SAFE for Manatees Act

This legislation, known as the SAFE for Manatees Act , mandates that the Secretary of the Interior conduct a comprehensive study. The primary goal is to identify and assess alternative habitats for manatees in Florida that currently depend on warm water discharges from coastal industrial sites slated for decommissioning, which will affect water temperatures in those areas. The study requires the identification of both natural warm water locations not presently utilized by manatees and potential sites for constructing artificial warm water refugia . It also necessitates the development of methods and construction plans for these artificial refugia, in consultation with the Secretary of the Army. Furthermore, the Secretary must coordinate with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission during the study. A public report detailing the study's results is required to be made available within 180 days of the Act's enactment, aiming to secure future ecosystems for these vulnerable marine mammals.