US HB360

Secretary of Commerce, through NOAA, must establish the Oyster Reef Restoration and Conservation Program to provide technical and financial assistance for identifying restoration priorities, evaluating reef health and threats, and conducting conservation projects

Program will support mapping, water quality monitoring, adaptive management, partnership building, and workforce training focused on coastal resilience, with emphasis on benefiting underserved communities

Competitive grant program created for research, planning, construction, assessments, and management activities related to oyster reef conservation, with applicants required to demonstrate projects will not interfere with commercial or recreational fishing

Eligible grant recipients include federal, state, local, and tribal governments; nonprofits; higher education institutions; shellfish industry; and private entities

Authorizes $15,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, and preserves state and tribal authority to manage oyster reefs and species