[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 140 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 140

 To improve data collection and monitoring of the Great Lakes, oceans, 
          bays, estuaries, and coasts, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 28, 2021

Mr. Whitehouse introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To improve data collection and monitoring of the Great Lakes, oceans, 
          bays, estuaries, and coasts, 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 ``Bolstering Long-term Understanding 
and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, Bays, and Estuaries Act'' 
or the ``BLUE GLOBE Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to promote and support--
            (1) the monitoring, understanding, and exploration of the 
        Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts; and
            (2) the collection, analysis, synthesis, and sharing of 
        data related to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and 
        coasts to facilitate science and operational decision making.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) agencies should optimize data collection, management, 
        and dissemination, to the extent practicable, to maximize their 
        impact for research, commercial, regulatory, and educational 
        benefits and to foster innovation, scientific discoveries, the 
        development of commercial products, and the development of 
        sound policy with respect to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, 
        estuaries, and coasts;
            (2) agencies should consider current and future needs 
        relating to supercomputing capacity, data storage capacity, and 
        public access, address gaps in those areas, and coordinate 
        across agencies as needed;
            (3) the United States is a leading member of the 
        Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United 
        Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, a 
        founding member of the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance, and a 
        key partner in developing the United Nations Decade of Ocean 
        Science for Sustainable Development;
            (4) the Integrated Ocean Observing System and the Global 
        Ocean Observing System are key assets and networks that bolster 
        understanding of the marine environment;
            (5) the National Oceanographic Partnership Program is a 
        meaningful venue for collaboration and coordination among 
        Federal agencies, scientists, and ocean users;
            (6) the National Centers for Environmental Information of 
        the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration should be 
        looked to by other Federal agencies as a primary, centralized 
        repository for Federal ocean data;
            (7) the Marine Cadastre, a joint effort of the National 
        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Bureau of Ocean 
        Energy Management, provides access to data and information for 
        specific issues and activities in ocean resources management to 
        meet the needs of offshore energy and planning efforts;
            (8) the regional associations of the Integrated Ocean 
        Observing System, certified by the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration for the quality and reliability of 
        their data, are important sources of observation information 
        for the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts; and
            (9) the Regional Ocean Partnerships and regional data 
        portals, which provide publicly available tools such as maps, 
        data, and other information to inform decisions and enhance 
        marine development, should be supported by and viewed as 
        collaborators with Federal agencies and ocean users.

SEC. 4. DEFINITION OF ADMINISTRATOR.

    In this Act, the term ``Administrator'' means the Under Secretary 
of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere in the Under Secretary's capacity 
as Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration.

SEC. 5. INCREASED COORDINATION AMONG AGENCIES WITH RESPECT TO DATA AND 
              MONITORING.

    (a) Interagency Ocean Observation Committee.--In addition to its 
responsibilities as of the date of the enactment of this Act, and in 
consultation with the associated advisory committee authorized by 
section 12304(d) of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System 
Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3603(d)), the Interagency Ocean Observation 
Committee shall--
            (1) work with international coordinating bodies, as 
        necessary, to ensure robust, direct measurements of the Great 
        Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts, including 
        oceanographic data; and
            (2) support cross-agency and multi-platform synergy, by 
        coordinating overlapping data collection by satellites, buoys, 
        submarines, gliders, vessels, and other data collection 
        vehicles and technologies.
    (b) Federal Geographic Data Committee.--In addition to its 
responsibilities as of the date of the enactment of this Act, and in 
consultation with the National Geospatial Advisory Committee, the 
Federal Geographic Data Committee shall--
            (1) work with international coordinating bodies, as 
        necessary, to ensure robust, continuous measurements of the 
        Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts, including 
        satellite and geospatial data; and
            (2) support new and old data and metadata certification, 
        quality assurance, quality control, integration, and archiving.
    (c) Interagency Committee on Ocean and Coastal Mapping.--In 
addition to its responsibilities as of the date of the enactment of 
this Act, and in consultation with its associated advisory panel 
authorized by section 12203(g) of the Ocean and Coastal Mapping 
Integration Act (33 U.S.C. 3502(g)), the Interagency Committee on Ocean 
and Coastal Mapping shall--
            (1) work with international coordinating bodies, as 
        necessary, to ensure robust, continuous satellite and direct 
        measurements of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and 
        coasts, including bathymetric data; and
            (2) make recommendations on how to make data, metadata, and 
        model output accessible to a broader public audience, including 
        through geographic information system layers, graphics, and 
        other visuals.

SEC. 6. TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION TO COMBAT ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED, AND 
              UNREGULATED FISHING.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 3532 of the Maritime Security and 
Fisheries Enforcement Act (16 U.S.C. 8001) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (13) as 
        paragraphs (7) through (14), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
            ``(6) Innovative technologies.--The term `innovative 
        technologies' includes the following:
                    ``(A) Improved satellite imagery and tracking.
                    ``(B) Advanced electronic monitoring equipment.
                    ``(C) Vessel location data.
                    ``(D) Improved genetic, molecular, or other 
                biological methods of tracking sources of seafood.
                    ``(E) Electronic catch documentation and 
                traceability.
                    ``(F) Such other technologies as the Administrator 
                of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
                considers appropriate.''.
    (b) Technology Programs.--Section 3546 of the Maritime Security and 
Fisheries Enforcement Act (16 U.S.C. 8016) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(5) coordinating the application of existing innovative 
        technologies and the development of emerging innovative 
        technologies.''.

SEC. 7. WORKFORCE STUDY.

    (a) In General.--Section 303(a) of the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act of 2010 (33 U.S.C. 893c(a)) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
        ``Secretary of Commerce'' and inserting ``Under Secretary of 
        Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere'';
            (2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``, skillsets, or 
        credentials'' after ``degrees'';
            (3) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``or highly qualified 
        technical professionals and tradespeople'' after ``atmospheric 
        scientists'';
            (4) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``, skillsets, or 
        credentials'' after ``degrees'';
            (5) in paragraph (5)--
                    (A) by striking ``scientist''; and
                    (B) by striking ``; and'' and inserting ``, 
                observations, and monitoring;''
            (6) in paragraph (6), by striking ``into Federal'' and all 
        that follows and inserting ``, technical professionals, and 
        tradespeople into Federal career positions;''
            (7) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (6) as 
        paragraphs (3) through (7), respectively;
            (8) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
            ``(2) whether there is a shortage in the number of 
        individuals with technical or trade-based skillsets or 
        credentials suited to a career in oceanic and atmospheric data 
        collection, processing, satellite production, or satellite 
        operations;''; and
            (9) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) workforce diversity and actions the Federal 
        Government can take to increase diversity in the scientific 
        workforce; and
            ``(9) actions the Federal Government can take to shorten 
        the hiring backlog for such workforce.''.
    (b) Coordination.--Section 303(b) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 893c(b)) 
is amended by striking ``Secretary of Commerce'' and inserting ``Under 
Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere''.
    (c) Report.--Section 303(c) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 893c(c)) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``the date of enactment of this Act'' and 
        inserting ``the date of the enactment of the Bolstering Long-
        term Understanding and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, 
        Bays, and Estuaries Act'';
            (2) by striking ``Secretary of Commerce'' and inserting 
        ``Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere''; and
            (3) by striking ``to each committee'' and all that follows 
        through ``section 302 of this Act'' and inserting ``to the 
        Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee 
        on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
        Representatives''.
    (d) Program and Plan.--Section 303(d) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
893c(d)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration'' and inserting ``Under Secretary of 
        Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere''; and
            (2) by striking ``academic partners'' and all that follows 
        and inserting ``academic partners.''.

SEC. 8. ACCELERATING INNOVATION AT COOPERATIVE INSTITUTES.

    (a) Focus on Emerging Technologies.--The Administrator shall ensure 
that the goals of the Cooperative Institutes of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration include focusing on advancing or 
applying emerging technologies, which may include--
            (1) applied uses and development of real-time and other 
        advanced genetic technologies and applications, including such 
        technologies and applications that derive genetic material 
        directly from environmental samples without any obvious signs 
        of biological source material;
            (2) deployment of, and improvements to, the durability, 
        maintenance, and other lifecycle concerns of advanced unmanned 
        vehicles, regional small research vessels, and other research 
        vessels that support and launch unmanned vehicles and sensors; 
        and
            (3) supercomputing and big data management, including data 
        collected through electronic monitoring and remote sensing.
    (b) Data Sharing.--Each Cooperative Institute shall ensure that 
data collected from the work of the institute, other than classified, 
confidential, or proprietary data, are archived and made publicly 
accessible.
    (c) Coordination With Other Programs.--The Cooperative Institutes 
shall work with the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee, the 
regional associations of the Integrated Ocean Observing System, and 
other ocean observing programs to coordinate technology needs and the 
transition of new technologies from research to operations.

SEC. 9. OCEAN INNOVATION PRIZE AND PRIORITIZATION.

    (a) Ocean Innovative Prizes.--Not later than 4 years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and under the authority provided by 
section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 
(15 U.S.C. 3719), the Administrator, in consultation with the heads of 
relevant Federal agencies, including the Secretary of Defense, and in 
conjunction with nongovernmental partners, as appropriate and at the 
discretion of the Administrator, shall establish at least one Ocean 
Innovation Prize to catalyze the rapid development and deployment of 
data collection and monitoring technology related to the Great Lakes, 
oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts in at least one of the areas 
specified in subsection (b).
    (b) Areas.--The areas specified in this subsection are the 
following:
            (1) Improved eDNA analytics and deployment with autonomous 
        vehicles.
            (2) Plastic pollution detection, quantification, and 
        mitigation, including with respect to used fishing gear and 
        tracking technologies to reduce or eliminate bycatch.
            (3) Advanced satellite data and other advanced technology 
        for improving scientific assessment.
            (4) New stock assessment methods using satellite data or 
        other advanced technologies.
            (5) Advanced electronic fisheries monitoring equipment and 
        data analysis tools, including improved fish species 
        recognition software, confidential data management, data 
        analysis and visualization, and storage of electronic reports, 
        imagery, location information, and other data.
            (6) Autonomous and other advanced surface vehicles, 
        underwater vehicles, or airborne platforms for data collection 
        and monitoring.
            (7) Artificial intelligence and machine learning 
        applications for data collection and monitoring related to the 
        Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts.
            (8) Coral reef ecosystem monitoring.
            (9) Electronic equipment, chemical or biological sensors, 
        data analysis tools, and platforms to identify and fill gaps in 
        robust and shared continuous data related to the Great Lakes, 
        oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts to inform global earth 
        system models.
            (10) Means for protecting aquatic life from injury or other 
        ill effects caused, in whole or in part, by monitoring or 
        exploration activities.
            (11) Discovery and dissemination of data related to the 
        Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts.
            (12) Water quality monitoring, including improved detection 
        and prediction of harmful algal blooms and pollution.
            (13) Enhancing blue carbon sequestration and other ocean 
        acidification mitigation opportunities.
            (14) Such other areas as may be identified by the 
        Administrator.
    (c) Prioritization of Proposals.--In selecting recipients of Small 
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology 
Transfer (STTR) solicitations and interagency grants for ocean 
innovation, including the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, 
the Administrator shall prioritize proposals for fiscal years 2021 and 
2022 that address at least one of the areas specified in subsection 
(b).

SEC. 10. REAUTHORIZATION OF NOAA PROGRAMS.

    Section 306 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 
(33 U.S.C. 892d) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``$70,814,000 for each of 
        fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``$71,000,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2024'';
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``$25,000,000 for each of 
        fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``$34,000,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2024'';
            (3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``$29,932,000 for each of 
        fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``$38,000,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2024'';
            (4) in paragraph (4), by striking ``$26,800,000 for each of 
        fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``$45,000,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2024''; and
            (5) in paragraph (5), by striking ``$30,564,000 for each of 
        fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``$35,000,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2024''.

SEC. 11. BLUE ECONOMY VALUATION.

    (a) Measurement of Blue Economy Industries.--The Administrator, the 
Director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Commissioner of the 
Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the 
heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall prioritize the 
collection, aggregation, and analysis of data to measure the value and 
impact of industries related to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, 
estuaries, and coasts on the economy of the United States, including 
living resources, marine construction, marine transportation, offshore 
mineral extraction, ship and boat building, tourism, recreation, 
subsistence, and such other industries the Administrator considers 
appropriate (known as ``Blue Economy'' industries).
    (b) Collaboration.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall--
            (1) work with the Director of the Bureau of Economic 
        Analysis and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies to 
        develop a Coastal and Ocean Economy Satellite Account that 
        includes national and State-level statistics to measure the 
        contribution of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and 
        coasts to the overall economy of the United States; and
            (2) collaborate with national and international 
        organizations and governments to promote consistency of 
        methods, measurements, and definitions to ensure comparability 
        of results between countries.
    (c) Report.--Not less frequently than once every 2 years, the 
Administrator, in consultation with the Director of the Bureau of 
Economic Analysis, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 
the Secretary of the Treasury, and the heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies, shall publish a report that--
            (1) defines the Blue Economy, in coordination with Tribal 
        governments, academia, industry, nongovernmental organizations, 
        and other relevant experts;
            (2) makes recommendations for updating North American 
        Industry Classification System (NAICS) reporting codes to 
        reflect the Blue Economy; and
            (3) provides a comprehensive estimate of the value and 
        impact of the Blue Economy with respect to each State and 
        territory of the United States, including--
                    (A) the value and impact of--
                            (i) economic activities that are dependent 
                        upon the resources of the Great Lakes, oceans, 
                        bays, estuaries, and coasts;
                            (ii) the population and demographic 
                        characteristics of the population along the 
                        coasts;
                            (iii) port and shoreline infrastructure;
                            (iv) the volume and value of cargo shipped 
                        by sea or across the Great Lakes; and
                            (v) data collected from the Great Lakes, 
                        oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts, including 
                        such data collected by businesses that purchase 
                        and commodify the data, including weather 
                        prediction and seasonal agricultural 
                        forecasting; and
                    (B) to the extent possible, the qualified value and 
                impact of the natural capital of the Great Lakes, 
                oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts with respect to 
                tourism, recreation, natural resources, and cultural 
                heritage, including other indirect values.

SEC. 12. ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY-OCEANS.

    (a) Agreement.--Not later than 45 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall seek to enter into an 
agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct the 
comprehensive assessment under subsection (b).
    (b) Comprehensive Assessment.--
            (1) In general.--Under an agreement between the 
        Administrator and the National Academy of Sciences under this 
        section, the National Academy of Sciences shall conduct a 
        comprehensive assessment of the need for and feasibility of 
        establishing an Advanced Research Projects Agency-Oceans (ARPA-
        O) that operates in coordination with and with nonduplication 
        of existing Federal oceanic research programs, including 
        programs of the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research of 
        the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
            (2) Elements.--The comprehensive assessment carried out 
        pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include--
                    (A) an assessment of how an ARPA-O could help 
                overcome the long-term and high-risk technological 
                barriers in the development of ocean technologies, with 
                the goal of enhancing the economic, ecological, and 
                national security of the United States through the 
                rapid development of technologies that result in--
                            (i) improved data collection, monitoring, 
                        and prediction of the ocean environment, 
                        including sea ice conditions;
                            (ii) overcoming barriers to the application 
                        of new and improved technologies, such as high 
                        costs and scale of operational missions;
                            (iii) improved management practices for 
                        protecting ecological sustainability;
                            (iv) improved national security capacity;
                            (v) improved technology for fishery 
                        population assessments;
                            (vi) expedited processes between and among 
                        Federal agencies to successfully identify, 
                        transition, and coordinate research and 
                        development output to operations, applications, 
                        commercialization, and other uses; and
                            (vii) ensuring that the United States 
                        maintains a technological lead in developing 
                        and deploying advanced ocean technologies;
                    (B) an evaluation of the organizational structures 
                under which an ARPA-O could be organized, which takes 
                into account--
                            (i) best practices for new research 
                        programs;
                            (ii) consolidation and reorganization of 
                        existing Federal oceanic programs to effectuate 
                        coordination and nonduplication of such 
                        programs;
                            (iii) metrics and approaches for periodic 
                        program evaluation;
                            (iv) capacity to fund and manage external 
                        research awards; and
                            (v) options for oversight of the activity 
                        through a Federal agency, an interagency 
                        organization, nongovernmental organization, or 
                        other institutional arrangement; and
                    (C) an estimation of the scale of investment 
                necessary to pursue high priority ocean technology 
                projects.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a 
report on the comprehensive assessment conducted under subsection (b).
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