[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 247 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 247

To reauthorize the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control 
                  Act of 1998, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 29, 2003

 Ms. Snowe (for herself and Mr. Breaux) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To reauthorize the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control 
                  Act of 1998, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia 
Amendments Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. RETENTION OF TASK FORCE.

    Section 603 of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and 
Control Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 1451 nt) is amended by striking 
subsection (e).

SEC. 3. PREDICTION AND RESPONSE PLAN.

    Section 603 of such Act, as amended by section 2, is further 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Prediction and Response Plan.--
            ``(1) Development of plan.--Not later then 12 months after 
        the date of enactment of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia 
        Amendments Act of 2003, the President, in conjunction with the 
        chief executive officers of the States, shall develop and 
        submit to the Congress a plan to protect environmental and 
        public health from impacts of harmful algal blooms. In 
        developing the plan, the President shall consult with the Task 
        Force, the coastal States, Indian tribes, local governments, 
        industry, academic institutions, and non-governmental 
        organizations with expertise in coastal zone management.
            ``(2) Plan requirements.--The plan shall--
                    ``(A) review techniques for prediction of the 
                onset, course, and impacts of harmful algal blooms 
                including evaluation of their accuracy and utility in 
                protecting environmental and public health and 
                provisions for implementation;
                    ``(B) identify innovative response measures for the 
                prevention, control, and mitigation of harmful algal 
                blooms and provisions for their development and 
                implementation; and
                    ``(C) include incentive-based partnership 
                approaches where practicable.
            ``(3) Publication and opportunity for comment.--At least 90 
        days before submitting the plan to the Congress, the President 
        shall cause a summary of the proposed plan to be published in 
        the Federal Register for a public comment period of not less 
        than 60 days.
            ``(4) Federal assistance.--The Secretary of Commerce, in 
        coordination with the Task Force and to the extent of funds 
        available, shall provide for Federal cooperation with and 
        assistance to the coastal States, Indian tribes, and local 
        governments in implementing measures in paragraph (2), as 
        requested.''.

SEC. 4. LOCAL AND REGIONAL ASSESSMENTS.

    Section 603 of such Act, as amended by section 3, is further 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Local and Regional Assessments.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Commerce, in 
        coordination with the Task Force and to the extent of funds 
        available, shall provide for local and regional assessments of 
        hypoxia and harmful algal blooms, as requested by coastal 
        States, Indian tribes, and local governments.
            ``(2) Purpose.--Local and regional assessments may 
        examine--
                    ``(A) the causes of hypoxia or harmful algal blooms 
                in that area;
                    ``(B) the ecological and economic impacts of 
                hypoxia or harmful algal blooms;
                    ``(C) alternatives to reduce, mitigate, and control 
                hypoxia and harmful algal blooms; and
                    ``(D) the social and economic benefits of such 
                alternatives.''.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 605 of such Act is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' after ``2000,'' in the first 
        sentence and in the paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (5);
            (2) by inserting ``$26,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, 
        $26,500,000 for fiscal year 2005, and $27,000,000 for fiscal 
        year 2007'' after ``2001,'' in the first sentence;
            (3) by inserting ``and $2,500,000 for each of fiscal years 
        2004, 2005, and 2006'' after ``2001'' in paragraph (1);
            (4) by inserting ``and $5,500,000 for each of fiscal years 
        2004, 2005, and 2006'' after ``2001'' in paragraph (2);
            (5) by striking ``2001'' in paragraph (3) and inserting 
        ``2001, $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, $3,000,000 for fiscal 
        year 2005, and $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2006'';
            (6) by striking ``blooms;'' in paragraph (3) and inserting 
        ``blooms and to implement section 603(e);'';
            (7) by striking ``2001'' in paragraph (4) and inserting 
        ``2001, and $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004, 2005, and 
        2006,'';
            (8) by striking ``and'' after the semicolon in paragraph 
        (4);
            (9) by striking ``2001'' in paragraph (5) and inserting 
        ``2001, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, $5,500,000 for fiscal 
        year 2005, and $6,600,000 for fiscal year 2006'';
            (10) by striking ``Administration.'' in paragraph (5) and 
        inserting ``Administration; and''; and
            (11) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004, 2005, and 
        2006 to carry out section 603(f).''.
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