[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3228 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3228

 To direct the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator 
  of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to improve 
   science, data, and services that enable sound decision making in 
 response to coastal flood risk, including impacts of sea level rise, 
 storm events, changing Great Lakes water levels, and land subsidence.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 13, 2021

  Ms. Velazquez (for herself, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Tlaib, and Mr. Cohen) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, 
   and Technology, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator 
  of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to improve 
   science, data, and services that enable sound decision making in 
 response to coastal flood risk, including impacts of sea level rise, 
 storm events, changing Great Lakes water levels, and land subsidence.

    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 Coastal Resilience Data and 
Services Act''.

SEC. 2. DECLARATION OF POLICY.

    It is the policy of the United States to bolster adaptation and 
increase resilience by preparing for and protecting against the social, 
economic, and environmental impacts of coastal flood risk, including 
impacts of sea level rise, storm events, changing Great Lakes water 
levels, and land subsidence, in all coastal and Great Lakes States and 
territories by supporting actions that--
            (1) improve, create, and make investments in authoritative 
        forecasts, predictions, projections, and services, including 
        sustaining and enhancing underlying observing and spatial 
        reference systems, mapping and geospatial services, modeling, 
        product development and delivery, including probabilistic 
        assessment of risks, and providing engagement and technical 
        assistance to all levels of government, tribal governments, and 
        to vulnerable and historically marginalized and overburdened 
        communities;
            (2) convene and engage users and providers of relevant data 
        and services, including Federal agencies, State, local, tribal, 
        and territorial governments, academia, the commercial sector, 
        nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, environmental 
        justice organizations, and international partners to work 
        together to identify needs and potential solutions, fill gaps 
        in services, and provide technical assistance to inform 
        decision making; and
            (3) promote a coordinated, whole of government approach to 
        ensuring that our citizens have the coastal data and services 
        needed to increase our national resilience.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Coastal flood risk, including the impacts of sea level 
        rise, dramatic shifts in Great Lakes water levels, land 
        subsidence, and damage from high tide flooding and storm events 
        are severely impacting coastal States, territories, 
        communities, economies, and ecosystems.
            (2) Millions of people and billions of dollars in critical 
        infrastructure are at risk due to the threat of coastal floods, 
        the impacts of which are predicted to be more frequent and 
        severe in the future and present a crisis on the coast that 
        threatens national and economic security.
            (3) According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration--
                    (A) the 2020 United States Atlantic hurricane 
                season was the most active on record with 30 named 
                storms, 7 of which were billion-dollar disasters 
                exceeding $40 billion in total damages; and
                    (B) the United States annual high tide flooding 
                frequency is accelerating and has more than doubled 
                since 2000 due to rising relative sea levels, with 
                United States coastal communities today experiencing an 
                average of 2 to 6 high tide flooding days each year and 
                expected to experience an increase to between 7 and 15 
                days each year by 2030 and between 25 and 75 days each 
                year by 2050.
            (4) Our societal response to these threats requires sound 
        decision making within many sectors of our society, including 
        those concerned with human health, social equity, insurance, 
        finance, infrastructure investments, building codes, 
        engineering design, zoning, urban planning, transportation, 
        marine commerce, emergency preparedness, disaster response and 
        recovery, ecosystem restoration, marine resource management, 
        marine conservation, and more.
            (5) Each of these endeavors requires accurate and 
        authoritative data, observations, modeling, mapping, and 
        services that quantify and clearly communicate the drivers of 
        coastal flood risk, including sea level rise, to improve 
        understanding of present day and future flood risk at the coast 
        and enable sound public policy and risk-informed decision 
        making.
            (6) A whole of government approach is required to 
        understand and combat the crisis on the coast. As is the case 
        with the delivery of data and services to support decision 
        making with respect to severe weather, hurricanes, inland 
        flooding, and space weather, many Federal agencies have key 
        contributions to make. The leadership role of the National 
        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (in this Act referred to 
        as the ``NOAA'') is critical given the agency's mission and 
        extensive expertise.
            (7) In addition to State, local, tribal, and territorial 
        governments, the private sector, and other constituencies, many 
        Federal agencies rely on the data and services of the NOAA to 
        inform their missions and investments.
            (8) In addition to being users of NOAA data and services, 
        other Federal agencies conduct or support observations, 
        modeling, research, and other activities that contribute to and 
        inform the coastal forecasts, data, and services provided by 
        the NOAA.
            (9) Strengthening and sustaining the programs, networks, 
        observations, and modeling of the NOAA to support improved 
        coastal flood risk products and services is an urgent national 
        priority. Doing so will materially benefit the myriad economic 
        and resource management sectors that are being impacted by 
        coastal flooding, sea level rise, changing Great Lakes water 
        levels, and land subsidence.
            (10) There is an urgent need for the NOAA, in partnership 
        with other Federal agencies, to expand and enhance 
        observations, mapping, modeling, and services that inform the 
        public and decision makers about risk from coastal flooding, 
        sea level rise, changing Great Lakes water levels, and land 
        subsidence by--
                    (A) identifying and leveraging existing capacities 
                and capabilities to assess and predict coastal flood 
                risk and its impacts; and
                    (B) convening a national effort to deliver enhanced 
                authoritative and science-based products, services, and 
                technical assistance.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of 
        the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Under 
        Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere; and
            (2) the term ``coastal State'' has the same meaning as 
        defined in section 304 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 
        1972 (16 U.S.C. 1453) and includes the District of Columbia.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF NOAA ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the 
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
shall, in consultation with other Federal agencies, develop within the 
NOAA a comprehensive suite of products and services with respect to 
coastal flood, sea level rise, Great Lakes water level, and vertical 
land motion data, and conduct the research and development necessary to 
support products and services that--
            (1) augment existing capacities and combine existing 
        observations, modeling, predictions, and products and services 
        into a coordinated decision-support framework;
            (2) produce and maintain authoritative and timely data, 
        maps, and information services, including improving existing 
        and new information products and services targeted to end user 
        needs, that allow coastal communities across the United States 
        to plan for present and future coastal flood risk; and
            (3) engage with, ensure accessibility by, and provide 
        technical assistance to end users, particularly with respect to 
        historically underserved and at risk communities and 
        populations, which shall include consultation with other 
        Federal agencies, regional ocean partnerships, and State, 
        local, and tribal governments on the appropriate application of 
        these data and tools and to better assess information gaps, 
        needs, and solutions relating to the risk posed by coastal 
        flooding, including sea level rise.
    (b) Data Archiving.--The Administrator shall make data and metadata 
generated in the process of carrying out the requirements of this Act 
fully and openly available in accordance with the Evidence-Based 
Policymaking Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-435; 132 Stat. 5529) to 
maximize distribution, access, and effective utilization of these 
important national assets. The Administrator shall serve as the archive 
authority and stewardship partner for this data and conduct activities 
to assure maximum return on investment for this important national 
asset.
    (c) Use of Existing Advisory Committees.--The Administrator may 
consult with and seek input from existing agency advisory committees to 
provide recommendations on systems, products, and services relating to 
coastal flooding, including sea level rise.
    (d) Technical Assistance.--To assist in carrying out this Act and 
to facilitate collaboration, the Administrator may provide technical 
assistance to other Federal agencies on a reimbursable or non-
reimbursable basis, including by entering into an agreement with 
another Federal agency to detail, for a period of not more than 3 
years, an employee of the NOAA to such Federal agency.
    (e) International Engagement.--In addition to the authority 
provided in section 6(b)(5) of this Act, the Administrator, in 
coordination with the Department of State, may engage internationally 
to provide and receive technical assistance, data sharing, and capacity 
building on matters pertaining to coastal flooding and sea level rise 
and inundation, including participating in and on relevant 
international bodies and organizations.
    (f) Report.--The Administrator shall, not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act and every 3 years thereafter, provide 
the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
with a report on actions taken to implement the requirements under this 
Act, which shall include an evaluation of the need to expand and 
improve agency observations, modeling, predictions, and products and 
services to--
            (1) improve the understanding of the processes that drive 
        coastal flood risk, including sea level rise, storm events, 
        changing Great Lakes water levels, and land subsidence, 
        especially in coastal communities with respect to the 
        demographics of coastal community human population; and
            (2) track and report how observed rates of sea level rise 
        compare to the sea level rise trends and predictions published 
        within the quadrennial National Climate Assessments and related 
        reports.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out the requirements 
of this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $300,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2027.

SEC. 6. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy, in consultation with the Administrator, shall--
            (1) facilitate interagency cooperation and alignment of 
        Federal Government activities conducted with respect to coastal 
        flooding, including sea level rise, to improve the ability of 
        the United States to prepare for, avoid, mitigate, respond to, 
        and recover from potentially devastating impacts; and
            (2) coordinate the activities of the interagency 
        subcommittee established under subsection (b).
    (b) Coastal Flooding and Sea Level Rise Subcommittee.--
            (1) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, the President, acting through the 
        appropriate interagency committee or task force, shall 
        establish within such committee or task force an interagency 
        subcommittee on coastal flooding and sea level rise (hereafter 
        referred to as the ``subcommittee'').
            (2) Purposes.--The subcommittee shall--
                    (A) be the primary venue for the presentation and 
                discussion of the latest science and technologies and 
                for coordination of executive branch actions and 
                activities that improve measurements, predictions, and 
                service delivery of information related to coastal 
                flood risk, including sea level rise;
                    (B) identify gaps in observations, data, 
                information, and modeling and ensure agency activities 
                are complementary;
                    (C) consult and coordinate with other interagency 
                climate and ocean policy efforts and bodies as 
                appropriate;
                    (D) coordinate the delivery of science and data and 
                technical assistance from Federal agencies, including 
                to support and inform the development and delivery of 
                the products and services of the NOAA; and
                    (E) define and prioritize needs from other Federal 
                agencies that could be addressed by enhancements to 
                Federal data and services, including the products and 
                services of the NOAA.
            (3) Leadership.--The subcommittee shall be co-chaired by 
        the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and 
        the Administrator.
            (4) Membership.--The following entities shall be members of 
        the subcommittee:
                    (A) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                Administration.
                    (B) The National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration.
                    (C) The Department of Interior through the United 
                States Geological Survey.
                    (D) The United States Army Corps of Engineers.
                    (E) The Department of Homeland Security through the 
                Federal Emergency Management Administration.
                    (F) The Environmental Protection Agency.
                    (G) The Department of Defense.
                    (H) The Department of Energy.
                    (I) The National Science Foundation.
                    (J) Such other White House offices and Federal 
                agencies that the Director of the Office of Science and 
                Technology Policy deems appropriate.
            (5) Agreements.--To carry out the activities under this 
        Act--
                    (A) the heads of the agencies represented on the 
                subcommittee may enter into cooperative agreements, or 
                any other agreement with each other, and transfer, 
                receive, and expend funds made available by any Federal 
                agency, any State or subdivision thereof, or any public 
                or private organization or individual;
                    (B) the Administrator of the National Aeronautics 
                and Space Administration and the Administrator of the 
                National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall 
                enter into one or more interagency agreements providing 
                for cooperation and collaboration in the development of 
                sea level rise and coastal flood related instruments, 
                technologies, and data sets, and products in accordance 
                with this Act; and
                    (C) the Director of the United States Geological 
                Survey and the Administrator of the National Oceanic 
                and Atmospheric Administration shall enter into one or 
                more interagency agreements providing for cooperation 
                and collaboration in the development, quality control, 
                processing, and delivery of coastal hazards and sea 
                level rise related data, modeling, mapping, and 
                services in accordance with this Act.
            (6) International, academic community, and commercial 
        sector collaboration.--Each Federal agency participating in the 
        subcommittee established under this subsection shall, to the 
        extent practicable, increase engagement and cooperation with 
        the international community, academic community, and commercial 
        sector on the observational infrastructure, data, scientific 
        research, and service delivery and technical assistance 
        necessary to advance the monitoring, forecasting, and 
        prediction of, preparation for, and protection from coastal 
        flooding, sea level rise, changing Great Lakes water levels, 
        and land subsidence.
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