[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 75 (Wednesday, June 2, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6352-S6354]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. INOUYE (for himself, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Hollings, Mr. Gregg, 
        Ms. Snowe, and Mr. Lott):
  S. 2489. A bill to establish a program within the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration to integrate Federal coastal and ocean 
mapping activities; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.
  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Coastal and Ocean 
Mapping Integration Act of 2004. I am pleased to be joined by Senators 
Gregg and Hollings, who are original cosponsors of the bill. The 
jurisdiction of the United States extends 200 miles beyond its 
coastline and includes the U.S. Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic 
Zone, or ``EEZ.'' Regrettably, nearly 90 percent of this expanse 
remains unmapped by modern technologies, meaning that we have almost no 
information about a swath of ocean as large as the terra firma of the 
entire United States.
  There was a time in the history of our Nation when our best efforts 
to map the seas meant lowering weights tied to piano wire over the side 
of a vessel, and measuring how deep they went. These efforts led to the 
development of rudimentary nautical charts designed to help mariners 
navigate safely. The rapidly increasing uses of our coastal and ocean 
waters, however, call for development of a new generation of ecosystem-
oriented mapping and assessment products and services.
  The technologies of today create richly layered mapping products that 
expand far beyond just charting for safe navigation. Now, by combining 
such information as mineral surveys of the U.S. Geological Service, 
habitat characterizations of the National Oceanic Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA), and watershed assessments of the Environmental 
Protection Agency into a single product, map users are able to consider 
the impacts of their actions on multiple facets of the marine 
environment.
  The recent draft report of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy has 
highlighted the urgent need to modernize, improve, expand, and 
integrate Federal mapping efforts to improve navigation, safety and 
resource management decisionmaking. By employing integrated mapping 
approaches, urban and residential growth can be directed away from 
areas of high risk from ocean-based threats such as tsunami and tidal 
surge. The risks of maritime activities can be minimized by identifying 
hazards that could impact on sensitive ecosystems, and devising 
appropriate mitigation plans. Living marine resource managers can also 
gauge where and how best to focus their efforts to restore essential 
marine habitats.
  The bill I am introducing today will lay the foundation for producing 
the ocean maps of the 21st century. It mandates coordination among the 
many Federal agencies with mapping missions with NOAA as the lead in 
developing national mapping priorities and strategies. The bill would 
also establish national hydrographic centers to manage comprehensively 
the mapping data produced by the Federal Government, encourage 
innovation in technologies, and authorize the funding necessary to 
implement this comprehensive effort.
  Perhaps the most important lesson that comprehensive, integrated 
mapping can afford is an awareness of a web of human marine communities 
as rich and varied as the ocean itself. From awareness grows 
understanding, respect, and cooperation. I hope that my colleagues will 
join me in supporting this measure that will, in turn,

[[Page S6353]]

support the development of healthy coastal communities across the 
nation.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of this bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2489

       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 ``Coastal and Ocean Mapping 
     Integration Act''.

     SEC. 2. INTEGRATED COASTAL AND OCEAN MAPPING PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic 
     and Atmospheric Administration shall establish a program to 
     develop, in coordination with the Interagency Committee on 
     Coastal and Ocean Mapping, a coordinated and comprehensive 
     Federal ocean and coastal mapping program for the Great Lakes 
     and Coastal State waters, the territorial sea, the exclusive 
     economic zone, and the continental shelf of the United States 
     that enhances conservation and management of marine 
     resources, improves decision-making regarding research 
     priorities and the siting of research and other platforms, 
     and advances coastal and ocean science.
       (b) Program Parameters.--In developing such a program, the 
     Administrator shall work with the Committee to--
       (1) identify all Federal programs conducting shoreline 
     delineation and coastal or ocean mapping, noting geographic 
     coverage, frequency, spatial coverage, resolution, and 
     subject matter focus of the data and location of data 
     archives;
       (2) promote cost-effective, cooperative mapping efforts 
     among all Federal coastal and ocean mapping agencies by 
     increasing data sharing, developing data acquisition and 
     metadata standards, and facilitating the interoperability of 
     in situ data collection systems, data processing, archiving, 
     and distribution of data products;
       (3) facilitate the adaptation of existing technologies as 
     well as foster expertise in new coastal and ocean mapping 
     technologies by engaging in cooperative training programs and 
     leveraging agency expertise, non-governmental organizations, 
     and private sector resources to efficiently meet Federal 
     mapping mandates;
       (4) develop standards and protocols for testing innovative 
     experimental mapping technologies and transferring new 
     technologies to the private sector;
       (5) centrally archive, manage, and distribute data sets as 
     well as provide mapping products and services to the general 
     public in service of statutory requirements; and
       (6) develop specific data presentation methods for use by 
     Federal, State, and other entities that document locations of 
     Federally permitted activities, submerged cultural resources, 
     undersea cables, offshore aquaculture projects, and any areas 
     designated for the purposes of environmental protection or 
     conservation and management of living marine resources.

     SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON COASTAL AND OCEAN MAPPING.

       (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established an 
     Interagency Committee on Coastal and Ocean Mapping.
       (b) Membership.--The Committee shall be comprised of senior 
     representatives from Federal agencies with ocean and coastal 
     mapping and surveying responsibilities. The representatives 
     shall be high-ranking officials of their respective agencies 
     or departments and, whenever possible, the head of the 
     portion of the agency or department that is most relevant to 
     the purposes of this Act. Membership shall include senior 
     representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration, the Chief of Naval Operations, the United 
     States Geological Survey, Minerals Management Service, 
     National Science Foundation, National Geospatial-Intelligence 
     Agency, United States Army Corps of Engineers, United States 
     Coast Guard, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal 
     Emergency Management Agency and National Aeronautics and 
     Space Administration, and other appropriate Federal agencies 
     involved in ocean and coastal mapping.
       (c) Chairman.--The Committee shall be chaired by the 
     representative from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration. The chairman may create subcommittees chaired 
     by any member agency of the committee. Working groups may be 
     formed by the full Committee to address issues of short 
     duration.
       (d) Meetings.--The Committee shall meet on a quarterly 
     basis, but subcommittee or working group meetings shall meet 
     on an as-needed basis.
       (e) Coordination.--The committee should coordinate 
     activities, when appropriate, with other Federal efforts, 
     including the Digital Coast, Geospatial One-Stop, and the 
     Federal Geographic Data Committee.

     SEC. 4. NOAA INTEGRATED MAPPING INITIATIVE.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation 
     with the Committee, shall develop and submit to the Congress 
     a plan for an integrated coastal and ocean mapping initiative 
     within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
       (b) Plan Requirements.--The plan shall--
       (1) identify and describe all coastal and ocean mapping 
     programs within the agency, including those that conduct 
     mapping or related activities in the course of existing 
     missions, such as hydrographic surveys, ocean exploration 
     projects, living marine resource conservation and management 
     programs, coastal zone management projects, and coastal and 
     ocean science projects;
       (2) establish geographic priorities and minimum data 
     acquisition and metadata standards for those programs;
       (3) encourage the development of innovative coastal and 
     ocean mapping technologies and applications through research 
     and development cooperative agreements at joint institutes;
       (4) document available and developing technologies, best 
     practices in data processing and distribution, and leveraging 
     opportunities with other Federal agencies, non-governmental 
     organizations, and the private sector;
       (5) identify training, technology, and other resource 
     requirements for enabling the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration's programs, ships, and aircraft to 
     support a coordinated coastal and ocean mapping program;
       (5) identify a centralized mechanism for coordinating data 
     collection, processing, archiving, and dissemination 
     activities of all such mapping programs within the National 
     Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including--
       (A) designating primary data processing centers to maximize 
     efficiency in information technology investment, develop 
     consistency in data processing, and meet Federal mandates for 
     data accessibility; and
       (B) designating a repository that is responsible for 
     archiving and managing the distribution of all coastal and 
     ocean mapping data to simplify the provision of services to 
     benefit Federal and State programs; and
       (6) set forth a timetable for implementation and completion 
     of the plan, including a schedule for periodic Congressional 
     progress reports, and recommendations for integrating 
     approaches developed under the initiative into the 
     interagency program.
       (c) NOAA Joint Hydrographic Centers.--The Secretary is 
     authorized to maintain and operate up to 3 joint hydrographic 
     centers, which shall be co-located with an institution of 
     higher education. The centers shall serve as hydrographic 
     centers of excellence and are authorized to conduct 
     activities necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act, 
     including--
       (1) research and development of innovative coastal and 
     ocean mapping technologies, equipment, and data products;
       (2) mapping of the United States outer continental shelf;
       (3) data processing for non-traditional data and uses;
       (4) advancing the use of remote sensing technologies, for 
     related issues, including mapping and assessment of essential 
     fish habitat and of coral resources, ocean observations and 
     ocean exploration; and
       (5) providing graduate education in hydrographic sciences 
     for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
     Commissioned Officer Corps and civilian personnel.

     SEC. 5. INTERAGENCY PROGRAM REPORTING.

       No later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, and bi-annually thereafter, the Chairman of the 
     Committee shall transmit to the Senate Committee on Commerce, 
     Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives 
     Committee on Resources a report detailing progress made in 
     implementing the provisions of this Act, including--
       (1) an inventory of data within the territorial seas and 
     the exclusive economic zone and throughout the continental 
     shelf of the United States, noting the age and source of the 
     survey and the spatial resolution (metadata) of the data;
       (2) identification of priority areas in need of survey 
     coverage using present technologies;
       (3) a resource plan that identifies when priority areas in 
     need of modern coastal and ocean mapping surveys can be 
     accomplished;
       (4) the status of efforts to produce integrated digital 
     maps of coastal and ocean areas;
       (5) a description of any products resulting from 
     coordinated mapping efforts under this Act that improve 
     public understanding of the coasts, oceans, or regulatory 
     decision-making;
       (6) documentation of minimum and desired standards for data 
     acquisition and integrated metadata;
       (7) a statement of the status of Federal efforts to 
     leverage mapping technologies, coordinate mapping activities, 
     share expertise, and exchange data;
       (8) a statement of resource requirements for organizations 
     to meet the goals of the program, including technology needs 
     for data acquisition, processing and distribution systems;
       (9) a statement of the status of efforts to declassify data 
     gathered by the Navy, the National Geospatial-Intelligence 
     Agency and other agencies to the extent possible without 
     jeopardizing national security, and make it available to 
     partner agencies and the public; and
       (10) a resource plan for a digital coast integrated mapping 
     pilot project for the northern Gulf of Mexico that will--
       (A) cover the area from the authorized coastal counties 
     through the territorial sea; and

[[Page S6354]]

       (B) identify how such a pilot project will leverage public 
     and private mapping data and resources, such as the United 
     States Geological Survey National Map, to result in an 
     operational coastal change assessment program for the 
     subregion.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) In General.--In addition to the amounts authorized by 
     section 306 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 
     1998 (33 U.S.C. 892d), there are authorized to be 
     appropriated to the Administrator to carry out this Act--
       (1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
       (2) $26,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
       (3) $32,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
       (4) $38,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
       (5) $45,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2012.
       (b) Joint Hydrographic Centers.--Of the amounts 
     appropriated pursuant to subsection (a), the following 
     amounts shall be used to carry out section 4(c) of this Act:
       (1) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2005.
       (2) $11,000,000 for fiscal year 2006.
       (3) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2006.
       (4) $13,000,000 for fiscal year 2006.
       (5) $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2012.

     SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration.
       (2) Committee.--The term ``Committee'' means the 
     Interagency Ocean Mapping Committee established by section 3.
       (3) Exclusive economic zone.--The term ``exclusive economic 
     zone'' means the exclusive economic zone of the United States 
     established by Presidential Proclamation No. 5030, of March 
     10, 1983.
       (4) Ocean and coastal mapping.--The term ``ocean and 
     coastal mapping'' means the collection of physical, 
     biological, geological, chemical, and archaeological 
     characteristics of ocean and coastal sea beds through the use 
     of acoustics, satellites, aerial photogrammetry, light and 
     imaging, and direct sampling.
       (5) Territorial sea.--The term ``territorial sea'' means 
     the belt of sea measured from the baseline of the United 
     States determined in accordance with international law, as 
     set forth in Presidential Proclamation Number 5928, dated 
     December 27, 1988.
                                 ______