[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1886 Referred in House (RFH)]

<DOC>






114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 1886


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 27, 2016

  Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in 
  addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
To reauthorize the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act 
                    of 2009 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 ``Coordinated Ocean Monitoring and 
Research Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    Section 12302 of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation 
System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3601) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 12302. PURPOSES.

    ``The purposes of this subtitle are--
            ``(1) to establish and sustain a national integrated System 
        of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes observing systems, comprised 
        of Federal and non-Federal components coordinated at the 
        national level by the Council and at the regional level by a 
        network of Regional Coastal Observing Systems, and that 
        includes in situ, remote, and other coastal and ocean 
        observation and modeling capabilities, technologies, data 
        management systems, communication systems, and product 
        development systems, and is designed to address regional and 
        national needs for ocean and coastal information, to gather 
        specific data on key coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes variables, 
        and to ensure timely and sustained dissemination and 
        availability of these data--
                    ``(A) to the public;
                    ``(B) to support national defense, search and 
                rescue operations, marine commerce, navigation safety, 
                weather, climate, and marine forecasting, energy siting 
                and production, economic development, ecosystem-based 
                marine, coastal, and Great Lakes resource management, 
                public safety, and public outreach and education;
                    ``(C) to promote greater public awareness and 
                stewardship of the Nation's ocean, coastal, and Great 
                Lakes resources and the general public welfare;
                    ``(D) to provide easy access to ocean, coastal, and 
                Great Lakes data and promote data sharing between 
                Federal and non-Federal sources and promote public data 
                sharing;
                    ``(E) to enable advances in scientific 
                understanding to support the sustainable use, 
                conservation, management, and understanding of healthy 
                ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources; and
                    ``(F) to monitor and model changes in ocean 
                chemistry;
            ``(2) to improve the Nation's capability to measure, track, 
        observe, understand, and predict events related directly and 
        indirectly to weather and climate change, natural climate 
        variability, and interactions between the oceanic and 
        atmospheric environments, including the Great Lakes; and
            ``(3) to authorize activities--
                    ``(A) to promote basic and applied research to 
                develop, test, and deploy innovations and improvements 
                in coastal and ocean observation technologies, 
                including advanced observing technologies needed to 
                address critical data gaps, modeling systems, other 
                scientific and technological capabilities to improve 
                the understanding of weather and climate, ocean-
                atmosphere dynamics, global climate change, and the 
                physical, chemical, and biological dynamics of the 
                ocean, coastal and Great Lakes environments; and
                    ``(B) to conserve healthy and restore degraded 
                coastal ecosystems.''.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 12303 of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation 
System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3602) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (5), by striking ``States, regional 
        organizations, universities, nongovernmental organizations, or 
        the private sector.'' and inserting ``the regional coastal 
        observing systems, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration, or the Interagency Ocean Observation 
        Committee.'';
            (2) by amending paragraph (6) to read as follows:
            ``(6) Regional coastal observing system.--The term 
        `regional coastal observing system' means an organizational 
        body that is certified or established by contract or memorandum 
        by the lead Federal agency designated in section 12304(c)(3) 
        and coordinates State, Federal, local, tribal, and private 
        interests at a regional level with the responsibility of 
        engaging the private and public sectors in designing, 
        operating, and improving regional coastal and ocean observing 
        systems in order to ensure the provision of data and 
        information that meet the needs of user groups from the 
        respective regions.''; and
            (3) in paragraph (7), by striking ``National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration.'' and inserting ``Administrator.''.

SEC. 4. INTEGRATED COASTAL AND OCEAN OBSERVATION SYSTEM.

    (a) System Elements.--
            (1) In general.--Section 12304(b) of the Integrated Coastal 
        and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3603(b)) is 
        amended by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
            ``(1) In general.--In order to fulfill the purposes of this 
        subtitle, the System shall be national in scope and consist 
        of--
                    ``(A) Federal assets to fulfill national and 
                international observation missions and priorities;
                    ``(B) non-Federal assets, including a network of 
                regional coastal observing systems identified under 
                subsection (c)(4), to fulfill regional and national 
                observation missions and priorities;
                    ``(C) data management, communication, and modeling 
                systems for the timely integration and dissemination of 
                data and information products from the System;
                    ``(D) a product development system to transform 
                observations into products in a format that may be 
                readily used and understood; and
                    ``(E) a research and development program conducted 
                under the guidance of the Council, consisting of--
                            ``(i) basic and applied research and 
                        technology development--
                                    ``(I) to improve understanding of 
                                coastal and ocean systems and their 
                                relationships to human activities; and
                                    ``(II) to ensure improvement of 
                                operational assets and products, 
                                including related infrastructure, 
                                observing technologies, and information 
                                and data processing and management 
                                technologies;
                            ``(ii) an advanced observing technology 
                        development program to fill gaps in technology;
                            ``(iii) large scale computing resources and 
                        research to advance modeling of coastal and 
                        ocean processes;
                            ``(iv) models to improve regional weather 
                        forecasting capabilities and regional weather 
                        forecasting products; and
                            ``(v) reviews of data collection procedures 
                        across regions and programs to make 
                        recommendations for data collection standards 
                        across the System to meet national ocean 
                        observation, applied research, and weather 
                        forecasting needs.''.
            (2) Availability of data.--Paragraph (3) of section 
        12304(b) of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System 
        Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3603(b)) is amended by striking the 
        period at the end and inserting ``for research and for use in 
        the development of products to address societal needs.''.
            (3) Coordination of non-federal assets.--Paragraph (4) of 
        section 12304(b) of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean 
        Observation System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3603(b)) is amended--
                    (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``Non-
                federal'' and inserting ``Coordination of non-
                federal''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``, the regional coastal observing 
                system,'' after ``Interagency Ocean Observing 
                Committee''.
    (b) Policy Oversight, Administration, and Regional Coordination.--
Section 12304(c) of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System 
Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3603(c)) is amended by striking paragraphs (2), 
(3), and (4), and inserting the following:
            ``(2) Interagency ocean observation committee.--
                    ``(A) Establishment.--The Council shall establish 
                or designate a committee which shall be known as the 
                Interagency Ocean Observation Committee.
                    ``(B) Duties.--The Interagency Ocean Observation 
                Committee shall--
                            ``(i) prepare annual and long-term plans 
                        for consideration and approval by the Council 
                        for the integrated design, operation, 
                        maintenance, enhancement, and expansion of the 
                        System to meet the objectives of this chapter 
                        and the System Plan;
                            ``(ii) develop and transmit to Congress, 
                        along with the budget submitted by the 
                        President to Congress pursuant to section 
                        1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, an 
                        annual coordinated, comprehensive budget--
                                    ``(I) to operate all elements of 
                                the System identified in subsection 
                                (b); and
                                    ``(II) to ensure continuity of data 
                                streams from Federal and non-Federal 
                                assets;
                            ``(iii) establish requirements for 
                        observation data variables to be gathered by 
                        both Federal and non-Federal assets and 
                        identify, in consultation with regional 
                        information coordination entities, priorities 
                        for System observations;
                            ``(iv) establish and define protocols and 
                        standards for System data processing, 
                        management, collection, configuration 
                        standards, formats, and communication for new 
                        and existing assets throughout the Integrated 
                        Ocean Observing System network;
                            ``(v) develop contract requirements for 
                        each Regional Coastal Observing System--
                                    ``(I) to establish eligibility for 
                                integration into the System;
                                    ``(II) to ensure compliance with 
                                all applicable standards and protocols 
                                established by the Council; and
                                    ``(III) to ensure that regional 
                                observations are integrated into the 
                                System on a sustained basis;
                            ``(vi) identify gaps in observation 
                        coverage or needs for capital improvements of 
                        both Federal assets and non-Federal assets;
                            ``(vii) subject to the availability of 
                        appropriations, establish through 1 or more 
                        participating Federal agencies, in consultation 
                        with the System advisory committee established 
                        under subsection (d), a competitive matching 
                        grant or other programs--
                                    ``(I) to promote intramural and 
                                extramural research and development of 
                                new, innovative, and emerging 
                                observation technologies including 
                                testing and field trials; and
                                    ``(II) to facilitate the migration 
                                of new, innovative, and emerging 
                                scientific and technological advances 
                                from research and development to 
                                operational deployment;
                            ``(viii) periodically--
                                    ``(I) review the System Plan; and
                                    ``(II) submit to the Council such 
                                recommendations as the Interagency 
                                Ocean Observation Committee may have 
                                for improvements to the System Plan;
                            ``(ix) ensure collaboration among Federal 
                        agencies participating in the activities of the 
                        Interagency Ocean Observation Committee; and
                            ``(x) perform such additional duties as the 
                        Council may delegate.
            ``(3) Lead federal agency.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration shall function as the lead 
                Federal agency for the implementation and 
                administration of the System.
                    ``(B) Consultation required.--In carrying out this 
                paragraph, the Administrator shall consult with the 
                Council, the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee, 
                other Federal agencies that maintain portions of the 
                System, and the Regional Coastal Observing Systems.
                    ``(C) Requirements.--In carrying out this 
                paragraph, the Administrator shall--
                            ``(i) establish and operate an Integrated 
                        Ocean Observing System Program Office within 
                        the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                        Administration--
                                    ``(I) that utilizes, to the extent 
                                necessary, personnel from member 
                                agencies participating on the 
                                Interagency Ocean Observation 
                                Committee; and
                                    ``(II) oversees daily operations 
                                and coordination of the System;
                            ``(ii) implement policies, protocols, and 
                        standards approved by the Council and delegated 
                        by the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee;
                            ``(iii) promulgate program guidelines--
                                    ``(I) to certify and integrate 
                                regional associations into the System; 
                                and
                                    ``(II) to provide regional coastal 
                                and ocean observation data that meet 
                                the needs of user groups from the 
                                respective regions;
                            ``(iv) have the authority to enter into and 
                        oversee contracts, leases, grants, or 
                        cooperative agreements with non-Federal assets, 
                        including regional information coordination 
                        entities, to support the purposes of this 
                        chapter on such terms as the Administrator 
                        deems appropriate;
                            ``(v) implement and maintain a merit-based, 
                        competitive funding process to support non-
                        Federal assets, including the development and 
                        maintenance of a network of Regional Coastal 
                        Observing Systems, and develop and implement a 
                        process for the periodic review and evaluation 
                        of the regional associations;
                            ``(vi) provide opportunities for 
                        competitive contracts and grants for 
                        demonstration projects to design, develop, 
                        integrate, deploy, maintain, and support 
                        components of the System;
                            ``(vii) establish and maintain efficient 
                        and effective administrative procedures for the 
                        timely allocation of funds among contractors, 
                        grantees, and non-Federal assets, including 
                        regional associations;
                            ``(viii) develop and implement a process 
                        for the periodic review and evaluation of the 
                        Regional Coastal Observing Systems;
                            ``(ix) formulate an annual process by which 
                        gaps in observation coverage or needs for 
                        capital improvements of Federal assets and non-
                        Federal assets of the System are--
                                    ``(I) identified by the regional 
                                associations described in the System 
                                Plan, the Administrator, or other 
                                members of the System; and
                                    ``(II) submitted to the Interagency 
                                Ocean Observing Committee;
                            ``(x) develop and be responsible for a data 
                        management and communication system, in 
                        accordance with standards and protocols 
                        established by the Interagency Ocean Observing 
                        Committee, by which all data collected by the 
                        System regarding ocean and coastal waters of 
                        the United States including the Great Lakes, 
                        are processed, stored, integrated, and made 
                        available to all end-user communities;
                            ``(xi) not less frequently than once each 
                        year, submit to the Interagency Ocean Observing 
                        Observation Committee a report on the 
                        accomplishments, operational needs, and 
                        performance of the System to contribute to the 
                        annual and long-term plans prepared pursuant to 
                        paragraph (2)(B)(i);
                            ``(xii) develop and periodically update a 
                        plan to efficiently integrate into the System 
                        new, innovative, or emerging technologies that 
                        have been demonstrated to be useful to the 
                        System and which will fulfill the purposes of 
                        this chapter and the System Plan; and
                            ``(xiii) work with users and Regional 
                        Associations to develop products to enable 
                        real-time data sharing for decision makers, 
                        including with respect to weather forecasting 
                        and modeling, search and rescue operations, 
                        corrosive seawater forecasts, water quality 
                        monitoring and communication, and harmful algal 
                        bloom forecasting.
            ``(4) Regional coastal observing systems.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A Regional Coastal Observing 
                System operated by a Regional Association described in 
                the System Plan may not be certified or established 
                under this subtitle unless it--
                            ``(i) has been or shall be certified or 
                        established by contract or agreement by the 
                        Administrator;
                            ``(ii) meets--
                                    ``(I) the certification standards 
                                and compliance procedure guidelines 
                                issued by the Administrator; and
                                    ``(II) the information needs of 
                                user groups in the region while 
                                adhering to national standards;
                            ``(iii) demonstrates an organizational 
                        structure, that under funding limitations is 
                        capable of--
                                    ``(I) gathering required System 
                                observation data;
                                    ``(II) supporting and integrating 
                                all aspects of coastal and ocean 
                                observing and information programs 
                                within a region; and
                                    ``(III) reflecting the needs of 
                                State, local, and tribal governments, 
                                commercial interests, and other users 
                                and beneficiaries of the System and 
                                other requirements specified under this 
                                subtitle and the System Plan;
                            ``(iv) identifies--
                                    ``(I) gaps in observation coverage 
                                needs for capital improvements of 
                                Federal assets and non-Federal assets 
                                of the System; and
                                    ``(II) other recommendations to 
                                assist in the development of the annual 
                                and long-term plans prepared pursuant 
                                to paragraph (2)(B)(i) and transmits 
                                such information to the Interagency 
                                Ocean Observation Committee via the 
                                Program Office established under 
                                paragraph (3)(C)(i);
                            ``(v) develops and operates under a 
                        strategic operational plan that will ensure the 
                        efficient and effective administration of 
                        programs and assets to support daily data 
                        observations for integration into the System, 
                        pursuant to the standards approved by the 
                        Council;
                            ``(vi) works cooperatively with 
                        governmental and nongovernmental entities at 
                        all levels to identify and provide information 
                        products of the System for multiple users 
                        within the service area of the regional coastal 
                        observing system; and
                            ``(vii) complies with all financial 
                        oversight requirements established by the 
                        Administrator, including requirements relating 
                        to audits.
                    ``(B) Participation.--For the purposes of this 
                title, employees of Federal agencies are permitted to 
                be members of the governing body for the Regional 
                Coastal Observing Systems and may participate in the 
                functions of the regional information coordination 
                entities.''.
    (c) System Advisory Committee.--Section 12304(d) of the Integrated 
Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3603(d)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``or the Interagency 
        Ocean Observing Observation Committee.'' and inserting ``or the 
        Council under this subtitle''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``, data 
                sharing,'' after ``data management'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end; and
                    (C) by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(D) additional priorities, including--
                            ``(i) a national surface current mapping 
                        network designed to improve fine scale sea 
                        surface mapping using high frequency radar 
                        technology and other emerging technologies to 
                        address national priorities, including Coast 
                        Guard search and rescue operation planning and 
                        harmful algal bloom forecasting and detection 
                        that--
                                    ``(I) is comprised of existing high 
                                frequency radar and other sea surface 
                                current mapping infrastructure operated 
                                by regional associations;
                                    ``(II) incorporates new high 
                                frequency radar assets or other fine 
                                scale sea surface mapping technology 
                                assets, and other assets needed to fill 
                                gaps in coverage on United States 
                                coastlines; and
                                    ``(III) follows a deployment plan 
                                that prioritizes closing gaps in high 
                                frequency radar infrastructure in the 
                                United States, starting with areas 
                                demonstrating significant sea surface 
                                current data needs, especially in areas 
                                where additional data will improve 
                                Coast Guard search and rescue models;
                            ``(ii) fleet acquisition for autonomous 
                        underwater and surface vehicles for deployment 
                        and data integration to fulfill the purposes of 
                        the Act;
                            ``(iii) an integrative survey program for 
                        application of manned and unmanned vehicles to 
                        the real-time or near real-time collection and 
                        transmission of seafloor, water column, and sea 
                        surface data on biology, chemistry, geology, 
                        physics, and hydrography;
                            ``(iv) remote sensing and data assimilation 
                        to develop new analytical methodologies to 
                        assimilate data from the Integrated Ocean 
                        Observing System into hydrodynamic models;
                            ``(v) integrated, multistate monitoring to 
                        assess sources, movement and fate of sediments 
                        in coastal regions;
                            ``(vi) a multiregion marine sound 
                        monitoring system to be--
                                    ``(I) planned in consultation with 
                                the International Ocean Observing 
                                Committee, the National Oceanic and 
                                Atmospheric Administration, the 
                                Department of the Navy, and academic 
                                research institutions; and
                                    ``(II) developed, installed, and 
                                operated in coordination with the 
                                National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                                Administration, the Department of the 
                                Navy, and academic research 
                                institutions; and
                    ``(E) any other purpose identified by the 
                Administrator or the Council.'';
                    (D) in paragraph (3)(B), by inserting ``The 
                Administrator has the ability to stagger the terms of 
                the System advisory committee members.'' before 
                ``Members''; and
                    (E) in paragraph (4)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and 
                        the Interagency Ocean Observing Committee''; 
                        and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
                        ``Observing'' and inserting ``Observation''.
    (d) Civil Liability.--Section 12304(e) of the Integrated Coastal 
and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3603(e)) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``information coordination entity'' and 
        inserting ``coastal observing system''; and
            (2) by striking ``non-Federal asset or regional information 
        coordination entity,'' and inserting ``Regional Coastal 
        Observing System,''.

SEC. 5. INTERAGENCY FINANCING AND AGREEMENTS.

    Section 12305(a) of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation 
System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3604(a)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) In General.--To carry out interagency activities under this 
subtitle, the Secretary of Commerce may execute an agreement, on a 
reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis, with any State or subdivision 
thereof, any Federal agency, or any public or private organization, or 
individual to carry out interagency activities under this subtitle.''.

SEC. 6. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

    Section 12307 of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation 
System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3606) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 12307. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    ``(a) Requirement.--Not later than 2 years after March 30, 2009, 
and every 3 years thereafter, the Administrator shall prepare and the 
President acting through the Council shall approve and transmit to the 
Congress a report on progress made in implementing this subtitle.
    ``(b) Contents.--Each report required by subsection (a) shall 
include--
            ``(1) a description of activities carried out under this 
        subtitle and the System Plan;
            ``(2) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the System, 
        including an evaluation of progress made by the Council to 
        achieve the goals identified under the System Plan;
            ``(3) identification of Federal and non-Federal assets as 
        determined by the Council that have been integrated into the 
        System, including assets essential to the gathering of required 
        observation data variables necessary to meet the respective 
        missions of Council agencies;
            ``(4) a review of procurements, planned or initiated, by 
        each Council agency to enhance, expand, or modernize the 
        observation capabilities and data products provided by the 
        System, including data management and communication subsystems;
            ``(5) a summary of the existing gaps in observation 
        infrastructure and monitoring data collection, including--
                    ``(A) priorities considered by the System advisory 
                committee;
                    ``(B) the national sea surface current mapping 
                network;
                    ``(C) coastal buoys, and;
                    ``(D) ocean chemistry monitoring;
            ``(6) an assessment regarding activities to integrate 
        Federal and non-Federal assets, nationally and on the regional 
        level, and discussion of the performance and effectiveness of 
        regional information coordination entities to coordinate 
        regional observation operations;
            ``(7) a description of benefits of the program to users of 
        data products resulting from the System (including the general 
        public, industries, scientists, resource managers, emergency 
        responders, policy makers, and educators);
            ``(8) recommendations concerning--
                    ``(A) modifications to the System; and
                    ``(B) funding levels for the System in subsequent 
                fiscal years; and
            ``(9) the results of a periodic external independent 
        programmatic audit of the System.''.

SEC. 7. PUBLIC-PRIVATE USE POLICY.

    Section 12308 of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation 
System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3607) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 12308. PUBLIC-PRIVATE USE POLICY.

    ``The Council shall maintain a policy that defines processes for 
making decisions about the roles of the Federal Government, the States, 
regional information coordination entities, the academic community, and 
the private sector in providing to end-user communities environmental 
information, products, technologies, and services related to the 
System. The Administrator shall ensure that National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration adheres to the decision making process 
developed by the Council regarding the roles of the Federal Government, 
the States, the Regional Coastal Observing Systems, the academic 
communities, and the private sector in providing the end-user 
communities environmental information, data products, technologies, and 
services related to the System.''.

SEC. 8. REPEAL OF INDEPENDENT COST ESTIMATE.

    (a) In General.--The Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation 
System Act of 2009 is amended by striking section 12309 (33 U.S.C. 
3608).
    (b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in section 
1(b) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-
11; 123 Stat. 991) is amended by striking the item related to section 
12309.

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 12311 of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation 
System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3610) is amended by striking ``2013'' and 
inserting ``2019''.

SEC. 10. REPORTS AND RESEARCH PLANS.

    Section 12404(c) of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And 
Monitoring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3703(c)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
            ``(4) Economic vulnerability report.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the 
                date of the enactment of the Coordinated Ocean 
                Monitoring and Research Act, and every 5 years 
                thereafter, the Subcommittee shall transmit to 
                appropriate committees of Congress a report that--
                            ``(i) is named `The Ocean Chemistry Coastal 
                        Community Vulnerability Assessment';
                            ``(ii) identifies gaps in ocean 
                        acidification monitoring by public, academic, 
                        and private assets in the network of regional 
                        coastal observing systems;
                            ``(iii) identifies geographic areas which 
                        have gaps in ocean acidification research;
                            ``(iv) identifies United States coastal 
                        communities, including fishing communities, 
                        low-population rural communities, tribal and 
                        subsistence communities, and island 
                        communities, that may be impacted by ocean 
                        acidification;
                            ``(v) identifies impacts of changing ocean 
                        carbonate chemistry on the communities 
                        described in clause (iv), including impacts 
                        from changes in ocean and coastal marine 
                        resources that are not managed by the Federal 
                        Government;
                            ``(vi) identifies gaps in understanding of 
                        the impacts of ocean acidification on 
                        economically or commercially important species, 
                        particularly those which support United States 
                        commercial, recreational, and tribal fisheries 
                        and aquaculture;
                            ``(vii) identifies habitats that may be 
                        particularly vulnerable to corrosive sea water, 
                        including areas experiencing multiple stressors 
                        such as hypoxia, sedimentation, and harmful 
                        algal blooms;
                            ``(viii) identifies areas in which existing 
                        Integrated Ocean Observing System assets, 
                        including buoys and gliders, may be leveraged 
                        as platforms for the deployment of new sensors 
                        or other applicable observing technologies; and
                            ``(ix) is written in collaboration with the 
                        agencies responsible for carrying out this Act.
                    ``(B) Form of report.--
                            ``(i) Initial report.--The initial report 
                        required by subparagraph (A) shall include the 
                        information described in clauses (i) through 
                        (ix) on a national level.
                            ``(ii) Subsequent reports.--Each report 
                        required by subparagraph (A) after the initial 
                        report--
                                    ``(I) may describe the information 
                                described in clauses (i) through (ix) 
                                on a national level; or
                                    ``(II) may consist of separate 
                                reports for each region of the National 
                                Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
                            ``(iii) Regional reports.--If the 
                        Subcommittee opts to prepare a report required 
                        by subparagraph (A) as separate regional 
                        reports under clause (ii)(II), the Subcommittee 
                        shall submit a report for each region of the 
                        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
                        not less often than once during each 5-year 
                        reporting period.
                    ``(C) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--
                In this paragraph and in paragraph (5), the term 
                `appropriate committees of Congress' means the 
                Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
                the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and 
                Technology and the Committee on Natural Resources of 
                the House of Representatives.
            ``(5) Monitoring prioritization plan.--Not later than 180 
        days after the date of the submission of the initial report 
        required by paragraph (4)(A), the Subcommittee shall transmit 
        to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that 
        develops a plan to deploy new sensors or other applicable 
        observing technologies--
                    ``(A) based on such initial report;
                    ``(B) prioritized by--
                            ``(i) the threat to coastal economies and 
                        ecosystems;
                            ``(ii) gaps in data; and
                            ``(iii) research needs; and
                    ``(C) that leverage existing platforms, where 
                possible.''.

SEC. 11. STRATEGIC RESEARCH PLAN.

    (a) Contents.--Section 12405(b) of the Federal Ocean Acidification 
Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3704(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (8), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (9), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting a semicolon and ``and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(10) make recommendations for research to be conducted, 
        including in the social sciences and economics, to address the 
        key knowledge gaps identified in the economic vulnerability 
        report conducted under section 12404(c).''.
    (b) Program Elements.--Section 12405(c) of the Federal Ocean 
Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3704(c)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Research to understand combined effects of changes in 
        ocean chemistry, sediment delivery, hypoxia, and harmful algal 
        blooms and the impact these processes have on each other, and 
        how these multiple stressors impact living marine resources and 
        coastal ecosystems.
            ``(7) Applied research to identify adaptation strategies 
        for species impacted by changes in ocean chemistry including 
        vegetation-based systems, shell recycling, species and genetic 
        diversity, applied technologies, aquaculture methodologies, and 
        management recommendations.''.

SEC. 12. STAKEHOLDER INPUT ON MONITORING.

    Section 12406(a) of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And 
Monitoring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3705(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting a semicolon and ``and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) includes an ongoing mechanism that allows potentially 
        affected industry members, coastal stakeholders, fishery 
        management councils and commissions, non-Federal resource 
        managers, and scientific experts to provide input on monitoring 
        needs that are necessary to support on the ground management, 
        decision making, and adaptation related to ocean 
        acidification.''.

SEC. 13. RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.

    Section 12407(a) of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And 
Monitoring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3706(a)) is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(a) Research Activities.--The Director of the National Science 
Foundation shall continue to carry out research activities on ocean 
acidification which shall support competitive, merit-based, peer-
reviewed proposals for research, observatories and monitoring of ocean 
acidification and its impacts, including--
            ``(1) impacts on marine organisms and marine ecosystems;
            ``(2) impacts on ocean, coastal, and estuarine 
        biogeochemistry;
            ``(3) the development of methodologies and technologies to 
        evaluate ocean acidification and its impacts, and;
            ``(4) impacts of multiple stressors on ecosystems 
        exhibiting hypoxia, harmful algal blooms, or sediment delivery, 
        combined with changes in ocean chemistry.''.

            Passed the Senate September 26, 2016.

            Attest:

                                                JULIE E. ADAMS,

                                                             Secretary.