[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 116 (Wednesday, July 29, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8277-S8278]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ROCKEFELLER (for himself and Mr. Nelson, of Florida):
  S. 1539. A bill to authorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration to establish a comprehensive greenhouse gas observation 
and analysis system, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text 
of the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1539

       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 ``Greenhouse Gas Observation 
     and Analysis System Act''.

     SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

       The purposes of this Act are--
       (1) to establish a comprehensive national greenhouse gas 
     observation and analysis system to support verification of 
     greenhouse gas emissions;
       (2) to establish a baseline characterizing the influence of 
     current and past greenhouse gas emissions on atmospheric 
     composition; and
       (3) to provide a scientifically-robust record of 
     atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF GREENHOUSE GAS OBSERVATION AND 
                   ANALYSIS SYSTEM.

       (a) In General.--The Administrator shall establish a 
     greenhouse gas observation and analysis system that will 
     offer the resolution and widespread coverage required to 
     verify reduction and mitigation of greenhouse gases. In 
     establishing the system, the Administrator shall coordinate 
     with the Department of Commerce's National Institute of 
     Standards and Technology, the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration, the National Science Foundation, the 
     Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, and the 
     United States Geological Survey.
       (b) System Components.--The system--
       (1) shall be an operational and scientifically-robust 
     greenhouse gas observation and analysis system that includes 
     local and regional ground-based observations, space-based 
     observations, carbon-cycle modeling, greenhouse gas 
     inventories, meta-analysis, and extensive data integration 
     and distribution to provide quantitative information about 
     sources, sinks, and fluxes of greenhouse gases at relevant 
     temporal and spatial scales; and
       (2) shall be capable of--
       (A) differentiating between source and sink exchanges;
       (B) identifying types of emissions (fossil-fuel and non-
     fossil fuel sources); and
       (C) tracking agricultural and other sinks; and
       (3) shall include--
       (A) sustained ground, sea, and air-based measurements;
       (B) sustained space-based observations;
       (C) measurements of tracer, including isotopes and non-
     carbon dioxide gases;
       (D) carbon cycle monitoring;
       (E) carbon cycle modeling;
       (F) traceability to the International System of Units; and
       (G) data assimilation and analysis.
       (c) Coordination.--The Administrator shall, to the extent 
     appropriate--
       (1) facilitate coordination of--
       (A) observations and modeling;
       (B) data and information management systems, including 
     archive and access; and
       (C) the development and transfer of technologies to 
     facilitate the evaluation of greenhouse gas emission 
     reductions, offsets, and other mitigation strategies;
       (2) coordinate with the National Institute of Standards and 
     Technology to make sure that the greenhouse gas observation 
     and analysis system is based upon quantitative measurements 
     traceable to international standards; and
       (3) coordinate with other Federal agencies and 
     international organizations and agencies involved in 
     international or domestic programs.

     SEC. 4. SYSTEM PLAN.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall, in 
     coordination with the agencies described in section 3, 
     develop and submit a plan for an integrated and comprehensive 
     greenhouse gas observation and analysis system to the Senate 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the 
     House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology.
       (b) Plan Requirements.--The plan shall--
       (1) identify and describe current national and 
     international greenhouse gas observation networks, modeling, 
     and data analysis efforts;
       (2) contain an inventory of agency data relevant to 
     greenhouse gases;
       (3) assess gaps, conflicts, and opportunities with respect 
     to the matters described in paragraphs (1) and (2);
       (4) establish priorities, define agency roles, and make 
     recommendations on necessary capacity and capabilities for--
       (A) ground, sea, air-based measurements;
       (B) sustained space-based observations;
       (C) measurements of tracer, including isotopes and non-
     carbon dioxide gases;
       (D) carbon cycle monitoring;
       (E) carbon cycle modeling;
       (F) measurement traceability and comparability;
       (G) data assimilation and analysis; and
       (H) data archive management and data access; and
       (5) establish and define mechanisms for ensuring continuity 
     of domestic and international greenhouse gas measurements, 
     and contribute to international efforts to build and operate 
     a global greenhouse gas information system, in coordination 
     with the World Meteorological Organization and other 
     international organizations and agencies, as appropriate.

     SEC. 5. REPORTS.

       The Administrator shall, not less than every 4 years after 
     the date of enactment of this Act and in coordination with 
     the agencies described in section 3, submit a report to the 
     Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and 
     the House of Representatives Committee on Science and 
     Technology that includes--

[[Page S8278]]

       (1) an analysis of the progress made toward achieving the 
     goals and objectives of the plan outlined in section 4;
       (2) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the system;
       (3) recommendations concerning modifications to the system;
       (4) an analysis of the consistency of reported greenhouse 
     gas emission reductions with independent observations of 
     atmospheric and Earth-system trends; and
       (5) an update on changes or trends in Earth-system sources 
     and sinks of greenhouse gases.

     SEC. 6. AGREEMENTS.

       (a) In General.--The Administrator may enter into and 
     perform such contracts, leases, grants, cooperative 
     agreements, or other agreements as may be necessary to carry 
     out the purposes of this Act.
       (b) Specific Authority.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, the Administrator may--
       (1) enter into long-term leases of up to 20 years for the 
     use of unimproved land to site small shelter facilities, 
     antennae, and equipment including weather, tide, tidal 
     currents, river, and air sampling or measuring equipment;
       (2) enter into long-term licenses of up to 20 years at no 
     cost to site facilities and equipment including weather, 
     tide, tidal currents, river, and air sampling or measuring 
     equipment;
       (3) acquire (by purchase, lease, or otherwise), lease, 
     sell, and dispose of or convey services, money, securities, 
     or property (whether real, personal, intellectual, or of any 
     other kind) or an interest therein;
       (4) construct, improve, repair, operate, maintain, 
     outgrant, and dispose of real or personal property, including 
     buildings, facilities, and land; and
       (5) waive capital lease scoring requirements for any lease 
     of space on commercial antennas to support weather radio 
     equipment, air sampling, or measuring equipment.
       (c) Certain Leased Equipment.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, rule, or regulation, leases of antenna or 
     equipment on towers or other structures shall be considered 
     operating leases for the purpose of capital lease scoring.

     SEC. 7. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.

       Nothing in this Act shall be construed to supersede or 
     alter the existing authorities of any Federal agency with 
     respect to Earth science research or greenhouse gas 
     mitigation.

     SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration.
       (2) Earth-system.--The term ``Earth-system'' means the 
     Earth's biosphere, including the ocean, atmosphere, and soils 
     that influence the amounts of greenhouse gas in the 
     atmosphere.
       (3) Greenhouse gas.--The term ``greenhouse gas'' means a 
     gas in the atmosphere that increases the radiative forcing of 
     the Earth-atmosphere system.
       (4) International system of units.--The term 
     ``International System of Units'' means the modern metric 
     system of units established in 1960 by the 11th General 
     Conference on Weight and Measures.
       (5) Radiative forcing.--The term ``radiative forcing'' 
     means the measure of the influence that a substance or 
     process has in altering the balance of incoming and outgoing 
     energy in the Earth-system.
       (6) Sink.--The term ``sink'' means the removal of a 
     greenhouse gas from the atmosphere.
       (7) Source.--The term ``source'' means the emission of a 
     greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.
       (8) System.--The term ``system'' means the national 
     greenhouse gas observation and analysis system established 
     under section 3.
       (9) Tracer.--The term ``tracer'' means an atmospheric 
     substance that can be used to assess or determine the origin 
     of a greenhouse gas.

     SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
     Commerce such sums as appropriate to carry out this Act.

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