribes and coastal communities, such as fisheries research.
Huffman’s Resilience, Equity, and Sustainability Through Offshore Renewable Energy (RESTORE) Act would establish a new revenue-sharing mechanism for offshore renewable energy development, reinvesting the money tthe government earns from its lease into habitat conservation, climate resilience, and economic development.
“Despite their deep knowledge and stewardship of natural resources, Tribes have faced systemic barriers and injustices in infrastructure development, resulting in chronic underfunding and limited capacity to participate in, let alone benefit from, projects in and around their ancestral territories,” Huffman said in a statement. “Our transition to clean energy is the perfect opportunity to not only address climate change, but to right these historic wrongs and create a more sustainable future for tribal and coastal communities.”