The United States has a goal to reduce the risk of plant and animal introductions into new geographic areas because of the economic, environmental, and social impacts that these species can cause. The National Sea Grant Law Center works to support this national goal by conducting research and outreach on federal and state invasive species laws and regulations to increase understanding of this complex area of environmental law and facilitate discussions to address inconsistencies and gaps.
The State Marine Aquaculture Policy Dashboard is a valuable resource supporting the sustainable growth and expansion of the U.S. marine aquaculture industry by increasing the accessibility and usability of state marine aquaculture data.
Enhancing Policy Integration for Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) in the Great Lakes and Southeast Regions
In 2024, the National Sea Grant Law Center and project partner the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium received funding from the National Sea Grant College Program to enhance the integration of scientific research into state policy through an innovative research-to-application partnership grant program. This project is aimed at enhancing research translation into state policy within the Great Lakes and Southeast regions.
Comparative Analysis of State Regulation of PFAS in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain Regions
In 2023, the National Sea Grant Law Center received a grant award from Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant to conduct legal research and outreach to gain a comprehensive understanding of the state of PFAS regulation in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain regions.
The NOAA Sea Grant Water Resources Visioning Team was formed in 2017 as part of a national effort to develop vision documents for ten key topic areas within Sea Grant’s scope of work. The National Sea Grant Office awarded Sea Grant programs federal funds to hold meetings and facilitate conversations to identify strategic priorities in these priority areas.
In 2019, the National Sea Grant Law Center, in partnership with Connecticut Sea Grant, received funding from the National Sea Grant College Program to enhance coordination and cooperation among states to build policy consensus as to the preferred approaches for regulating the sale of seaweed in its whole form for food.
The University of Mississippi Lead in Drinking Water Project
Childhood lead poisoning is a challenging social issue that requires the coordination of health, housing, and environmental law and policy. There is no safe blood level for lead, and all sources of lead exposure for children should be controlled or eliminated. The National Sea Grant Law Center is part of an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Mississippi seeking to assess and raise awareness of the contribution of lead pipes and water treatment to lead poisoning in Mississippi through community-based research, education, and outreach. To date, the team has focused on lead in drinking water issues in both the Mississippi Delta and Jackson area.
Sea Grant programs and their staffs face the daunting task of remaining neutral while working on some of our coastal communities’ most challenging environmental, economic, and social issues. For more than a decade, the National Sea Grant Law Center has worked with partners in the Sea Grant Network to facilitate the advocacy conversation and expand professional development opportunities for Sea Grant personnel. On this page, you’ll find information about the resources that have resulted from these efforts.
Building Consensus in the West: Developing a Model Legal Framework for Watercraft Inspection and Decontamination Programs
“Building Consensus in the West,” is an initiative of the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species. The goal of the WRP initiative is to develop a multi-state vision for watercraft inspection and decontamination (WID) programs. The National Sea Grant Law Center is an active participant in this initiative, providing legal research support and leading efforts to develop model legislation and regulations for WID Programs.
