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H.R. 10536House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Ocean Protection and DDT Reduction Act

Sponsored by Salud O. CarbajalRep. Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA)
Introduced September 24, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated September 28, 2026 at 12:51 PM UTC

The Ocean Protection and DDT Reduction Act directs the head of NOAA to study how dumping of certain hazardous wastes—including DDT, its breakdown products, military explosives, radioactive material, and refinery by‑products—affects the San Pedro Basin and the broader marine food web. The bill requires monitoring, research, development of assessment tools, and evaluation of bioremediation options, with funding provided for several years. The findings must be reported to multiple congressional committees.

Key Provisions

  • NOAA must monitor the status and trends of waste dumping in and around the San Pedro Basin.
  • NOAA must conduct research to determine the scope, impact, and potential for these wastes to enter the marine food chain.
  • The agency must develop tools and scientific methods that could be used to assess waste disposal impacts at other ocean sites.
  • NOAA must evaluate the feasibility of bioremediation techniques for the dumped waste at the offshore sites.
  • Grants may be awarded to support studies of deep‑seafloor contamination, including inventories, transport processes, and ecosystem biomagnification.
  • A comprehensive report outlining a research and bioremediation strategy, plus identification of other offshore dump locations, must be submitted within three years to several House and Senate committees.
  • The act authorizes $6 million per fiscal year from 2028 through 2034 to fund these activities.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Natural Resources Committee

September 24, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 24, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Natural Resources Committee

September 24, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued September 24, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 10536

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 24, 2026

Mr. Carbajal introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to study the impacts of the dumping of certain waste in the San Pedro Basin, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Ocean Protection and DDT Reduction Act.

2.

Research and remediation of San Pedro Basin

(a)

In general

The Administrator shall—

(1)

conduct status and trend monitoring of the dumping of covered waste in and around the San Pedro Basin;

(2)

conduct research to characterize the scope, impact, and potential for penetration into the marine food web of the dumping of covered waste in the San Pedro Basin;

(3)

develop tools, technologies, and scientific approaches that can serve as a foundation to characterize the disposition and impact of waste disposal at other ocean locations; and

(4)

assess, analyze, and explore the potential of bioremediation with respect to the dumping of covered waste at the San Pedro offshore dump sites.

(b)

Grants

The Administrator may provide grants to support the study of deep seafloor contamination from the dumping of covered waste off the coast of California, including the study of—

(1)

spatial and co-contaminant inventories;

(2)

transport and fate processes; and

(3)

ecosystem biomagnification.

(c)

Report

Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit a report outlining the strategy for further research and bioremediation in the San Pedro Basin, and identifying any other locations used as offshore dump sites for the dumping of covered waste, to the following committees:

(1)

The Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.

(2)

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.

(3)

The Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate.

(4)

The Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.

(5)

The Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.

(6)

The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives.

(7)

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.

(d)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2028 through 2034.

(e)

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Administrator

The term Administrator means the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the heads of other relevant agencies.

(2)

Covered waste

The term covered waste means—

(A)

dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane degradation products, and byproducts of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane manufacturing; and

(B)

other industrial wastes including military explosives, radioactive waste, refinery byproducts, and associated chemicals.