New programs would help stop the spread of harmful aquatic invasive species in U.S. waters.
This bill would set up new grant programs to research and fight aquatic invasive species, which are plants and animals that harm our waterways. It would also create plans for inspecting boats and monitoring species movement across different river systems. The goal is to better protect lakes, rivers, and local economies from these unwanted invaders.
Currently, the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 provides a framework for managing aquatic nuisance species. However, there are no specific grant programs dedicated to rapid response or to research and develop new control technologies as outlined in this bill. The existing Task Force has a more limited membership and set of duties. There are also no mandated plans for federal agencies to conduct watercraft inspections and decontaminations at stations. Additionally, there is no specific interbasin and intrabasin monitoring program as detailed in this bill. If this bill becomes law, it would create two new grant programs: one for researching and developing ways to control and get rid of aquatic invasive species, and another for rapid response actions when new invasions are found. The Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force would expand its membership and responsibilities, including coordinating with other groups and studying how federal laws affect rapid responses. Federal agencies would also have to create a plan for inspecting and cleaning boats to stop the spread of invasive species. A new program would monitor invasive species moving through major river systems. Finally, the bill would set aside $49.5 million each year from 2026 to 2031 to pay for these new and expanded efforts, and would allow grants to encourage better ballast water management systems on ships.
HR 8876 · 119th Congress · May 19, 2026 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 9/10
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