SHORE Act

The SHORE Act (S. 3597) was designed to strengthen the federal government's ability to prevent, track, and respond to offshore oil spills following the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The bill would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Coast Guard to modernize their oil spill trajectory modeling, increase the frequency of safety inspections for oil tankers, and establish long-term environmental monitoring programs in the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic.

For citizens, this legislation aims to protect coastal economies and food safety by improving the government's capacity to monitor seafood for contamination and by creating a national information center to provide the public with real-time data during environmental emergencies. Additionally, the bill would establish regional "Citizens' Advisory Councils" to give local residents a formal voice in overseeing oil and gas operations in their communities. The act also includes protections for coral reefs, making it illegal to damage them and establishing a fund to pay for their restoration following accidents or disasters.