S 1581 IS

To establish an interagency committee to develop an ocean acidification research and monitoring plan and to establish an ocean acidification program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

June 7, 2007

Mr. LAUTENBERG (for himself and, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. KERRY, Mr. STEVENS, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Ms. SNOWE, Mr. NELSON of Florida, and Mrs. BOXER) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and TransportationCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To establish an interagency committee to develop an ocean acidification research and monitoring plan and to establish an ocean acidification program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) SHORT TITLE- This Act may be cited as the `Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2007' or the `FOARAM Act'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS- The table of contents for this Act is as follows:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 2. Findings and purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 3. Interagency committee on ocean acidification.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 4. Strategic research and implementation plan.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 5. NOAA ocean acidification program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 6. Definitions.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 7. Authorization of appropriations.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

(a) FINDINGS- The Congress finds the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) The oceans help mitigate the effects of global warming by absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide. About a third of anthropogenic carbon dioxide is currently absorbed by the ocean.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) The rapid increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide is overwhelming the natural ability of the oceans to cope with human-induced carbon dioxide emissions.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) The emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is causing the oceans to become more acidic. The increase in acidity andhanging surface ocean carbon chemistry and lowering the pH. These changes in ocean chemistry are corrosive to marine shells and, and are detrimental to organisms that form the base of the food chain for many fish and marine mammals including the skeletons of corals, and to corals, which provide one of the richest habitats on eEarth. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) The rich biodiversity of marine and freshwater organisms is an important contribution to the national economy [Struck out->]economy[<-Struck out] economy, and the change in ocean chemistry threatens our fisheries and [Struck out->]fisheries and marine environmental quality,[<-Struck out] fisheries, marine environmental quality, and tourism, and could result in significant social and economic costs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) Existing Federal programs support research in related ocean chemistry, but gaps in funding, coordination, and outreach have impeded national progress in addressing ocean acidification.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) National investment in a coordinated program of research and monitoring would improve the understanding of ocean acidification effects on whole ecosystems, advance our knowledge of the socio-economic impacts of increased ocean acidification, and strengthen the ability of marine resource managers to assess and prepare for the harmful impacts of ocean acidification on our marine resources.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) PURPOSES- The purposes of this Act are to provide for--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) development and coordination of a comprehensive interagency plan to monitor and conduct research on the processes and consequences of ocean acidification on marine organisms and ecosystems and to establish an ocean acidification program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and [Struck out->]and[<-Struck out]CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) assessment and consideration of regional and national ecosystem and socio-economic impacts of increased ocean acidification, and integration into marine resource decisions. decisions; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) research on adaptation strategies and techniques for effectively conserving marine ecosystems as they cope with increased ocean acidification. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON OCEAN ACIDIFICATION.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- There is hereby established an Interagency Committee on Ocean A President shall establish or designate an interagency committee on ocean acidification. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) MEMBERSHIP- The Committee shall [Struck out->]Committee[<-Struck out] committee shall be comprised of senior representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the United States Geological Survey, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, [Struck out->]the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy,[<-Struck out] and such other Federal agencies as the Secretary [Struck out->]Secretary[<-Struck out] President considers appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) CHAIRMAN- The C [Struck out->]Committee[<-Struck out] committee shall be chaired by the representative from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The chairman may create subcommittees chaired by any member agency of the committee. Working groups may be formed by the full C [Struck out->]Committee[<-Struck out] committee to address issues that may require more specialized expertise than is provided by existing subcommittees.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) PURPOSE- The C [Struck out->]Committee[<-Struck out] committee shall oversee the planning, establishment, and coordin [Struck out->]coordination[<-Struck out] coordinated implementation of a plan designed to improve the understanding of the role of increased ocean acidification on marine ecosystems.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Reports to Congress-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) STRATEGIC RESEARCH AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN- The C [Struck out->]Committee[<-Struck out] committee shall submit the strategic research and implementation plan established under section 4 to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) TRIENNIAL REPORT- Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act and every 3 years thereafter, the C [Struck out->]Committee[<-Struck out] committee shall transmit a report to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources that includes--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) a summary of federally funded ocean acidification research and monitoring activities, including the budget for each of these activities; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) an analysis of the progress made toward achieving the goals and priorities for the interagency research plan developed by the Committee [Struck out->]Committee[<-Struck out] committee under section 4 and recommendations for future activities [Struck out->]activities.[<-Struck out] activities, including policy recommendations developed as part of this research.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. STRATEGIC RESEARCH AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

(a) IN GENERAL- Within 1 year [Struck out->]1 year[<-Struck out] 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the C [Struck out->]Committee[<-Struck out] committee shall develop a strategic research and implementation plan for coordinated Federal activities. In developing the plan, the Committee shall consider and use [Struck out->]Committee[<-Struck out] committee shall consider [Struck out->]and use[<-Struck out] reports and studies conducted by Federal agencies and departments, the National Research Council, the Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel, [Struck out->]the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean, Science, and Technology of the National Science and Technology Council, the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative,[<-Struck out] and other expert scientific bodi [Struck out->]bodies.[<-Struck out] bodies and coordinate with other relevant Federal interagency committees.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) SCOPE- The plan shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) provide for interdisciplinary research among the ocean sciences, and coordinated research and activities to improve understanding of ocean acidification that will affect marine ecosystems and to assess the potential and realized socio-economic impact of ocean acidification, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) effects of atmospheric carbon dioxide on ocean chemistry;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) biological impacts of ocean acidification, including research on--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) species, including commercially and recreationally important species, protected, endangered, or threatened species, and ecologically important calcifiers that lie at the base of the food chain; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) physiological changes in response to ocean acidification;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) identification and assessment of ecosystems most at risk from projected changes in ocean chemistry, including-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) coastal ecosystems, including Great Lakes ecosystems; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) coral reef ecosystems;(ii) polar, including deep sea coral ecosystems; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) coastal oceanpolar and subpolar ecosystems; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) modeling the effects of pHchanges in ocean chemistry driven by the increases in ocean carbon levels, including ecosystem forecasting; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) identifying feedback mechanisms resulting from the ocean chemistry changes and the subsequent [Struck out->]and the subsequent[<-Struck out] such as the decrease in calcification rates in organisms;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(F) socio-economic impacts of ocean acidification, including commercially and recreationally important fisheries [Struck out->]fisheries;[<-Struck out] fisheries and coral reef communities; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(G) identifying interactions between ocean acidification and other oceanic changes including those associated with climate change; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) establish, for the 10-year period beginning in the year it is submitted, goals, priorities, and guidelines for coordinated activities that will--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) most effectively advance scientific understanding of the characteristics and impacts of ocean acidification;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) provide forecasts of changes in ocean acidification and the consequent impacts on marine ecosystems; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) provide a basis for policy decisions to reduce and manage ocean acidification and its environmental impacts;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) provide an estimate of Federal funding requirements for research and monitoring activities; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) identify and strengthen relevant programs and activities of the Federal agencies and departments that would contribute to accomplishing the goals of the plan and prevent unnecessary duplication of efforts, including making recommendations for the use of observing systems and technological research and development.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) CONSULTATION- In developing the plan, the committee may consult with the academic community, States, industry, environmental groups, and other relevant stakeholders. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. NOAA OCEAN ACIDIFICATION PROGRAM.

(a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall establish and maintain an ocean acidification program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to implement activities consistent with the strategic research and implementation plan developed by the Committee [Struck out->]Committee[<-Struck out] committee under section 4 that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) includes--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) interdisciplinary research among the ocean and atmospheric sciences, and coordinated research and activities to improve understanding of ocean acidification;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the establishment of a long-term monitoring program of pH levels in the ocean [Struck out->]pH levels in the ocean[<-Struck out] ocean acidification utilizing existing global ocean observing assets and adding instrumentation and sampling stations as appropriate to the aims of the research program;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) research to identify and develop adaptation strategies and techniques for effectively conserving marine ecosystems as they cope with increased ocean acidification; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





[Struck out->](C)[<-Struck out] (D) educational opportunities that encourage an interdisciplinary and international approach to exploring the impacts of ocean acidification;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D[Struck out->](D)[<-Struck out] (E) national public outreach activities to improve the understanding of ocean acidification and its impacts on marine resources; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E[Struck out->](E)[<-Struck out] (F) coordination of ocean acidification monitoring and impacts researchresearch and monitoring [Struck out->]and impacts research[<-Struck out] with other appropriate international ocean science bodies such as the International Oceanographic Commission, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, the North Pacific [Struck out->]Marine Science Organization,[<-Struck out] Research Board, and others;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) provides grants for critical research projects that explore the effects of ocean acidification on ecosystems and the socio-economic impacts of increased ocean acidification that are relevant to the goals and priorities of the strategic research plan; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) incorporates a competitive merit-based grant process that may be conducted jointly with other participating agencies or under the National Oceanographic Partnership Program under section 7901 of title 10, United States Code.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY- In conducting the Program, the Secretary may enter into and perform such contracts, leases, grants, or cooperative agreements as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act on such terms as the Secretary deems appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) COMMITTEE- The term `Ccommittee' means the Interagency Committee on Ocean Acidification established byinteragency committee on ocean acidification established or designated by the President under section 3(a)(1). CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) OCEAN ACIDIFICATION- The term `ocean acidification' means the decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans caused bychange in ocean chemistry that is driven by the increase in ocean carbon levels, and the uptake of chemical inputs from the atmosphere, including anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) PROGRAM- The term `Program' means the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ocean Acidification Program established under section 5.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) IN GENERAL- There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration $30,000,000 to carry out the purposes of this Act for each ofto carry out this Act-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) $10,000,000 for fiscal years 2008 through 2012, and such sums as may be necessary 2009; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) $15,000,000 for fiscal years afte 2010; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 20121; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2013. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) ALLOCATION- (1) Of the amounts made available to carry out this Act for aappropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under subsection (a) for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall allocate at least-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) 40 percent shall be available to, and retained by, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for use in carrying out its responsibilities under this Act; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) 60 percent to other departments and agencies to carry out the priorities of the plan developed by the Committee.(2)shall be transferred by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in equal amounts to-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the National Science Foundation; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) the United States Geological Survey; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





[Struck out->](2)[<-Struck out] (3) Of the amounts made available to carry out this Act for any fiscal year, the Secretary, and other departments and agencies to which amounts are [Struck out->]allocated under paragraph (1),[<-Struck out] transferred under paragraph (2), shall allocate at least 50 percent for competitive grants.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

.AEMD23AF Calendar No. 749 CommentsClose CommentsPermalink