Senate committee backs resolution urging federal funding for marine debris cleanup

Senator Jesse Bjorkman told the Senate Resources Committee on April 10 that Senate Joint Resolution 20 would urge federal funding to help prevent, remove and backhaul marine debris from Alaska’s 44,000 miles of shoreline. He said 27 entities coordinated removals in 2025 and together removed more than 1.5 million pounds of debris.

Mike Levine, senior director at Ocean Conservancy, told the committee that one of the largest barriers for tribes and small communities is federal grant match requirements and the administrative burden of applying. "Match requirements can be 10, 20 or even up to 50 percent," Levine said, adding small communities often cannot shoulder those costs and non‑profits sometimes subgrant to local groups to ease access.

Motion and committee action: Senator Wilikowski moved SJR 20 (committee substitute version noted in the record) from committee "with individual recommendations and attached to a zero fiscal note." The chair observed no objections and announced SJR 20 will move from committee; committee members were asked to sign the transmittal document after the meeting.

What happens next: The resolution will be transmitted as moved from the committee; the sponsor and staff indicated the intent is to urge the federal delegation and relevant agencies to consider reduced-match or streamlined grant mechanisms to improve access for rural and tribal communities.

Key quote: "Backhaul of marine debris is the most difficult portion of this equation — distance, expense, and extreme conditions make these removal missions challenging," Senator Bjorkman said.

The committee did not record a roll-call vote; the motion passed with no objections recorded on the floor of the committee at the time of the meeting.