[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 988 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 57
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 988
[Report No. 116-82, Part I]
To provide for a study by the Ocean Studies Board of the National
Academies of Science examining the impact of ocean acidification and
other stressors in estuarine environments.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 6, 2019
Mr. Posey (for himself, Ms. Bonamici, and Mr. Mast) introduced the
following bill; which was 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
May 23, 2019
Additional sponsors: Mr. Crist, Miss Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico, Mr.
Waltz, Mr. Cloud, and Ms. Johnson of Texas
May 23, 2019
Reported from the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology with
amendments
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
May 23, 2019
Committee on Natural Resources discharged; committed to the Committee
of the Whole House on the State of the Union
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on
February 6, 2019]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for a study by the Ocean Studies Board of the National
Academies of Science examining the impact of ocean acidification and
other stressors in estuarine environments.
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 ``National Estuaries and Acidification
Research Act of 2019'' or the ``NEAR Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Ocean acidification impacts human health, natural
resources, and the environmental, economic, and recreational
uses of the coastline.
(2) The current understanding of ocean acidification
impacts on estuarine ecosystems is inadequate to fully prepare
and manage for changing environmental conditions in nearshore
locations.
(3) While pH can be measured with high precision and
accuracy in open ocean environments, more understanding of the
carbonate system in estuarine ecosystems is needed for precise
and accurate measurements and observations.
(4) The interaction of multiple stressors, including
salinity, pH, temperature, sea level rise, and nutrient input,
within estuarine ecosystems is inadequately understood for
managing the health, economic, recreational, and environmental
impacts driven by these interactions.
(5) A better understanding is needed of how anthropogenic
influences in coastal environments affect estuarine ecosystems.
(6) More integration and coordination is needed among
regional, national, and global environmental observations in
estuarine environments, supporting prior investments in related
topics such as nutrient loading, hypoxia, ocean acidification,
and harmful algae bloom research and observational systems.
SEC. 3. STUDY EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION AND OTHER
ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS ON ESTUARINE ENVIRONMENTS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall make appropriate
arrangements with the Ocean Studies Board of the National Academies
under which the Board shall conduct a study that--
(1) examines the existing science of ocean acidification in
estuarine environments;
(2) examines the challenges to studying ocean acidification
and ocean acidification's interactions with other environment
stressors in estuarine environments;
(3) provides recommendations for improving future research
with respect to ocean acidification in estuarine environments;
and
(4) identifies pathways for applying science in management
and mitigation decisions relating to ocean acidification in
estuarine environments.
(b) Contents of Study.--The study described under subsection (a)
shall include--
(1) the behavior of the carbonate system within estuarine
environments;
(2) the interactions of the carbonate system with other
biotic and abiotic characteristics of estuarine ecosystems;
(3) how environmental and anthropogenic changes or
disturbances could affect abiotic and biotic processes within
estuaries;
(4) how estuarine biotic and abiotic processes will be
affected under predicted environmental changes;
(5) the current state of data collection, interpretation,
storage, and retrieval and observational infrastructure of
abiotic and biotic parameters in estuarine ecosystems;
(6) the gaps that exist in understanding the socio-economic
and health impacts of ocean acidification in estuaries;
(7) future directions for scientific research; and
(8) pathways for applying science in management and
mitigation decisions.
(c) Report.--In entering into an arrangement under subsection (a),
the Secretary shall request that the Board transmit to Congress a
report on the results of the study not later than 24 months after the
date of enactment of this Act.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000.
Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to provide for a
study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine examining the impact of ocean acidification and other
stressors in estuarine environments.''.
Union Calendar No. 57
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 988
[Report No. 116-82, Part I]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for a study by the Ocean Studies Board of the National
Academies of Science examining the impact of ocean acidification and
other stressors in estuarine environments.
_______________________________________________________________________
May 23, 2019
Reported from the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology with
amendments
May 23, 2019
Committee on Natural Resources discharged; committed to the Committee
of the Whole House on the State of the Union