BLUE GLOBE Act 2021-12-17 Reported to Senate Bolstering Long-term Understanding and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, Bays, and Estuaries Act or the BLUE GLOBE Act

This bill addresses data collection and monitoring of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts.

Specifically, it expands requirements related to a study of the scientific workforce in areas of oceanic and atmospheric research and development. For example, the bill requires the study to include an investigation on whether there is a workforce shortage in the number of individuals with technical or trade-based skillsets or credentials suited to a career in oceanic and atmospheric data collection, processing, satellite production, or satellite operations. The study must also investigate actions the federal government can take to increase diversity in the scientific workforce and shorten the hiring backlog for such workforce.

The bill also directs the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create an Electronic Monitoring Innovation Prize, which may be awarded for the development of advanced electronic fisheries monitoring equipment and data analysis tools.

NOAA must also seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to evaluate whether there is a need for an Advanced Research Projects Agency-Oceans within NOAA.

Additionally, NOAA must establish a program to improve the collection, aggregation, and analysis of data to measure the value and impact of industries related to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts on the U.S. economy.

]]> 2021-01-28 Introduced in Senate Bolstering Long-term Understanding and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, Bays, and Estuaries Act or the BLUE GLOBE Act

This bill addresses data collection and monitoring of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts.

The bill increases domestic and international coordination to enhance data management and monitoring of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts.

It adds programs for the application and development of innovative technology to the list of technology programs used to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

It also modifies requirements related to the scientific workforce in areas of oceanic and atmospheric research and development to include investigating whether there is a workforce shortage, workforce diversity, actions the federal government can take to increase diversity in the scientific workforce, and actions it can take to shorten the hiring backlog for such workforce.

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must (1) ensure that a goal of its cooperative institutes is to advance or apply emerging technologies, (2) create an ocean innovation prize to catalyze the rapid development and deployment of data collection and monitoring technology, and (3) seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to assess the potential for an Advanced Research Projects Agency-Oceans.

The bill also reauthorizes through FY2024 various NOAA hydrographic programs, including nautical mapping and charting.

Additionally, relevant federal agencies must measure the value and impact of industries related to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts on the U.S. economy.

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