Rep. Huffman Celebrates Community Project Funding for Marine Mammal Center, Kelp Recovery

Press event will include live animal feeds at The Marine Mammal Center

March 18, 2022

San Rafael, CA – On Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at 1:00pm PT, please join Congressman Huffman and local partners for a press event celebrating federal funding recently awarded to The Marine Mammal Center and Greater Farallones Association through Congress’ community project funding process. Members of the press will have the opportunity to view a live animal feed at the Center’s hospital following the press conference.

Event Details:

WHAT: Press Event Celebrating Community Project Funding

PARTICIPANTS:

Representative Jared Huffman

Dr. Jeff Boehm, The Marine Mammal Center

Maria Brown, Superintendent, NOAA’s Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries

WHEN: Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at 1:00-2:00pm PT

WHERE: The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, CA 94965

COVID PRECAUTIONS: Per venue requirement, please be prepared to have a photo ID and vaccination card. Masks are required indoors and during the live animal feed, but not for the outdoor press conference.

Please submit your RSVPs to Mary Hurrell (Mary.hurrell@mail.house.gov).

About the Funding

On March 16, President Joe Biden signed into law a historic funding package that included funding for community-based projects for the first time in over a decade. Congressman Huffman and Senator Alex Padilla championed projects for the Bay Area that are being celebrated today:

  • $500,000 for Emergency Marine Mammal Field Response, Research, and Rehabilitation
    • The funding will be used to provide timely and humane responses to marine mammals that are stranded or in distress along the California coast; ensuring public safety by bringing in injured and diseased animals; advancing research; and providing high quality medical and rehabilitative care to marine mammals that are significantly impacted by vessel strikes, entanglements, and other activities. This project will protect and promote marine biodiversity and marine mammals, which are essential for thriving coastal ecosystems, as well as benefit public safety, bio-surveillance, scientific research, animal welfare, population health, and public awareness and education.
  • $2,000,000 for Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Kelp Restoration
    • The funding will be used to restore bull kelp forest along the Sonoma and Mendocino coastlines within Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary through large-scale urchin removal, planting kelp, and community engagement. Since 2014, over 90% of kelp forests in northern California have disappeared; kelp forest recovery would benefit marine life, coastal communities, and groups impacted by kelp loss, including red abalone and red urchin fisheries and recreational companies dependent on this marine habitat. This project will partner with and compensate local divers to remove urchins from key sites already identified in the sanctuary and collaborate with research and community partners to restore kelp.