1.Short title; table of
contents
(a)This Act may be cited as the National Endowment for the Oceans
Act
.
(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Purpose.
Sec. 3. Findings.
Sec. 4. Definitions.
Sec. 5. National Endowment for the Oceans.
Sec. 6. Eligible uses.
Sec. 7. Grant programs.
Sec. 8. Council.
Sec. 9. Annual report.
2.The purpose of this Act is to protect,
conserve, restore, and understand the oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes of the
United States, ensuring present and future generations will benefit from the
full range of ecological, economic, educational, social, cultural, nutritional,
and recreational opportunities these resources are capable of providing.
3.Congress finds the following:
(1)Covering more
than two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, the oceans and Great Lakes sustain a
large part of Earth’s biodiversity, provide an important source of food and
other natural products, act as a frontier for scientific exploration, are
critical to national security and economic well-being, and are a vital means of
transportation.
(2)The coastal
regions of the United States have high biological productivity and contribute
approximately 50 percent of the gross domestic product of the United
States.
(3)The oceans,
coasts, and Great Lakes are susceptible to change as a direct and indirect
result of human activities, which can inhibit ecosystem integrity and
productivity, biodiversity, environmental quality, national security, economic
competitiveness, availability of energy, resistance to natural hazards, and
transportation safety and efficiency.
(4)Human pressure on
ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources is drastically increasing, with 50
percent of the population of the United States living within 50 miles of the
coast and, if population trends continue as expected, coastal development and
urbanization impacts will present serious challenges and increase our
vulnerability to coastal hazards.
(5)The oceans,
coasts, and Great Lakes, and their resources are held in trust for the people
of the United States by Federal, State, local, and tribal governments, and
their conservation will benefit present and future generations.
(6)A variety of
human activities have caused dramatic declines in the health and productivity
of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems of the United States,
including—
(A)chemical,
nutrient, thermal, and biological pollution, including introduction of invasive
species, and introduction of marine debris;
(B)unwise land use
and coastal development;
(C)loss and
degradation of habitat, including upstream freshwater habitat for anadromous,
diadromous, and migratory fish species;
(D)overfishing and
bycatch of nontarget marine species; and
(E)global climate
change and ocean acidification.
(7)Activities
harming ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems jeopardize the economies and
social structure of communities dependent on resources from such
ecosystems.
(8)While there is an
abundance of Federal, State, local, and tribal laws, government agencies, and
programs designed to study, observe, protect, and manage ocean, coastal, and
Great Lakes resources, activities thereunder are poorly coordinated and do not
constitute a unified and comprehensive public policy to enhance understanding,
protection, conservation, and restoration of the oceans, coasts, and Great
Lakes.
(9)Improving and
coordinating Federal governance will require close partnership with States,
taking into account their public trust responsibilities, their economic and
ecological interests in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources, and the role
of State and local governments in the implementation of policies governing
their use.
(10)It is the
continuing mission of the Federal Government to create, foster, and maintain
conditions, incentives, policies, and programs that will ensure the sustainable
and effective conservation, management, and protection of the oceans, coasts,
and Great Lakes, including fostering greater scientific understanding of these
areas, in order to fulfill the responsibility of each generation as trustee in
protecting such resources and ensuring their availability for future
generations.
(11)The oceans,
coasts, and Great Lakes of the United States, and their resources are dependent
upon and connected to those of other countries throughout the world, and
collaboration with international bodies and governments will help protect and
manage our shared and linked marine ecosystems and resources for the benefit of
the world’s population.
(12)Programs that
facilitate greater collaboration and coordination among stakeholders and
strengthen the relationship between governmental and nongovernmental partners
will support our understanding of complex ecosystems and more effectively
leverage existing resources and expertise.
(13)Supporting
science, research, monitoring, modeling, forecasting, exploration, and
assessment will continually improve the understanding of ocean, coastal, and
Great Lakes ecosystems.
4.In this Act:
(1)The term coastal population means the
population of all political subdivisions, as determined by the most recent
official data of the Census Bureau, contained in whole or in part within the
designated coastal boundary of a State as defined in a State's coastal zone
management program under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C.
1451 et seq.) as of the date of enactment of this Act.
(2)The term coastal State has the meaning given
the term coastal state
in section 304 of the Coastal Zone
Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1453).
(3)The
term Council means the National Endowment for the Oceans Council
established under section 8.
(4)The
term Endowment means the National Endowment for the Oceans
established under section 5.
(5)The term Indian tribe has the meaning given
that term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).
(6)The term local government means a
political subdivision all or part of which is within a coastal zone (as defined
in section 304 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C.
1453)).
(7)The term regional planning body means
a regional entity that includes representatives of Federal and State agencies
and, if applicable, Indian tribes and indigenous community representatives,
with jurisdictional responsibilities or other interests (such as resource
management, science, homeland and national security, transportation, and public
health) for the development and implementation of regional coordination and
planning to understand, protect, maintain, and restore ocean, coastal, and
Great Lakes ecosystems.
(8)Except
as otherwise specifically provided, the term Secretary means the
Secretary of Commerce.
(9)The term tidal shoreline has the meaning
given that term pursuant to section 923.110(c)(2)(i) of title 15, Code of
Federal Regulations.
5.National
Endowment for the Oceans
(a)There
is established in the Treasury of the United States a National Endowment for
the Oceans, to be administered by the Secretary and available without further
appropriation or fiscal year limitation, solely for use in accordance with the
requirements established under this Act.
(b)
(1)Interest on
OSLTF investmentsAmounts credited to the Oil Spill Liability
Trust Fund under section 9602(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 for any
fiscal year beginning after fiscal year 2011 in which the average daily balance
of the Fund is $1,500,000,000 or more shall, notwithstanding any other
provision of law to the contrary, be transferred to the Endowment not later
than 90 days after the last day of such fiscal year.
(2)Outer
continental shelf lease revenueSection 8 of the Outer
Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1337) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
(q)Deposits in the
National Endowment for the OceansBeginning with fiscal year
2011, the Secretary shall deposit 12.5 percent of the revenue generated under
this section, excluding any revenue generated from Arctic drilling that begins
after the date of the enactment of the National Endowment for the Oceans Act, in
the National Endowment for the Oceans established by section 4(a) of the
National Endowment for the Oceans
Act.
.
(3)Revenues from
offshore renewable energy developmentBeginning with fiscal year
2011, the President shall ensure that 12.5 percent of the revenue generated by
offshore renewable energy development, authorized or permitted under any
provision of law, is deposited in the Endowment.
(4)Fines collected
for violations of federal lawsBeginning with fiscal year 2011,
the President shall ensure that a portion of fines paid to the United States
for a violation of Federal law that occurs in the exclusive economic zone (as
defined in section 107 of title 46, United States Code) is deposited in the
Endowment.
(5)Investment of
endowment amounts in interest-bearing obligationsThe Secretary
of the Treasury shall invest such a portion of the amounts in the Endowment as
are not required to meet current withdrawals, as determined by the Secretary of
the Treasury, in interest-bearing obligations of the United States in
accordance with section 9602 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(6)Authorization
of appropriationsBeginning with fiscal year 2015, there is
authorized to be appropriated to the Endowment for any fiscal year in which the
sum of the amounts to be transferred to, and deposited in, the Endowment under
this subsection is estimated to be less than $100,000,000, an amount equal to
the difference between $100,000,000 and the estimated amount of such transfers
and deposits.
(7)Nothing in this section shall decrease the amount any
State may receive pursuant to section 8(g) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands
Act (43 U.S.C. 1337(g)) or section 105 of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security
Act of 2006 (43 U.S.C. 1331 note).
(c)Of
the amounts deposited in the Endowment for each fiscal year—
(1)at least 49
percent shall be used by the Secretary to make grants to coastal States and
affected Indian tribes under section 7(a);
(2)at least 19
percent shall be used by the Secretary to make grants to regional planning
bodies under section 7(b);
(3)at least 29
percent shall be allocated by the Secretary to the Ocean Resources Conservation
and Assistance Grant Program established by section 7(c); and
(4)not more than 3
percent may be used for administrative expenses to carry out the programs
created under this Act.
6.
(a)Amounts in the
Endowment may be allocated by the Secretary only to fund grants for programs
and activities intended to restore, protect, maintain, or understand living
marine resources and their habitats and ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes
resources, including baseline scientific research, ocean observing, and other
programs and activities carried out in coordination with Federal and State
departments or agencies, that are consistent with Federal environmental laws
and that avoid environmental degradation, including—
(1)ocean, coastal,
and Great Lakes restoration and protection, including the protection of the
environmental integrity of such areas, and their related watersheds, including
efforts to adapt to and withstand the impacts of global climate change;
(2)restoration,
protection, or maintenance of living ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources
and their habitats, including marine protected areas and riparian migratory
habitat of coastal and marine species;
(3)planning for and
managing coastal development to minimize the loss of life and property
associated with global climate change and the coastal hazards resulting from
global climate change;
(4)analyses of
current and anticipated climate change and ocean acidification and assessment
of potential actions to minimize their harm to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes
ecosystems;
(5)analyses of, and
planning for, current and anticipated uses of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes
areas and identification of areas most suitable for various types of classes of
activities and for restoration, protection, and maintenance of ecosystem health
and to reduce conflicts among uses, reduce environmental impacts, facilitate
compatible uses, and preserve critical ecosystem services to meet economic,
environmental, security, and social objectives;
(6)regional,
subregional, and site-specific management efforts designed to manage, protect,
or restore ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and ecosystems;
(7)research,
assessment, monitoring, observation, modeling, and sharing of information that
contributes to the understanding of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems
and supports the purposes of this Act;
(8)efforts to better
understand the processes that govern the fate and transport of petroleum
hydrocarbons released into the marine environment from natural and
anthropogenic sources, including spills;
(9)acquiring
property or interests in property in coastal and estuarine areas if obtaining
such property is subject to terms and conditions that will ensure it will be
administered to support the purposes of this Act; and
(10)protection and
relocation of critical coastal public infrastructure affected by erosion, sea
level rise, or impacts of global climate change.
(b)Requirement for
State matching fundsAny amount from the Endowment provided to
fund a project described in paragraph (9) or (10) of subsection (a) may not
exceed 50 percent of the total project cost and may only be provided if the
State in which such project will be carried out provides the remainder of the
total project cost.
(c)Considerations
for Great Lakes StatesPrograms and activities funded in Great
Lakes States shall also seek to attain the goals embodied in the Great Lakes
Restoration Initiative Plan, the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy,
the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, or other collaborative planning
efforts of the Great Lakes Region.
7.
(a)
(1)Subject to paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), the Secretary
shall make grants of amounts allocated under section 5(c)(1) to coastal States
or affected Indian tribes, based on the following formula:
(A)Fifty percent of
the funds are allocated equally among coastal States that have a coastal
management program approved under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16
U.S.C. 1451 et seq.).
(B)Twenty-five
percent of the funds are allocated on the basis of the ratio of tidal shoreline
miles in a coastal State to the tidal shoreline miles of all coastal
States.
(C)Twenty-five
percent of the funds are allocated on the basis of the ratio of coastal
population density of a coastal State to the coastal population density of all
coastal States.
(2)Allocation to
Indian tribesAmounts allocated under paragraph (1)(A) shall be
allocated to affected Indian tribes based on, and directly proportional to, any
specific coastal and ocean management authority granted to an affected tribe
pursuant to affirmation of a Federal reserved right.
(3)Maximum
allocation to StatesNotwithstanding paragraph (1), not more than
10 percent of the total funds distributed under this subsection may be
allocated to any single State. Any amount exceeding this limit shall be
redistributed among the remaining States according to the formula established
under paragraph (1).
(4)Maximum
allocation to certain geographic areas
(A)Notwithstanding paragraph (1), each geographic area
described in subparagraph (B) may not receive more than 1 percent of the total
funds distributed under this subsection. Any amount exceeding this limit shall
be redistributed among the remaining States according to the formula
established under paragraph (1).
(B)Geographic
areas describedThe geographic areas described in this
subparagraph are the following:
(i)American
Samoa.
(ii)The Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands.
(iii)Guam.
(iv)Puerto
Rico.
(v)The
Virgin Islands.
(5)Requirement to
submit plansTo be eligible to receive a grant under this
subsection, a coastal State or Indian tribe shall submit, and the Secretary
shall review—
(A)a 5-year plan,
which shall include—
(i)a
prioritized list of goals the coastal State or Indian tribe intends to achieve
during the time period covered by the 5-year plan;
(ii)general
descriptions of projects or activities, consistent with the eligible uses
described in section 6, that could contribute to realization of such
goals;
(iii)criteria to
determine eligibility for entities which may receive grants under this
program;
(iv)a
description of the competitive process the coastal State or Indian tribe will
use in allocating funds received from the Endowment; and
(v)a
clearly defined application process requiring an applicant to show that—
(I)its project or
activity is consistent with the eligible uses of the Endowment; and
(II)it has
established and is capable of implementing measures to ensure the accurate
accounting for an appropriate administration of funds received; and
(B)an annual work
plan which shall include—
(i)a
detailed, specific, prioritized list of projects or activities to be funded
from the Endowment, and desired outcomes of those projects or
activities;
(ii)for each project
or activity, a description of how such project or activity is consistent with
the eligible uses of the Endowment; and
(iii)for each
project or activity, a schedule for completion and a description of how such
project or activity helps achieve the goals established in its 5-year
plan.
(6)Opportunity for
public commentIn determining whether to approve a plan described
in paragraph (5)(A), the Secretary shall provide opportunity for, and take into
consideration, public input and comment on the plan.
(7)
(A)The Secretary shall notify a coastal State or Indian
tribe not later than 90 days after receiving a 5-year plan or annual work plan
that the Secretary—
(i)approves the plan
as submitted;
(ii)disapproves the
plan as submitted; or
(iii)needs up to an
additional 30 days to further review the plan.
(B)If
the Secretary disapproves a proposed 5-year plan or annual work plan, the
Secretary shall provide notice of such disapproval to the submitting coastal
State or Indian tribe in writing, and include in such notice the rationale for
the Secretary’s decision. The submitting State shall resubmit the plan to the
Secretary not later than 30 days after receiving the notice of
disapproval.
(C)If the Secretary fails to notify the coastal State or
Indian tribe within 120 days after receiving a 5-year plan or annual work plan
that the Secretary approves or disapproves the plan, or that the Secretary
needs additional time for review, the plan shall be deemed to have been
approved.
(b)Grants to
regional planning bodies
(1)The Secretary shall use amounts allocated under section
5(c)(2) to award grants to Regional Planning Bodies to create and implement
Regional Strategic Plans, as described in this subsection.
(2)In order to be eligible to receive a grant under this
subsection, a Regional Planning Body being considered for such a grant shall
submit an application that demonstrates how activities to be carried out with
grant funds would facilitate the creation or implementation of a Regional
Strategic Plan, as described in this subsection.
(3)
(A)Not
later than 5 years after receiving a grant under this section, each Regional
Planning Body shall prepare and submit to the Secretary for review, a Regional
Strategic Plan.
(B)Each
Regional Strategic Plan submitted under this paragraph shall—
(i)be based on
initial assessments of—
(I)the region’s
ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystem health determined through
science-based ecosystem assessments and through monitoring, and forecasting
physical, chemical, and biological ocean parameters;
(II)the cultural and
economic role of the ocean, coasts, or Great Lakes in the region; and
(III)existing,
emerging, and cumulative threats to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystem
health of the region;
(ii)specify
essential areas within the ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes region;
(iii)describe
short-term and long-term—
(I)goals for
improving ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystem health in the region
covered by the Plan, and
(II)indicators of
improvements in economic sustainability in the region resulting from improved
ecosystem health and enhanced collaboration and coordination among Federal and
State agencies;
(iv)include
recommendations for long-term observing and monitoring measures for the region
covered by the Plan;
(v)identify Federal
and State priority issues within the region covered by the Plan;
(vi)describe
potential management solutions and policies to address the priority
issues;
(vii)identify
research, information, and data needed to carry out the Plan;
(viii)identify
performance measures and benchmarks for purposes of clauses (ii) through (vi)
to evaluate the Plan’s effectiveness; and
(ix)define
responsibilities and include an analysis of the gaps in authority,
coordination, and resources, including funding, that must be filled in order to
fully achieve those performance measures and benchmarks.
(4)Each Regional Planning Body shall provide adequate
opportunities for public input during the development of the Regional Strategic
Plan for the region and any revisions to such Plan.
(5)Each approved Regional Strategic Plan shall be reviewed
and revised by the appropriate Regional Planning Body at least once every 5
years. The revised Plan shall be submitted to the Secretary for review and
approval pursuant to paragraph (6).
(6)
(A)Not later than 90 days after receiving a Regional
Strategic Plan from a Regional Planning Body, the Secretary shall notify the
Regional Planning Body that the Secretary—
(i)approves the plan
as submitted;
(ii)disapproves the
plan as submitted; or
(iii)needs up to an
additional 30 days to further review the plan.
(B)If
the Secretary disapproves a proposed Regional Strategic Plan, the Secretary
shall provide notice of such disapproval to the submitting Regional Planning
Body in writing, and include in such notice the rationale for the Secretary’s
decision. The Regional Planning Body shall resubmit the Plan not later than 30
days after receiving such notice and rationale for initial disapproval.
(C)If the Secretary fails to notify the Regional Planning
Body within 120 days after receipt of a submitted Regional Strategic Plan that
the Secretary approves or disapproves the plan, or that the Secretary needs
additional time for review, the plan shall be deemed to have been
approved.
(7)Opportunity for
public commentIn determining whether to approve a Regional
Strategic Plan under this subsection, the Secretary shall provide opportunity
for, and take into consideration public input and comment on, the plans from
stakeholders and the general public.
(c)National grants
for oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes
(1)The Secretary may use amounts allocated under section
5(c)(3) to make grants to support activities consistent with section 6.
(2)The Secretary, in consultation with the Council, shall
establish criteria to determine the type of entities eligible for grants under
this subsection, including—
(A)coastal State,
noncoastal State, local, and affected Indian tribal governments and
agencies;
(B)regional
agencies, associations, or organizations other than regional planning
bodies;
(C)fishery or
wildlife management organizations;
(D)nonprofit
organizations; and
(E)academic
institutions.
(3)The
Secretary shall—
(A)review the
Council’s recommendations submitted under section 8(h);
(B)subject to
approval, allocate amounts allocated under section 5(c)(3) on the basis of the
Council’s recommendations; and
(C)if the Secretary
disapproves a grant recommended by the Council, explain that disapproval in
writing.
(d)Authority of
the SecretaryThe Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary
of the Interior, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the
Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, the Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy, and the Director of the National Science
Foundation, shall establish and make available for public comment—
(1)application and
review procedures for the grant programs described in subsections (a), (b), and
(c), including requirements ensuring any amounts provided pursuant to such
programs may only be used for an eligible use described under section 6;
(2)performance
accountability and monitoring measures for programs and activities receiving
funding through the grant programs described in subsections (a), (b), and
(c);
(3)procedures and
methods to ensure accurate accounting and appropriate administration for each
of the grant programs described in subsections (a), (b), and (c), including
standards of record-keeping;
(4)procedures to
carry out audits of the Endowment as necessary, but not less frequently than
once every 5 years; and
(5)procedures to
carry out audits of the recipients of grants under subsection (a), (b), or (c),
including States.
8.
(a)The
Secretary shall establish a National Endowment for the Oceans Council which
shall consist of 7 members with expertise in the conservation and management of
ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems and marine resources.
(b)The members of the Council shall be as
follows:
(1)Two
representatives of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
appointed by the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
(2)One
representative of the Office of Water of the Environmental Protection Agency,
appointed by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(3)One
representative of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, appointed by the
Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(4)One
representative of the National Science Foundation, appointed by the Director of
the National Science Foundation.
(5)One
representative of the Council on Environmental Quality, appointed by the Chair
of the Council on Environmental Quality.
(6)One
representative of the United States Geological Survey, appointed by the
Director of the United States Geological Survey.
(c)
(1)The
term of office of a member of the Council is 5 years, except that—
(A)of the members
initially appointed under subsection (b)(1), 1 shall be appointed for a term of
4 years;
(B)the member
initially appointed under paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (b) shall
be appointed for a term of 3 years; and
(C)the member
initially appointed under subsection (b)(5), shall be appointed for a term of 4
years.
(2)Whenever
a vacancy occurs among members of the Council, the Secretary, or the head of
the appropriate agency shall appoint an individual to fill that vacancy for the
remainder of the applicable term.
(d)
(1)The Council shall elect a chair from among its
members.
(2)The
chair shall serve for a 3-year term, except that the first chair may be elected
for a term of less than 3 years, as determined by the Council.
(e)Five
members of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business.
(f)
(1)The Council shall meet at the call of the chair, but in
no case less frequently than twice each year.
(2)Meetings of the Council shall be open to the public, and
the chair shall take appropriate steps to provide adequate notice to the public
of the time and place of such meetings.
(3)If a Council member misses 3 consecutively scheduled
meetings, the Secretary may revoke that member's appointment to the
Council.
(g)
(1)The
Secretary may employ and fix the compensation of staff, as the Council
determines necessary, to carry out such duties as the Council may require and,
with assistance from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
facilitate consideration of grant applications and otherwise assist the Council
in carrying out its responsibilities.
(2)The pay and benefits of the staff shall be derived from
amounts available from the Endowment for administrative costs subject to
section 5(c)(4).
(3)Status as
federal employees
(A)Except as provided in subparagraph (B), employees of the
Council shall be considered Federal employees only for purposes of—
(i)injury
compensation as provided in chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, and tort
claims liability under chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code;
(ii)the Ethics in
Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) and the provisions of chapter 11 of
title 18, United States Code; and
(iii)any other
statute or regulation governing the conduct of Federal employees.
(B)Notwithstanding
subparagraph (A), section 208(a) of title 18, United States Code, shall not
apply to such an individual if, after review of the financial disclosure report
filed by the individual pursuant to the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5
U.S.C. App.), the Secretary, or the Secretary’s designee, certifies in writing
that the need for the individual’s services outweighs the potential for a
conflict of interest created by the financial interest involved.
(h)The
Council shall—
(1)receive and
review, according to procedures established under section 7(d)(1), applications
for grants under subsections (b) and (c) of section 7; and
(2)submit to the
Secretary a list of recommended applications for such grants, consistent with
existing Federal ocean policy and criteria established under this Act, and
include—
(A)a recommended
priority order for funding such applications;
(B)the amount of the
grant each such application should receive; and
(C)any specific
requirements, conditions, or limitations for such an application recommended
for funding under this Act.
(i)In reviewing applications for grants under subsections (b)
and (c) of section 7, the Council shall establish an external review process
through working groups or by other means, including consultation with persons
representing—
(1)a balanced and
diverse range of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes dependent industries;
(2)a balanced and
diverse range of regions;
(3)representatives
of nonprofit conservation organizations with a mission that includes the
conservation and protection of living marine resources and their habitats;
and
(4)representatives
of academia with strong scientific or technical credentials and experience in
marine science or policy.
9.
(a)Requirement for
annual reportBeginning with
fiscal year 2012, not later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year, the
Secretary shall submit a report on the operation of the Endowment during the
fiscal year to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives.
(b)Each annual report submitted under
subsection (a) for a fiscal year shall include—
(1)a statement of
the amounts deposited in the Endowment and the balance remaining in the
Endowment at the end of the fiscal year;
(2)a description of
the expenditures made from the Endowment for the fiscal year, including the
purpose of the expenditures; and
(3)recommendations
for additional authority necessary to fulfill the purpose of the
Endowment.