As businesses and employers, we the undersigned, value healthy coral reefs and marine environments. Healthy reefs drive economic and outdoor recreational opportunities for snorkeling, diving, wildlife viewing, recreational sports fishing, and more. These recreational opportunities and coastal tourism attractions are valuable to the existence and health our businesses. To that end, we support HR 1834, to protect the coral reefs in our nation’s National Marine Sanctuaries from damaging chemicals, oxybenzone and octinoxate.
 
Our reefs are under assault. Some threats, like the warming and acidification of the ocean, are global in scale. Others, like the threat posed by oxybenzone and octinoxate, are immediately preventable. Studies show that these chemicals cause great harm to reefs by impacting hormone regulation, damaging coral DNA, causing mortality in developing coral, reducing coral reproduction and contributing to coral bleaching. These chemicals also reduce the immunity and resiliency of corals, making them more vulnerable to disease and other hazards.
 
In the past two years, the state of Hawaii, City of Key West, and multiple island nations have taken important steps to protect their local reefs by banning the sale of sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate. All of our nation’s reefs deserve this level of protection.
 
We, the undersigned businesses, support efforts to protect the coral reefs in our National Marine Sanctuaries from the unnecessary use and impact of harmful chemicals.