Bill
HR 288
Reauthorizes federal efforts to restore and protect Long Island Sound, extending funding and partnerships for water quality, habitat, and coastal resilience across NY and CT.
Note on source material
- The provided record appears to combine several different resolutions and documents all labeled “H.R. 288” (including state and local commendations and awareness resolutions). This summary focuses on the primary federal item identified in the record: the "Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act of 2025." Where other unrelated items appear in the document (state resolutions honoring individuals, commemorating the Cambodian Genocide, or recognizing “No‑Kill Awareness Day”), those are noted below but are not part of the federal reauthorization bill.
Overview / purpose
- Short title: Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act of 2025 (cited in the introduced version).
- Purpose: to reauthorize federal efforts to restore, protect, and steward the Long Island Sound — a large estuary between Connecticut and New York — by extending and updating federal support, programs, and partnerships that address water quality, habitat restoration, resilience, and related management activities.
Procedural status (as provided)
- Introduced in the U.S. House: Jan 9, 2025.
- Referred to: Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and, additionally, Committee on Natural Resources (Jan 9, 2025). Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment (Jan 10, 2025).
- Other listed actions (per the record): Rules suspended / adopted / reported enrolled in Feb 2025; placed on calendar and adopted in May 2025; enrolled and signed by Speaker in June 2025; presented to Secretary of State June 11, 2025. (These later items appear in the mixed record and should be confirmed against official congressional records for this specific bill.)
Sponsors and related bill
- House sponsors/cosponsors listed include Representatives Nick LaLota (primary) and several others from the Long Island/Connecticut region (Thomas R. Suozzi, Andrew R. Garbarino, Joe Courtney, James A. Himes, George Latimer, etc.), consistent with regional interest in the Sound.
- Companion Senate bill noted: S. 781.
Key provisions (scope and likely content)
- The introduced text itself is not provided in full in the record; however, a reauthorization titled for Long Island Sound traditionally would include some combination of the following types of provisions:
- Reauthorization/extension of federal grant programs for Sound restoration and stewardship (EPA and/or NOAA-administered).
- Funding authorizations for projects addressing nutrient loading, hypoxia/eutrophication, wastewater and stormwater management, and combined sewer overflows.
- Habitat restoration and living shoreline/coastal resilience projects to adapt to sea‑level rise and storms.
- Support for monitoring, science, and coordinated watershed management planning across New York and Connecticut.
- Grants or technical assistance for municipalities, nonprofits, tribes, and academic partners engaged in restoration and community resilience.
- Provisions encouraging public engagement, environmental justice considerations, and performance metrics for project outcomes.
- Because the full bill text is not included, readers should consult the official Congressional Bill Text for exact authorizations, funding levels, and program details.
Who would be affected
- Primary geographic focus: communities, ecosystems, and stakeholders in the Long Island Sound watershed (parts of New York and Connecticut).
- Potential recipients: state and local governments, municipalities, regional planning bodies, non‑profits, tribal entities, academic and research institutions, and private partners involved in restoration and resilience projects.
- Broader beneficiaries: fisheries, recreation and tourism sectors, coastal infrastructure, and residents affected by water quality and climate resilience issues.
Potential impact
- If enacted, a reauthorization would continue federal support for coordinated restoration of the Sound, likely improving water quality, restoring habitats, increasing coastal resilience, and supporting local economies dependent on a healthy estuary.
- The scale and direction of impacts depend on the bill’s specific funding authorizations, programmatic priorities, and implementation by federal and state agencies.
Other documents in the provided record
- The packet includes unrelated resolutions and recognitions also labeled “HR 288,” including:
- A commendation for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Sigma Rho Omega Chapter (title line).
- An Alabama House resolution commending Steve Swofford (Alabama Credit Union).
- An Illinois House resolution commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Cambodian Genocide and recognizing Cambodian‑American contributions.
- A Georgia House resolution designating April 30, 2025 as “No‑Kill Awareness Day.”
- These are separate state‑level matters and are not part of the federal Long Island Sound reauthorization bill.
Recommendation
- For authoritative detail on program authorizations, spending levels, and legislative language, consult the official Congressional bill text and the Congressional Record for H.R. 288 (and companion S. 781). Confirm dates and procedural steps against the Congress.gov entry for H.R. 288 (119th/116th/depending on session) to reconcile the mixed document elements.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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