conditions and threatens the health of the global en-
vironment. 
(2) Emissions reductions and natural carbon 
sequestration methods to stabilize and decrease glob-
al greenhouse gas concentrations should be pursued. 
(3) The oceans have the capacity to hold 50 
times more carbon than the terrestrial systems and 
atmosphere. 
(4) The National Academies has recognized the 
potential benefits of methodologies that enhance 
ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (marine CDR) 
and called for more research to assess their potential 
to mitigate the impacts of climate change. 
(5) Ocean iron fertilization and other marine 
CDR techniques hold great potential to efficiently 
accelerate carbon dioxide removal from the atmos-
phere. 
(6) Ocean iron fertilization and replenishment 
mimics natural processes such as the influx of aeo-
lian dust and volcanic ash that provide iron supple-
ments to iron-limited open oceans. 
(7) Ocean iron fertilization also stimulates 
ocean productivity, phytoplankton growth, and fish 
populations. 
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(8) Several national and international climate 
strategies include specifications that methods to re-
store or enhance ocean photosynthesis are accepted 
as valid and will produce measurable and significant 
carbon capture and sequestration or storage referred 
to as a form of blue carbon. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the 
Congress that conducting pilot projects for research and 
development of ocean iron fertilization and other marine 
CDR techniques is urgent and in the Nation’s vital inter-
est to better understand and advance climate restoration 
and should be a priority for the Secretary. 
SEC. 3. OCEAN FERTILIZATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Energy 
shall establish a pilot program for the research and devel-
opment of ocean iron fertilization and other marine CDR 
techniques that have the potential to achieve regional-to- 
global scale carbon dioxide removal, ocean restoration, en-
hancement of fisheries, or conservation of marine mam-
mals. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The pilot program established 
under subsection (a) shall include— 
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(1) an applied research and development incen-
tive program, including monitoring of effects on eco-
systems; 
(2) demonstration projects, including commer-
cial scale by private industry; 
(3) engineering, design, environmental and eco-
nomic analysis; 
(4) an assessment of the efficacy of ocean iron 
fertilization and other marine CDR replenishment 
techniques to— 
(A) absorb and sequester greenhouse gas-
ses and restore marine ecosystems; 
(B) replicate those practices under varying 
conditions; and 
(C) assess secondary environmental im-
pacts and associated verification methodologies; 
and 
(5) a data management plan to include access 
and archive functions to allow for interagency sci-
entific discovery. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the pilot pro-
gram established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
consult and collaborate with— 
(1) the heads of other relevant Federal depart-
ments and agencies, including— 
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(A) the Administrator of the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration; 
(B) the Secretary of the Treasury; 
(C) the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency; 
(D) the Director of the Bureau of Ocean 
Energy Management; and 
(E) the Director of the National Science 
Foundation; 
(2) institutions of higher education; 
(3) the National Oceanographic Partnership 
Program; and 
(4) representatives from other relevant private 
and public sector organizations. 
(d) PROGRAM GOALS
AND OBJECTIVES.—In con-
sultation with the entities described in subsection (c), the 
Secretary shall within 1 year of enactment of this Act de-
velop goals and objectives for the pilot program estab-
lished under subsection (a), taking into consideration— 
(1) the acceleration of the development of ocean 
iron fertilization technologies and other marine CDR 
practices that have transformational ocean restora-
tion, carbon removal, and carbon storage character-
istics; 
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(2) the utilization of, to the maximum extent 
practicable, environmental data collected by— 
(A) the entities described in subsection (c); 
(B) 
the 
Defense 
Advanced 
Research 
Projects Agency through the Ocean of Things 
program; 
(C) the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration through the Plankton, Aerosol, 
Cloud, ocean Ecosystem mission; 
(D) NOAA’s Joint Polar Satellite System 
and Geostationary Operational Environmental 
Satellites, and data available from the National 
Centers for Environmental Information; 
(E) the Integrated Ocean Observing Sys-
tem of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration; and 
(F) the United States Navy, through the 
Marine Mammal Program; 
(3) support for sites for safe testing and dem-
onstration; 
(4) the need to enter into cooperative agree-
ments to carry out and expedite meso-scale dem-
onstration projects; 
(5) compliance with relevant international laws 
and treaties, if applicable; 
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(6) any benefits or barriers to the commercial 
deployment of any such technologies and practices; 
and 
(7) the need for adequate data sharing and 
management protocols among all participants to en-
sure that the data and information collected from 
the pilot project is available to the science commu-
nity and the public. 
(e) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—In carrying out the pilot 
program established under subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall have the authority to contract with private or public 
entities provided that— 
(1) the entity has demonstrated experience with 
ocean iron fertilization, other marine CDR tech-
niques, or expertise in oceanography; 
(2) at least 51 percent of project costs are to 
be provided by sources of funding other than Fed-
eral funds; and 
(3) certain data collected from such projects is 
made available to the Secretary to demonstrate effi-
cacy of ocean iron fertilization or other marine CDR 
techniques, subject to the protection of all propri-
etary data. 
(f) STATE AND TRIBAL INVOLVEMENT.—In consulta-
tion with the Secretary, States and Tribes may enter into 
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contracts with private and public entities to advance ocean 
iron fertilization for carbon sequestration or fisheries res-
toration. 
(g) PRIORITIES.—In carrying out the pilot program 
established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall, to 
the maximum extent practicable, prioritize activities 
that— 
(1) take place in pelagic waters; 
(2) will not cause or accelerate harmful algal 
blooms in coastal waters; and 
(3) restores ocean primary productivity. 
(h) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
submit to Congress a report describing— 
(1) the program goals and objectives adopted 
under subsection (d); 
(2) improving and enhancing techniques for 
ocean iron fertilization and other marine CDR tech-
niques; 
(3) any results, successes, and related co-bene-
fits to marine mammals and fisheries, and any di-
rect, indirect, and cumulative impacts to the envi-
ronment carrying out the pilot program established 
under subsection (a); 
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(4) the potential to undertake large-scale 
projects and utilize international waters for dem-
onstration projects; 
(5) applicability of Research and Development 
tax credits and other means to incentivize private in-
vestment; 
(6) any policies or permitting recommendations 
for work conducted in United States and inter-
national waters; and 
(7) any other information the Secretary con-
siders relevant. 
(i) SYMPOSIUM.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall convene 
a symposium, bringing together experts from academia, 
industry and government to assess the status of deploy-
ment, best practices, innovation and technologies, and on-
going research and development related to iron fertiliza-
tion and other marine CDR techniques for ocean restora-
tion. 
(j) WAIVER.—Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, the Secretary shall have the authority to waive any 
other legal requirements the Secretary, in the Secretary’s 
sole discretion, determines necessary to ensure expeditious 
development and implementation of the pilot projects 
under this section. Any such decision by the Secretary 
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shall be effective upon being published in the Federal Reg-
ister. 
(k) FEDERAL COURT REVIEW.—The district courts 
of the United States shall have exclusive jurisdiction to 
hear all causes or claims arising from any action under-
taken, or any decision made, by the Secretary pursuant 
to subsection (j). A cause of action or claim may only be 
brought alleging a violation of the Constitution of the 
United States. The court shall not have jurisdiction to 
hear any claim not specified in this subsection. 
(l) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$33,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030. 
(m) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COASTAL
WATERS.—The term ‘‘coastal 
waters’’ means the land and sea areas bordering the 
shoreline where hypoxic conditions exist or are likely 
to occur due to excess nutrients. 
(2) OCEAN
RESTORATION.—The term ‘‘ocean 
restoration’’ includes the research and development 
of technologies and techniques that support the ad-
dition of trace elements or nutrients to the upper 
layers of the ocean for the purpose of stimulating 
phytoplankton activity. 
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(3) PELAGIC
WATERS.—The term ‘‘pelagic 
waters’’ means the part of the open sea or ocean 
other than coastal waters. 
(4) OCEAN
IRON
FERTILIZATION.—The term 
‘‘ocean iron fertilization’’ means introduction of low 
concentrations of iron to high nutrient, low chloro-
phyll regions of the ocean surface to stimulate 
phytoplankton production. 
(5) MARINE CDR TECHNIQUES.—In addition to 
ocean iron fertilization, other marine CDR tech-
niques include, but are not limited to, ocean alka-
linity enhancement, electrochemical approaches, and 
kelp and seaweed cultivation. 
Æ 
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