This bill matters because harmful algal blooms are becoming more frequent and severe in many parts of the United States, posing significant risks to public health, local economies, and aquatic ecosystems. Currently, federal disaster assistance is not consistently available for these events, leaving states and local communities to bear the full cost of response and recovery.

If this bill becomes law, communities struggling with the devastating effects of algal blooms would gain access to crucial federal resources, which could include funding for emergency cleanup, health services, economic recovery, and infrastructure repair. Without this change, communities would continue to face these costly environmental disasters largely on their own, potentially leading to slower recovery, greater financial strain on local governments, and prolonged health and economic impacts for residents.