WASHINGTON, DC –  With concerns about another round of Red Tide outbreaks in the wake of this month’s devastating storms, Congressman Bill Delahunt and several House colleagues wrote to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to urge them to retain $20 million in relief for New England’s shellfishermen.

“The health of New England’s shellfish industry is vital to the economic health of our coastal communities.  Thousands of families have incurred significant losses that may worsen given the prospects of another Red Tide outbreak this coming spring.  In spite of the federal disaster declaration, the government assistance to those impacted by Red Tide was limited and thus inadequate in meeting the region’s needs, said the Congressmen in writing to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

Last summer, New England coastal communities suffered from the worst Red Tide outbreak in over thirty years, leading to a Presidential disaster declaration in a number of counties.  The Red Tide resulted from an unusually severe combination of environmental conditions that caused toxic algae to cover significant portions of the region’s coast.  In Massachusetts alone, the tide shut down over 2,000 commercial shellfishermen and over 250 shellfish aquaculture grants, resulting in an economic impact exceeding $35 million dollars.  

The $20 million in federal relief is part of the Senate-passed Fiscal Year 2006 Emergency Supplemental spending bill that provides additional federal funding for Iraq operations, Avian flu preparedness, and Gulf Coast reconstruction.  The House passed a similar version of this legislation earlier this year.  It did not contain the $20 million in shellfishermen assistance.  The differences will now be resolved through a joint Senate-House committee.

The letter was addressed to US Senators Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Robert Byrd (D-WV), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and US Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) and David Obey (D-WI), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee.

The Delahunt-authored request was signed by Reps. Markey, Capuano, Frank, Lynch, McGovern, Meehan, Neal and Tierney – and Maine Congressmen, Allen and Michaud.

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Note: the full text of the letter is available from Rep. Delahunt’s office on request.