II 111th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 810 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 2, 2009 Mr. Whitehouse introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To establish 4 regional institutes as centers of excellence for research, planning, and related efforts to assess and prepare for the impacts of climate change on ocean and coastal areas and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Ocean and Coastal Adaptation Planning Act.

2.

Findings

Congress makes the following findings: (1)Oceans are a major carbon sink and have absorbed nearly 50 percent of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. (2)The increased absorption of carbon dioxide by the oceans due to rising greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere has— (A)increased ocean acidity, which negatively impacts the health of marine and coastal ecosystems and resources; and (B)influenced the important role oceans play in the global cycling of carbon, com­pound­ing the effects of temperature change on the ability of ocean and coastal areas to serve as carbon sinks. (3)Climate change has contributed to sea levels rising 7 inches during the 20th century and nearly 1.5 inches between 1993 and 2003. (4)Higher atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases result in increased air temperatures, which in turn lead to warmer ocean waters and resulting changes in ecosystem dynamics. (5)Climate change will greatly amplify risks to coastal populations, economies, and ecosystems from— (A)saltwater inundation of low-lying coastal regions; (B)more frequent flooding due to storm surges; (C)shifts in plant and animal species distributions; and (D)worsening beach erosion from relative sea level rise and increased storm inundation. (6)Researching the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on coastal environments and the ways in which coastal communities must adapt to the challenges these effects will bring is an essential component to the overall response to climate change and greenhouse gas pollution.

3.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

Administrators

The term Administrators means the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. (2)

Institute

The term Institute means each of the 4 Institutes for Ocean and Coastal Adaptation to Climate Change and Ocean Acidification established under section 4(a).

4.

Institutes for ocean and coastal adaptation to climate change

(a)

Establishment

The Administrators shall jointly establish 4 regional institutes, to be known as Institutes for Ocean and Coastal Adaptation to Climate Change and Ocean Acidification, at institutions of higher education in the United States. (b)

Purpose

The purpose of each Institute shall be— (1)to conduct research, planning, and related efforts to assess, prepare for, and adapt to the ongoing and expected impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on ocean and coastal areas and resources, including the Great Lakes; and (2)to create centers of excellence— (A)to document and predict coastal and ocean effects of climate change and ocean acidification; and (B)to serve as principal national and international resources for technical expertise on adaptation strategies, including the enhancement and preservation of ecosystem and resource resilience, necessary for ocean and coastal areas to respond to the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification. (c)

Selection

(1)

Location

The Administrators shall jointly select 1 institution of higher education to serve as an Institute in each of the following regions: (A)The Great Lakes Region, which shall include Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. (B)The Northeast Region, which shall include Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. (C)The Southeast and Gulf Coast Region, which shall include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and the Virgin Islands. (D)The Western and Pacific Region, which shall include Alaska, American Samoa, California, Guam, Hawaii, the Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, and Washington. (2)

Application

An institution of higher education seeking to be selected as an Institute shall submit an application to the Administrators at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Administrators may reasonably require. (d)

Grants for Institutes

The Administrators shall award a grant to each institutions of higher education selected as an Institute to carry out the purposes of the Institute. (e)

Schedule

The Administrators shall— (1)not later than 9 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, begin accepting the applications referred to in subsection (c)(2); and (2)not later than 90 days after the first date that applications are accepted under paragraph (1)— (A)select each institution of higher education to serve as an Institute; and (B)award a grant to each such institution, as authorized under subsection (d).

5.

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.