S. 93: Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2025

S. 93 would widen the federal harmful algal bloom program so it no longer focuses mainly on coastal waters — it would also cover estuaries, freshwater lakes, and rivers.

In plain English, the bill says the government should do a better job spotting dangerous blooms, predicting when weather could make them worse, and getting usable data to state, tribal, and local officials. It also requires a new national strategy at least every five years so Congress keeps getting updated plans instead of relying on an aging framework.

The bill updates what counts as a harmful algal bloom, including marine and freshwater algae, cyanobacteria, and macroalgae such as Sargassum when they create nuisance conditions or harm ecosystems, subsistence resources, communities, or human health. It also lays out what officials should weigh before declaring an event nationally significant, including toxin levels, toxic aerosols, illness reports, fishery losses, tourism impacts, public-health costs, duration, and whether the event crosses borders.

For communities hit by a major bloom, the practical change is money and logistics: federal agencies could reimburse response costs, fund local partners, and waive matching requirements when a community has no reasonable way to pay.

The bill also creates a national observing network, pushes NOAA to improve forecasting that accounts for hurricanes and other weather events, and directs EPA to deepen freshwater research and Great Lakes coordination. On the funding side, it authorizes $19.5 million a year for the main federal ocean office, $8 million a year for EPA, and $2 million a year for other bloom and hypoxia needs through 2030.

That adds up to roughly $147.5 million over five years, aimed at earlier warnings, better science, and faster response when blooms threaten health, fisheries, and local economies.