# Don Young Veterans Advancing Conservation Act

This bill creates a new federal grant program designed to help veterans find jobs in ocean and coastal conservation work. The Department of Commerce would give money to nonprofit organizations that hire or train veterans to do underwater environmental projects like restoring coral reefs, removing invasive species, cleaning up marine debris, and rescuing sea animals. The program recognizes that veterans have valuable skills and training, and that working on meaningful community projects can help them deal with trauma and mental health challenges after military service.

The bill specifically mentions that activities like SCUBA diving have been shown to help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues. So the program aims to accomplish two goals at once: get important ocean conservation work done while giving veterans meaningful employment that supports their wellbeing. The types of work covered include everything from coral disease response and hurricane recovery to shark tagging, shipwreck mapping, and coastal restoration projects.

The program would start with $1 million in funding for 2024 and gradually increase to $1.8 million by 2028. Nonprofit organizations would apply for these grants competitively, and the Department of Commerce would work with the Department of the Interior to coordinate the effort. Only legitimate nonprofits (the kind that are tax-exempt) can receive the grants, and they'd use the money specifically to train and employ veterans for these conservation activities. For veterans, this opens up a new pathway to employment in environmental work, while for coastal communities, it means more resources dedicated to protecting and restoring marine ecosystems.