[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 94 (Wednesday, June 5, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H4318-H4325]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COASTAL AND OCEAN ACIDIFICATION STRESSORS AND THREATS RESEARCH ACT OF
2019
Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 1237) to amend the Federal Ocean Acidification
Research and Monitoring Act of 2009 to establish an Ocean Acidification
Advisory Board, to expand and improve the research on Ocean
Acidification and Coastal Acidification, to establish and maintain a
data archive system for Ocean Acidification data and Coastal
Acidification data, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1237
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
Acidification Stressors and Threats Research Act of 2019'' or
the ``COAST Research Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
(a) In General.--Section 12402(a) of the Federal Ocean
Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C.
3701(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
``development and coordination'' and inserting ``coordination
and implementation'';
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``acidification on
marine organisms'' and inserting ``acidification and coastal
acidification on marine organisms''; and
(C) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``establish'' and all
that follows through the semicolon and inserting ``maintain
and advise an interagency research, monitoring, and public
outreach program on ocean acidification and coastal
acidification;'';
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``establishment'' and
inserting ``maintenance'';
(3) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``and coastal
acidification'' after ``ocean acidification''; and
(4) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``and coastal
acidification that take into account other environmental and
anthropogenic stressors'' after ``ocean acidification''.
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--Section 12402 of
the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act
of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3701(a)) is amended by striking ``(a)
purposes.--''.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
Section 12403 of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research
and Monitoring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3702) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``of the Earth's oceans''
and all that follows before the period at the end and
inserting ``and changes in the water chemistry of the Earth's
oceans, coastal estuaries, and waterways caused by carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere and the breakdown of organic
matter'';
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking ``Joint Subcommittee on
Ocean Science and Technology of the National Science and
Technology Council'' and inserting ``National Science and
Technology Council Subcommittee on Ocean Science and
Technology'';
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) as
paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), respectively;
(4) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so redesignated,
the following new paragraph:
``(1) Coastal acidification.--The term `coastal
acidification' means the combined decrease in pH and changes
in the water chemistry of coastal oceans, estuaries, and
other bodies of water from chemical inputs (including carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere), freshwater inputs, and excess
nutrient run-off from land and coastal atmospheric pollution
that result in processes that release carbon dioxide, acidic
nitrogen, and sulfur compounds as byproducts which end up in
coastal waters.''; and
(5) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(5) State.--The term `State' means each State of the
United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands of the United
States, and any other territory or possession of the United
States.''.
SEC. 4. INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP.
Section 12404 of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research
and Monitoring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3703) is amended--
(1) in the heading, by striking ``subcommittee'' and
inserting ``working group'';
(2) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``Joint Subcommittee on
Ocean Science and Technology of the National Science and
Technology Council shall coordinate Federal activities on
ocean acidification and'' and insert ``Subcommittee shall'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Wildlife Service,'' and
inserting ``Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, the Environmental Protection Agency, the
Department of Agriculture, the Department of State, the
Department of Energy, the Department of the Navy, the
National Park Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the
National Institute of Standards and Technology, the
Smithsonian Institution,''; and
(C) in paragraph (3), in the heading, by striking
``Chairman'' and inserting ``Chair'';
(3) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``, including the
efforts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration to facilitate such implementation'' after ``of
the plan'';
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``and coastal
acidification'' after ``ocean acidification''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``and coastal
acidification'' after ``ocean acidification'';
(C) in paragraph (4), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a
semicolon;
(D) in paragraph (5)--
(i) by striking ``developed'' and inserting ``and coastal
acidification developed''; and
(ii) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``and
coastal acidification; and''; and
(E) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(6) ensure that each of the Federal agencies represented
on the interagency working group--
``(A) participates in the Ocean Acidification Information
Exchange established under paragraph (5); and
``(B) delivers data and information to support the data
archive system established under section 12406(d).'';
(4) in subsection (c), in paragraph (2)--
(A) by inserting ``, and to the Office of Management and
Budget,'' after ``House of Representatives''; and
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``the interagency
research'' and inserting ``interagency strategic research'';
(5) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
(6) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) Advisory Board.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Chair of the Subcommittee shall
establish an Ocean Acidification Advisory Board.
``(2) Duties.--The Advisory Board shall--
``(A) not later than 180 days before the Subcommittee
submits the most recent report under subsection (d)(2)--
``(i) review such report;
``(ii) submit an analysis of such report to the
Subcommittee for consideration in the final report submitted
under subsection (d)(2); and
``(iii) concurrently with the Subcommittee's final
submission of the report under subsection (d)(2), the
Advisory Board shall submit a copy of the analysis provided
to the Subcommittee to the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation of the Senate, the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, and
the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives;
``(B) not later than 180 days before the Subcommittee
submits the most recent strategic research plan under
subsection (d)(3) to Congress--
``(i) review such plan;
``(ii) submit an analysis of such plan and the
implementation thereof to the Subcommittee for consideration
in the final strategic research plan submitted under
subsection (d)(3); and
``(iii) concurrently with the Subcommittee's final
submission of the strategic research plan under subsection
(d)(3), the Advisory Board shall submit a copy of the
analysis provided to the Subcommittee to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives, and the
[[Page H4319]]
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives;
``(C) provide ongoing advice to the Subcommittee and the
interagency working group on matters related to Federal
activities on ocean acidification and coastal acidification;
``(D) advise the Subcommittee and the interagency working
group on--
``(i) efforts to coordinate research and monitoring
activities related to ocean acidification and coastal
acidification; and
``(ii) the best practices for the standards developed for
data archiving under section 12406(e);
``(E) publish in the Federal Register a charter;
``(F) provide the Library of Congress with--
``(i) the charter described in subparagraph (E);
``(ii) any schedules and minutes for meetings of the
Advisory Board;
``(iii) any documents that are approved by the Advisory
Board; and
``(iv) any reports and analysis prepared by the Advisory
Board; and
``(G) establish a publicly accessible web page on the
website of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, that contains the information described in
clauses (i) through (iv) of subparagraph (F).
``(3) Membership.--The Advisory Board shall consist of 24
members as follows:
``(A) 2 representatives of the shellfish and crab industry.
``(B) 1 representative of the finfish industry.
``(C) 1 representative of seafood processors.
``(D) 3 representatives from academia, including both
natural and social sciences.
``(E) 1 representative of recreational fishing.
``(F) 1 representative of relevant nongovernmental
organizations.
``(G) 6 representatives from relevant State, local, and
Tribal governments.
``(H) 1 representative from the Alaska Ocean Acidification
Network.
``(I) 1 representative from the California Current
Acidification Network.
``(J) 1 representative from the Northeast Coastal
Acidification Network.
``(K) 1 representative from the Southeast Coastal
Acidification Network.
``(L) 1 representative from the Gulf of Mexico Coastal
Acidification Network.
``(M) 1 representative from the Mid-Atlantic Coastal
Acidification Network.
``(N) 1 representative from the Pacific Islands Ocean
Observing System or similar entity representing the island
territories and possessions of the United States in the
Pacific Ocean, and the State of Hawaii.
``(O) 1 representative from the Caribbean Regional
Association for Coastal Ocean Observing or a similar entity
representing Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
``(P) 1 representative from the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration shall serve as an ex-officio
member of the Advisory Board without a vote.
``(4) Appointment of members.--The Chair of the
Subcommittee shall--
``(A) appoint members to the Advisory Board (taking into
account the geographical interests of each individual to be
appointed as a member of the Advisory Board to ensure that an
appropriate balance of geographical interests are represented
by the members of the Advisory Board) who--
``(i) represent the interest group for which each seat is
designated;
``(ii) demonstrate expertise on ocean acidification or
coastal acidification and its scientific, economic, industry,
cultural, and community impacts; and
``(iii) have a record of distinguished service with respect
to ocean acidification or coastal acidification, and such
impacts;
``(B) give consideration to nominations and recommendations
from the members of the interagency working group and the
public for such appointments; and
``(C) ensure that an appropriate balance of scientific,
industry, and geographical interests are represented by the
members of the Advisory Board.
``(5) Term of membership.--Each member of the Advisory
Board--
``(A) shall be appointed for a 5-year term; and
``(B) may be appointed to more than one term.
``(6) Chair.--The Chair of the Subcommittee shall appoint
one member of the Advisory Board to serve as the Chair of the
Advisory Board.
``(7) Meetings.--Not less than once each calendar year, the
Advisory Board shall meet at such times and places as may be
designated by the Chair of the Advisory Board, in
consultation with the Chair of the Subcommittee and the Chair
of the interagency working group.
``(8) Briefing.--The Chair of the Advisory Board shall
brief the Subcommittee and the interagency working group on
the progress of the Advisory Board as necessary.
``(9) Federal advisory committee act.--Section 14 of the
Federal Advisory Committee Act shall not apply to the
Advisory Board.''.
SEC. 5. STRATEGIC RESEARCH PLAN.
Section 12405 of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research
and Monitoring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3704) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking ``acidification'' each place it appears and
inserting ``acidification and coastal acidification'';
(B) in the first sentence--
(i) by inserting ``, and not later than every 5 years
thereafter'' after ``the date of enactment of this Act'';
(ii) by inserting ``address the socioeconomic impacts of
ocean acidification and coastal acidification and to'' after
``mitigation strategies to''; and
(iii) by striking ``marine ecosystems'' each place it
appears and inserting ``ecosystems''; and
(C) in the second sentence, by inserting ``and
recommendations made by the Advisory Board in the review of
the plan required under section 12404(c)(2)(B)(i)'' after
``subsection (d)'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``and social sciences''
after ``among the ocean sciences'';
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``impacts'' and
inserting ``impacts, including trends of changes in ocean
chemistry,'';
(ii) in subparagraph (B)--
(I) by striking ``improve the ability to assess the'' and
inserting ``assess the short-term and long-term''; and
(II) by striking ``; and'' at the end and inserting a
semicolon;
(iii) by amending subparagraph (C) to read as follows:
``(C) provide information for the--
``(i) development of adaptation and mitigation strategies
to address the socioeconomic impacts of ocean acidification
and coastal acidification;
``(ii) conservation of marine organisms and ecosystems; and
``(iii) assessment of the effectiveness of such adaptation
and mitigation strategies; and''; and
(iv) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(D) improve research on--
``(i) ocean acidification and coastal acidification;
``(ii) the interactions between and effects of multiple
combined stressors including changes in water chemistry,
changes in sediment delivery, hypoxia, and harmful algal
blooms, on ocean acidification and coastal acidification; and
``(iii) the effect of environmental stressors on marine
resources and ecosystems;'';
(C) in paragraph (3)--
(i) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``database
development'' and inserting ``data management'';
(ii) in subparagraph (H) by striking ``and'' at the end;
and
(iii) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
``(J) assessment of adaptation and mitigation strategies;
and
``(K) education and outreach activities;'';
(D) in paragraph (4), by striking ``set forth'' and
inserting ``ensure an appropriate balance of contribution in
establishing'';
(E) in paragraph (5), by striking ``reports'' and inserting
``the best available peer-reviewed scientific reports'';
(F) in paragraph (6)--
(i) by inserting ``and coastal acidification'' after
``ocean acidification''; and
(ii) by striking ``of the United States'' and inserting
``within the United States'';
(G) in paragraph (7), by striking ``outline budget
requirements'' and inserting ``estimate costs associated for
full implementation of each element of the plan by fiscal
year'';
(H) in paragraph (8)--
(i) by inserting ``and coastal acidification'' after
``ocean acidification'' each place it appears;
(ii) by striking ``its'' and inserting ``their''; and
(iii) by striking ``; and'' at the end and inserting a
semicolon;
(I) in paragraph (9), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(J) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(10) describe monitoring needs necessary to support
potentially affected industry members, coastal stakeholders,
fishery management councils and commissions, non-Federal
resource managers, and scientific experts on decision-making
and adaptation related to ocean acidification and coastal
acidification.'';
(3) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (1)(C), by striking ``surface'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``and coastal
acidification'' after ``ocean acidification'' each place it
appears;
(C) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by striking ``input, and'' and inserting ``inputs,'';
(ii) by inserting ``, marine food webs,'' after ``marine
ecosystems''; and
(iii) by inserting ``, and modeling that supports fisheries
management'' after ``marine organisms'';
(D) in paragraph (5), by inserting ``and coastal
acidification'' after ``ocean acidification''; and
(E) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(6) Research to understand related and cumulative
stressors and other biogeochemical processes occurring in
conjunction with ocean acidification and coastal
acidification.''; and
(4) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:
``(e) Advisory Board Evaluation.--Not later than 180 days
before a plan is submitted to Congress, the Subcommittee
shall provide the Advisory Board established under section
12404(c) a copy of the plan for purposes of review under
paragraph (2)(B)(i) of such section.
``(f) Publication and Public Comment.--Not later than 90
days before the strategic research plan, or any revision
thereof, is submitted to Congress, the Subcommittee shall
publish the plan in the Federal Register and provide an
opportunity for submission of public comments for a period of
not less than 60 days.''.
SEC. 6. NOAA OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ACTIVITIES.
Section 12406 of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research
and Monitoring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3705) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting
``coordination,'' after ``research, monitoring,'';
[[Page H4320]]
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (B)--
(I) by inserting ``including the Integrated Ocean Observing
System and the ocean observing assets of other Federal and
State agencies,'' after ``ocean observing assets,''; and
(II) by inserting ``and agency and department missions,
prioritizing the location of monitoring instruments, assets,
and projects to maximize the efficiency of resources and to
optimize understanding of socioeconomic impacts and ecosystem
health'' after ``research program'';
(ii) in subparagraph (C)--
(I) by striking ``adaptation'' and inserting ``adaptation
and mitigation''; and
(II) by inserting ``and supporting socioeconomically
vulnerable communities and industries'' after ``marine
ecosystems'';
(iii) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``its impacts'' and
inserting ``their respective impacts'';
(iv) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``monitoring and
impacts research'' and inserting ``research, monitoring, and
adaptation and mitigation strategies''; and
(v) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(G) research to improve understanding of the effect of--
``(i) other environmental stressors on ocean acidification
and coastal acidification;
``(ii) multiple environmental stressors on living marine
resources and coastal ecosystems; and
``(iii) adaptation and mitigation strategies to address the
socioeconomic impacts of ocean acidification and coastal
acidification.'';
(C) in paragraph (2), by striking ``critical research
projects that explore'' and inserting ``critical research and
education projects that explore and communicate''; and
(D) in paragraphs (1) and (2), by striking
``acidification'' each place it appears and inserting
``acidification and coastal acidification''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsections:
``(c) Relationship to Interagency Working Group.--The
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall serve
as the lead Federal agency responsible for coordinating the
Federal response to ocean acidification and coastal
acidification, by--
``(1) leading the interagency working group in implementing
the strategic research plan under section 12405;
``(2) coordinating monitoring and research efforts among
Federal agencies in cooperation with State, local, and Tribal
government and international partners;
``(3) maintaining an Ocean Acidification Information
Exchange described under section 12404(b)(5) to allow for
information to be electronically accessible, including
information--
``(A) on ocean acidification developed through or used by
the ocean acidification program described under section
12406(a); or
``(B) that would be useful to State governments, local
governments, Tribal governments, resource managers,
policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders in
mitigating or adapting to the impacts of ocean acidification
and coastal acidification; and
``(4) establishing and maintaining the data archive system
under subsection (d).
``(d) Data Archive System.--
``(1) Management.--The Secretary, in coordination with
members of the interagency working group, shall provide for
the long-term stewardship of, and access to, data relating to
ocean acidification and coastal acidification by establishing
and maintaining a data archive system that the National
Center for Environmental Information uses to process, store,
archive, provide access to, and incorporate to the extent
possible, such data collected--
``(A) through relevant federally-funded research; and
``(B) by a Federal agency, State agency, local agency,
Tribe, academic scientist, citizen scientist, or industry
organization.
``(2) Existing global or national data assets.--In
establishing and maintaining the data archive system under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure that existing
global or national data assets (including the data assets
maintained by the National Centers for Environmental
Information, the Integrated Ocean Observing System, and other
existing data systems within Federal agencies) are
incorporated to the greatest extent possible.
``(e) Standards, Protocols, and Procedures.--With respect
to the data described in subsection (d), the Secretary, in
coordination with members of the interagency working group,
shall establish and revise as necessary the standards,
protocols, or procedures for--
``(1) processing, storing, archiving, and providing access
to such data;
``(2) the interoperability and intercalibration of such
data;
``(3) the collection of any metadata underlying such data;
and
``(4) sharing such data with State, local, and Tribal
government programs, potentially affected industry members,
coastal stakeholders, fishery management councils and
commissions, non-Federal resource managers, and academia.
``(f) Dissemination of Ocean Acidification Data and Coastal
Acidification Data.--The Secretary, in coordination with
members of the interagency working group, shall disseminate
the data described under subsection (d) to the greatest
extent practicable by sharing such data on full and open
access exchanges, including the Ocean Acidification
Information Exchange described in section 12404(b)(5).
``(g) Requirement.--Recipients of grants from the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under this subtitle
that collect data described under subsection (d) shall--
``(1) collect such data in accordance with the standards,
protocols, or procedures established pursuant to subsection
(e); and
``(2) submit such data to the data archive system under
subsection (d), in accordance with any rules promulgated by
the Secretary.''.
SEC. 7. NSF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ACTIVITIES.
Section 12407 of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research
and Monitoring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3706) is amended--
(1) by striking ``ocean acidification'' each place it
appears and inserting ``ocean acidification and coastal
acidification'';
(2) in subsection (a)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``continue'' and all that follows through
``which shall'' ;
(ii) by striking ``proposals for research'' and inserting
``proposals for the researching''; and
(iii) by striking ``its impacts'' and inserting ``their
respective impacts'';
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``marine ecosystems'' and
inserting ``ecosystems'';
(C) in paragraph (2), by striking ``; and'' at the end and
inserting a semicolon;
(D) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by striking ``and its impacts'' and inserting ``and
their respective impacts''; and
(ii) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``;
and''; and
(E) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(4) adaptation and mitigation strategies to address
socioeconomic effects of ocean acidification and coastal
acidification.''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Requirement.--Recipients of grants from the National
Science Foundation under this subtitle that collect data
described under section 12406(d) shall--
``(1) collect data in accordance with the standards,
protocols, or procedures established pursuant to section
12406(e); and
``(2) submit such data to the Director and the Secretary,
in accordance with any rules promulgated by the Director or
the Secretary.''.
SEC. 8. NASA OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ACTIVITIES.
Section 12408 of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research
and Monitoring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3707) is amended--
(1) by striking ``ocean acidification'' each place it
appears and inserting ``ocean acidification and coastal
acidification'';
(2) in subsection (a), by striking ``its impacts'' and
inserting ``their respective impacts''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(d) Requirement.--Researchers from the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration under this subtitle that
collect data described under section 12406(d) shall--
``(1) collect such data in accordance with the standards,
protocols, or procedures established pursuant to section
12406(e); and
``(2) submit such data to the Administrator and the
Secretary, in accordance with any rules promulgated by the
Administrator or the Secretary.''.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 12409 of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research
and Monitoring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3708) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``subtitle--'' and all
that follows through paragraph (4) and inserting the
following: ``subtitle $30,500,000 for each of the fiscal
years 2020 through 2024.''; and
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ``subtitle--'' and all
that follows through paragraph (4) and inserting the
following: ``subtitle $20,000,000 for each of the fiscal
years 2020 through 2024.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Johnson) and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
General Leave
Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and to include extraneous materials on H.R. 1237, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 1237, the COAST Research Act of 2019. Our
Nation is facing an invisible but growing threat: ocean acidification.
For the last 200 years, the oceans have soaked up about one-third of
the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from the burning of fossil
fuels causing the oceans to become more acidic.
The science is clear. As spelled out in the Fourth National Climate
Assessment and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special
Report, ocean acidification is causing the chemistry of the oceans to
change at an unprecedented rate.
Ocean acidification makes it more difficult for shelled organisms
like oysters, mussels, clams, and corals to build their shells and
skeletons and has potentially devastating effects on marine ecosystems.
The effects of ocean acidification are already being seen and felt
today in our coastal communities around the Nation.
Congress acted and passed the Federal Ocean Acidification Research
and Monitoring Act in 2009, which catalyzed research and monitoring
efforts
[[Page H4321]]
to better understand ocean acidification and its impacts. While this
bill has successfully increased our understanding of ocean
acidification, the Federal investment in research has been relatively
small compared to the size of the problem.
{time} 0915
H.R. 1237 updates and reauthorizes our Federal ocean acidification
response and expands the scope of the Federal efforts on this important
issue.
H.R. 1237 also designates the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration as the lead Federal agency, which formalizes the
leadership role it has played in conducting ocean acidification
research and monitoring over the last decade.
Ocean acidification threatens the vitality of our coastal economies.
We need to get ahead of the problem of ocean acidification before it
causes even greater economic harm to our coast. We need to have a much
better understanding of ocean acidification in order to mitigate and
adapt to its effects.
H.R. 1237, along with the three other ocean acidification bills being
considered today, offers a path toward solutions. If we don't act now,
we risk going down an irreversible path.
June is World Oceans Month, and I see no better time for the U.S.
House of Representatives to pass legislation to support the health of
the oceans than now.
I want to take a brief moment to recognize the efforts of the sponsor
of the bill, the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici). She has been a
champion of this issue during her time here in the House and has been
relentless in her efforts to authorize this program.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from Earthjustice, Ocean
Conservancy, the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing
Systems, the Integrated Ocean Observing System Association, and the
Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association in support of this bill.
Earthjustice,
June 4, 2019.
Re Earthjustice supports H.R. 1237, the Coastal and Ocean
Acidification Stressors and Threats Research Act of 2019.
Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Bonamici: On behalf of our supporters
and staff nationwide, we are writing to voice our strong
support for the Coastal and Ocean Acidification Stressors and
Threats (COAST) Act of 2019 (H.R. 1237). Ocean acidification
is a serious global threat, as our oceans calibrate our
atmosphere and maintain the conditions that have supported
human life for millennia. This vital legislation leads us
towards solutions that secure our ecosystems, our economies,
and our health.
Ocean acidification has devastated coastal communities by
eroding the sources of their livelihood and protection
against ocean events. Acidic waters imperil everything from
cod larvae and lobsters, to plankton and coral reefs. The
process acidification sets into motion will cause
increasingly expensive damage on scales larger than we've
already seen in our Pacific Northwest shellfish farms.
Americans will take the hit, either in the grocery store,
or--for coastal regions--in their jobs and their homes.
However, immediate action can halt plunging pH levels and
promote resilience in changing temperatures.
The COAST Research Act jumpstarts ocean recovery and helps
communities cope with ocean acidification by updating the
Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act
(FOARAM) to face current threats. Funding FOARAM through 2023
ensures we don't backslide in protecting ourselves against
ocean acidification, just as the danger is increasing.
Incorporating the best available data on the full effects of
ocean acidification, including socioeconomic and regional
variations, ensures our national response to the problem
works for the whole nation. Establishing an advisory board
that represents and coordinates the diverse stakeholders
impacted by ocean acidification ensures interests at all
level--including industry, recreation, and conservation--are
accounted for in federal action.
Bipartisan support for the COAST Research Act speaks to the
seriousness of the problem and the efficiency of this
proposed solution. Neither Democrats nor Republicans are
willing to watch our blue economy dissolve in increasingly
acidic waters. Both parties support urgent action to
stabilize our oceans and fortify them against future changes.
This bill provides the funding and strategy to do just that.
Without action, our ocean ecosystems and dependent
economies may be barren by the end of this century. Congress
has the opportunity to reverse this trend and keep our coasts
and oceans vibrant and bountiful. We greatly appreciate your
leadership in crafting the bill that can make such reversal
possible.
Sincerely,
Marjorie Mulhall,
Legislative Director for Lands,
Wildlife, and Oceans, Earthjustice.
____
Ocean Conservancy,
Washington, DC, February 27, 2019.
Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative Bonamici: On behalf of Ocean
Conservancy, please accept this letter of support for H.R.
1237, the Coastal and Ocean Acidification Stressors and
Threats (COAST) Research Act of 2019. Americans depend on a
healthy ocean, and ocean acidification threatens millions of
jobs and livelihoods, cultures, and ways of life, from the
Pacific Northwest's shellfish industry to Florida's coral
reef tourism. We believe the COAST Research Act strengthens
our nation's investments in ocean and coastal acidification,
and we are proud to offer our support for this legislation.
From coast to coast, ocean acidification is having a broad
range of impacts on the health of our ocean and coastal
communities. Coastal industries are continuing to face the
reality of an increasingly acidic ocean. In 2017, researchers
at Oregon State University recorded some of the highest
levels of ocean acidification in the world off the coast of
the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, 63% of test sites on the
west coast experienced levels of acidification known to cause
commercial oyster production failures. From the Atlantic to
the Pacific, ocean and coastal acidification has had
extensive biological and socioeconomic impacts.
In 2009, Congress recognized the urgent need for federal
investments in ocean acidification research and monitoring,
and subsequently passed the Federal Ocean Acidification
Research and Monitoring (FOARAM) Act of 2009. FOARAM
established the federal government's work on ocean
acidification by creating the NOAA Ocean Acidification
Program and an interagency working group on ocean
acidification. Much of our knowledge and understanding of
ocean acidification that has emerged in the last decade can
be credited to the federal funding authorized by FOARAM. The
law's authorization, however, expired in 2012, and there are
changes that can be made to further improve our ability to
understand acidification in the open ocean as well as in the
coastal zone.
We believe the COAST Research Act will help our nation and
coastal communities better prepare for the effects from ocean
and coastal acidification. Thank you for your leadership on
this issue, and we look forward to working with you to craft
solutions for our changing ocean environment.
Sincerely,
Sarah Cooley, Ph.D.,
Director, Ocean Acidification
Program, Ocean Conservancy.
____
Northwest Association of
Networked Ocean Observing Systems,
Washington, DC, March 7, 2019.
Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,
House of Representatives,
Washington DC.
Dear Congresswoman Bonamici: As the Director of the
Northwest Association of Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS), I
write in support of the Coastal and Ocean Acidification
Stressors and Threats (COAST) Research Act.
NANOOS provides access to near-real time observations,
forecasts, and other tools that can be used to observe water
properties in the Salish Sea and the coastal waters off
Washington and Oregon. NANOOS can only serve our stakeholders
via NOAA's Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), which
links together Federal agencies with our collective of local
universities, government agencies, tribes, nonprofits, and
industry organizations who collect quality oceanographic and
meteorological data from moorings, buoys, and satellites from
across the Pacific Northwest region. But our resources are
limited and this COAST Research Act would help to highlight
the payoff investments can make.
In the Pacific Northwest, we know that ocean acidification
is an issue already, as witnessed by the difference that
monitoring water chemistry has made to shellfish growers. We
know that impacts from ocean acidification may affect
shellfish harvesters, fishermen, resource managers, and
tribal and other coastal communities. NANOOS' work with IOOS
and NOAA's Ocean Acidification Program have been instrumental
in aiding adaptation.
The COAST Research Act will enhance these and other efforts
to understand, monitor, and manage the nation's ability to
respond and adapt to ocean acidification. NANOOS will be
better able to meet the needs of our stakeholders if this Act
is passed.
My thanks for your leadership and insights.
Sincerely,
Jan Newton,
NANOOS Executive Director.
____
IOOS Association,
March 5, 2019.
Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Bonamici: On behalf of the Integrated
Ocean Observing System
[[Page H4322]]
(IOOS) Association and its national network of eleven coastal
observing systems, I write to support the Coastal and Ocean
Acidification Stressors and Threats (COAST) Research Act.
NOAA's Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) links
together Federal agencies and eleven Regional Associations
(RAs) to design and to operate regional observing systems to
provide timely and reliable data and information on our
oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes. Coastal acidification is
becoming an even more pressing concern for many of our
stakeholders and users, such as shellfish growers, shellfish
harvesters, fishermen, resource managers, and coastal
communities.
The impacts of coastal acidification vary, and each system
must be tailored to the unique situation of the region. The
IOOS RAs work closely with NOAA's Ocean Acidification Program
to understand the regional context, to deploy and operate
sensors, support the data that can detect and monitor
acidification to support and improve warnings and alerts and
to provide for the sharing and integration of data.
The COAST Research Act will enhance these and other efforts
to understand, monitoring and manage the nation's ability to
respond and adapt to ocean acidification. The Act does this
be expanding the Advisory Board to include representatives of
the variety of industries and stakeholder impacted by ocean
acidification, expanding the strategic plan for research and
monitoring, and expanding the role of the Federal agencies
for addressing ocean acidification.
Sincerely,
Ella (Josie) Quintrell,
Director.
____
Pacific Coast Shellfish
Growers Association,
March 9, 2019.
Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative Bonamici: On behalf of the members of
Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association (PCSGA), I am
submitting this letter of support for H.B. 1237, the Coastal
and Ocean Acidification Stressors and Threats (COAST)
Research Act of 2019. Shellfish growers were the first
community to call attention to the problems associated with
ocean acidification when, in 2007, they experienced sever
oyster larvae mortality in two out of three major west coast
shellfish hatcheries. Since then, PCSGA has engaged in
several local, state, and federal efforts and initiatives to
ensure a future for this historic industry.
Shellfish farming on the west coast began in the late
1800's, fueled the California Gold Rush and was the reason
for the development of many coastal towns. Today, PCSGA
proudly represents 120 shellfish farms in Alaska, Washington,
Oregon, California and Hawaii which farm mussels, clams,
oysters and geoduck. Our members not only produce
sustainable, healthy, food, but also provide significant
ecosystem services such as aquatic habitat and water
filtration, and support thousands of family-wage jobs within
rural coastal communities.
For nearly a decade, the shellfish industry has benefited
from NOAA's Ocean Acidification Program and the Integrated
Ocean Observing System (IOOS), both of which relate to the
Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring (FOARAM)
Act of 2009. These programs and the directives within FOARAM
have influenced the way shellfish growers operate their farms
among the uncertainty of changing ocean conditions.
Historically, growers only consulting their tide charts. Now,
growers rely upon a variety of real-time data and tools to
understand the ocean changes and adapt methods and practices
which allow them to continue farming in a productive and
profitable manner. There much work ahead of us and much yet
to learn. COAST Research Act provides an essential pathway
forward.
We are excited by the intent of COAST Research Act and the
opportunities it provides. Not only is it a reasonable follow
up to FOARAM but it also allows us to continue asking
questions and seek innovative approaches to mitigate the
impacts related to ocean acidification.
Thank you very much for your leadership on this and for
your commitment to ensuring the long-term health of our
coastal and marine areas upon which shellfish growers depend.
Respectfully,
Margaret A. Pilaro,
Executive Director.
Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this bipartisan
bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1237, the COAST Research Act
of 2019. This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize and modernize
ocean acidification research and monitoring programs.
Ocean acidification is the result of a gradual decrease in pH in
ocean chemistry. A small shift in pH can have a serious effect on
marine ecosystems, including shellfish habitat, coral reefs, and
fisheries habitat.
Congress recognized the need for a better understanding of the cause
and the effects of ocean acidification by passing the Federal Ocean
Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009. This legislation
created a framework for science organizations such as NOAA and the
National Science Foundation to dedicate resources to studying the
phenomenon. This program provided valuable information to the
scientific community to better understand what caused ocean
acidification and how to begin addressing this issue.
H.R. 1237 reauthorizes and modernizes those efforts by updating the
strategic plan governing the Federal Government's research efforts,
strengthening cooperation among scientific agencies. It designates NOAA
as the lead agency for coordinating Federal efforts for addressing the
Federal response to ocean acidification. Additionally, the bill
clarifies that all federally funded research conducted in connection
with the program is to be made publicly available.
This bill is the result of years of work in building a consensus
among stakeholders, ranging from ocean conservation groups and
sportsmen to coastal communities, about how best to address this
problem moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may
consume to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Johnson for yielding
time, also for her leadership on the committee, and I thank Chairwoman
Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas for their support of this legislation.
I rise today in support of the Coastal and Ocean Acidification
Stressors and Threats, or COAST, Research Act, my bipartisan bill to
expand scientific research and monitoring of ocean and coastal
acidification.
According to the Fourth National Climate Assessment, catastrophic
carbon dioxide concentrations are now higher than at any time in the
last 3 million years. Approximately one-third of the carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere dissolves into our oceans and estuaries, causing them to
become more acidic.
In addition to atmospheric carbon dioxide, our oceans, estuaries, and
coastal waterways are absorbing chemical inputs and excess nutrient
runoff from land and coastal pollution.
Our understanding of the long-term consequences of changes in water
chemistry on our marine ecosystem is still limited, but we do know that
ocean and coastal acidification make it difficult for marine organisms
to build their shells and skeletal structures. Some finfish, including
endangered salmon in the Pacific Northwest, lose their sense of smell
that they use for identifying prey, reproducing, and navigating their
habitats.
Ocean acidification events are only projected to become more intense,
longer, and increasingly common, especially on the Pacific Coast.
The COAST Research Act would improve scientific research on ocean and
coastal acidification in the context of other environmental stressors
and direct Federal agencies to assess adaptation and mitigation
strategies. Importantly, the bill also expands the definition of ocean
acidification to include estuaries and to recognize mechanisms that
cause changes in coastal chemistry.
As chair of the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification,
NOAA is already leading interdisciplinary efforts to expand our
understanding of changing ocean conditions. This bill would designate
NOAA as the lead Federal agency responsible for implementing the
Federal response to ocean and coastal acidification. This is a
pragmatic response to calls for an interdependent national ocean
acidification program office and recommendations from a September 2014
Government Accountability Office report.
Ocean acidification research is still in its infancy, and the best
way to mitigate its effects is through regionally coordinated
scientific research. The COAST Research Act directs NOAA to maintain a
data archive system to process, store, archive, and provide access to
data on ocean and coastal acidification from federally funded research,
including existing global or national datasets and research from
[[Page H4323]]
State and local agencies, Tribes, academic scientists, citizen
scientists, and industry organizations.
Additionally, the COAST Research Act would increase our understanding
of the socioeconomic effects of ocean and coastal acidification and
engage stakeholders. The bill creates an advisory board comprised of
representatives of the shellfish and crab industry; finfish industry;
seafood processors; recreational fishing; academia; nongovernmental
organizations; State, local, and Tribal governments; and regional
coastal acidification networks. This regionally balanced group will
advise the interagency working group on ocean and coastal acidification
research and monitoring activities.
Our oceans and estuaries are facing the brunt of our inaction to
reduce anthropogenic carbon emissions. We know that even if carbon
dioxide emissions are halted today, many of the effects for our oceans
will continue to occur over the course of the next few decades.
The COAST Research Act will support vulnerable communities,
industries, and coastal and ocean managers by strengthening research on
how they can best prepare and, when possible, adapt to ocean and
coastal acidification. Oregon's shellfish industry and researchers at
Oregon State University have collaborated on ocean acidification
mitigation strategies that have helped the shellfish industry survive.
Their research demonstrates what is possible when we invest in science
and research to help coastal communities adapt to climate change.
Our oceans and estuaries are resilient, and we can help them heal,
but we cannot afford to wait any longer. This is National Ocean Month
and Capitol Hill Ocean Week, a good time to act to help protect the
oceans and our planet.
Mr. Speaker, I want to close by thanking, again, my colleagues,
Representative Young, Representative Posey, and Representative Pingree,
for their leadership on this issue. I truly appreciate the support from
my fellow House Oceans Caucus and Congressional Estuary Caucus co-
chairs. I also want to, again, thank Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking
Member Lucas for their support.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from the Oregon
Coordinating Council on Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia and Oregon
State University in support of the COAST Research Act.
The Oregon Coordinating Council on Ocean Acidification
and Hypoxia,
March 8, 2019.
Re Coastal and Ocean Acidification Stressors and Threats
(COAST) Research Act.
Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative Bonamici: As the Co-Chairs of the State
legislatively mandated, Oregon Coordinating Council on Ocean
Acidification and Hypoxia (or ``Oregon OAH Council''), we
appreciate the opportunity to provide you with a letter of
strong support for the Coastal and Ocean Acidification
Stressors and Threats (COAST) Research Act. Addressing
intensifying ocean acidification (OA) conditions here in
Oregon, as well as across the United States, is critical to
our Nations understanding of larger impacts from CO2
emissions.
Oregon is among the first places in the world to observe
direct impacts of ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH), due
to our unique geographic and oceanographic context, putting
our fragile marine ecosystem at risk. Our coastal economies
rely on our vibrant marine ecosystem. Our nearshore waters
are home to sport and commercial fisheries, all of the
State's mariculture operations, and contain critical nursery
grounds for economically important species including
rockfish, oysters, salmon, pink shrimp, and Dungeness crab.
Oregon is not alone in experiencing the impacts from OA or
hypoxia. Through actions such as those in the COAST Research
Act we must act together as Americans to develop solutions
for our coastal communities, economies, and ecosystems to
prepare for future conditions.
In the coming years, the Oregon OAH Council will continue
to take a thoughtful, collaborative, science-based approach
to developing recommendations to address OAH in our state and
beyond. Through further investments and initiatives, Oregon
and the United States will benefit from adaptation and
mitigation measures and will model to the world how to
develop actionable solutions for OA adaptation and
mitigation.
the oregon oah council has identified three urgently needed strategic
actions, which directly align with objectives within the coast research
act.
(1) Monitoring of key oceanographic and biological
indicators of impacts from OAH.
At the same time that OA has been impacting our coasts,
oxygen-depletion is on the rise; Oregon and much of the West
coast has seen several seasons in a row with extended periods
of hypoxia in our coastal waters. The Oregon OAH Council is
encouraged that the COAST Research Act identifies the need to
strengthen investments in OA research and monitoring in the
context of other environmental stressors. Ocean acidification
and hypoxia are compounding stressors for a wide range of
marine animals, and as such must continue to be studied
together. Through the COAST Research Acts reauthorization of
funding of NOAA, NSF, and NASA, much needed resources will be
made available to researchers across the United States to
continue to expand our knowledge of OAH. The Oregon OAH
Council also supports the initiative of the COAST Research
Act to create data processing, storage, and archive
facilities to provide for the long-term stewardship and
standardization of data. By creating a central repository for
OAH data it provides governments, scientists, and industry
better access to the information need to inform their
mitigation and adaption planning. Only by maximizing our
current data and filling our knowledge gaps of OAH, can we as
a Nation begin to be able to piece together for solutions for
our coastal communities.
(2) Projects or programs that promote coastal economic and
ecosystem resilience to OAH.
Fisheries and aquaculture are central to our history, are
enjoyed by Americans across the nation year-round, and remain
key to many of Oregon's coastal economies today. Yet, the
future sustainability of these marine resources and
communities' ability to rely on them, are uncertain in the
face of significant ocean changes, including OAH, and
uncertain in the face of our current state of preparation to
adapt to those changes over time. This is why the Oregon OAH
Council supports activities and initiatives that promote
resilience to increased OAH conditions, for both human
communities and ecosystems. The COAST Research Act also
stresses the importance of increasing our understanding of
the socioeconomic effects of OA by expanding federal research
to assess adaptation and mitigation strategies. There will be
costs of inaction relative to CO2 mitigation and the United
States has an obligation to relieve these costs wherever
possible for our citizens.
(3) Tools and strategies to increase awareness of OAH
science, impacts and solutions.
As the impacts of OA intensify, it is going to be vitally
important for our Nation to identify and advance
opportunities to raise awareness of and communicate OAH
science, impacts, and mitigation solutions. This is why the
Oregon OAH Council is encouraged by the fact that the COAST
Research Act recognizes the need to address the effects of OA
on estuaries and integrate research, monitoring, and
adaptation strategies. By integrating OA causes and effects,
it better demonstrates the complexity of this climate issue,
and provides a clearer message to communities. The Oregon OAH
Council also supports the COAST Research Act establishment of
an Advisory Board to increase coordination among
stakeholders, including members of industry, to work with
State and Federal governments to improve coordination.
Recognizing the importance of a broad membership, our Oregon
OAH Council includes members from industry, academia and
state government agencies. For the benefit of our marine
ecosystem and the human communities that rely on a healthy
marine ecosystem, the Nation's adaptation and mitigation
approaches to OA should include successful communication of
new science, monitoring, and adaptation strategies.
As Co-Chairs of the Oregon OAH Council, we appreciate the
opportunity to provide you with a letter of strong support
for the COAST Research Act. The strategic investment and
coordination opportunities outlined in this act are
meaningful and will make a difference in our understanding of
OAH science, impacts, and solutions. Through passage of this
Act and the subsequent investment in science, adaptation and
communications, the United States will demonstrate meaningful
action in fighting OA and the global challenges of climate
change, and preparing our citizens and economies for the
changes ahead.
Thank you for your consideration of these comments.
Sincerely,
John Barth, Ph.D.,
Co-Chair, Oregon OAH Council, Executive Director, Marine
Studies Initiative, Oregon State University.
Caren Braby, Ph.D.,
Co-Chair, Oregon OAH Council, Marine Resources Program
Manager, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
____
Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President,
Oregon State University,
Corvallis, OR, March 8, 2019.
Re H.R. 1237--The COAST Research Act of 2019.
Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative Bonamici: We write to offer Oregon
State University's strong support for H.R. 1237, the COAST
Research Act of 2019.
[[Page H4324]]
As marine habitats face new and daunting pressures
threatening their sustainability, the COAST Research Act
identifies the growing need for strategic and robust
investments in ocean acidification (OA) research, monitoring
and stakeholder collaboration.
Oregon State University is committed to interdisciplinary
approaches to address the national and global challenges
facing our oceans and coast communities. OSU has a deep
history of global leadership in oceanography and engages in
nationally ranked oceanographic monitoring programs and
world-leading OA research. Further, the university recognizes
that Oregon's estuaries and coastal regions are home to some
of the world's most productive ecosystems and economically
vital shellfish farms.
The university is encouraged that the COAST Research Act
expands the definition of OA to include coastal and estuarine
systems, and identifies OA as being affected by a combination
of factors, including hypoxia. The university believes that
by expanding federal definitions of OA and by increasing
funding opportunities, researchers and managers will be able
to best utilize resources to find solutions to address OA.
The university also is encouraged that this legislation
recognizes the need for federal engagement to continue
important investments. Doing so will enhance the integration
of OA research, monitoring and adaptation strategies across
principal federal research agencies, including the National
Science Foundation, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
Oregon State University understands that effective and
collaborative partnerships and communication are essential
for our state and nation to find adaptive and mitigation
solutions to address OA. For example, the proposal to
establish an Ocean Acidification Advisory Board will be
essential for facilitating the important work still to be
done.
The world's ocean belongs to everyone, and ocean health is
critical to our future. In the coming decades, it will be
essential for the nation and its universities to work
collaboratively to improve and sustain the health of our
oceans. Doing so, we will assure human wellness,
environmental health and economic prosperity for future
generations.
In closing, Oregon State University believes that the COAST
Research Act proposes new strategic tools to expand
understanding and address the problems facing our oceans and
coastal communities.
Sincerely,
Edward Feser,
Provost and Executive Vice President.
Irem Tumer,
Interim Vice President for Research.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support
this bill.
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Posey), my colleague not only on the
Science, Space, and Technology Committee, but on the Financial Services
Committee, ever thoughtful and ever strong spirited.
Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and his
kind remarks.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1237, the COAST Research Act,
of which I am an original cosponsor.
Those of us who live on the coast understand that the coast is an
essential part of our lives. In my own State of Florida, approximately
80 percent of the population lives along the coast. About 6 million
people work in our coastal communities and produce nearly $280 billion
a year in wages and contribute over $700 billion in gross domestic
product.
Today, we face uncertainty about the sustainability and the
resilience of our coasts. Parts of our coast have come under assault
from the ocean itself, even before anyone imagined anything about sea
level rise.
Acidification presents uncertainties in the ocean and could pose
severe effects to the biodiversity of our marine wildlife.
Along the Space Coast, we have seen a recent plague of algal blooms
that foul our estuaries and threaten our economy. It is serious and it
is heartbreaking.
The message is clear: We need to take care of our precious coast so
that we can continue to enjoy the lifestyle and the economic well-being
that we all cherish.
We must work with the Federal Government in the interest of improving
our coastal resilience. That is why I have joined Congresswoman Suzanne
Bonamici in directing NOAA to pick up the role of leading research for
coastal acidification.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record four letters of support for the
COAST Research Act from the following organizations: the Consortium for
Ocean Leadership, the Surfrider Foundation, the Pacific States Marine
Fisheries Commission, and the Northwest fisheries groups.
Consortium for Ocean Leadership,
Washington, DC, March 1, 2019.
Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Bonamici: On behalf of the Consortium
for Ocean Leadership (COL), which represents our nation's
leading ocean science, research, and technology organizations
from academia, industry, and aquariums, I am writing to
express support for the Coastal and Ocean Acidification
Stressors and Threats (COAST) Research Act (H.R. 6267).
America relies on our ocean and coastal communities for our
basic individual needs as well as our overall security and
prosperity. Keeping these environments, and therefore their
communities, safe from the myriad threats associated with
ocean acidification is paramount to our ocean security. COL
applauds the COAST Research Act in its mission to strengthen
existing ocean acidification initiatives and introduce new
strategies to better understand and manage this environmental
stressor.
Ocean acidification, which occurs as the ocean absorbs
higher concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide,
threatens the health of the entire ocean. As corals,
shellfish, and many types of plankton struggle to create and
maintain their shells or exoskeletons in more acidic waters,
ocean food webs are disrupted. This, in turn, threatens the
crucial balance in many ecosystems, as well as our own food
security, and jeopardizes the stability of those whose
livelihoods depend on a healthy ocean. Combatting the causes
and mitigating the effects of ocean acidification requires
sustained congressional support and interagency
collaboration, as well as engagement from stakeholders in the
private sector and academia. I strongly commend the COAST
Research Act's commitment to advancing ocean acidification
research and monitoring efforts, as well as promoting
cooperation among stakeholder groups.
I offer my sincere thanks to you, Congresswoman Bonamici,
along with Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Congressmen Don
Young and Bill Posey, for your bipartisan efforts to help us
better understand ocean acidification and improve overall
ocean health by strengthening federal investments in the
research and increasing monitoring of changing ocean
conditions. Our lives and our future may well depend on it.
Respectfully,
Jonathan W. White,
RADM (Ret.), USN,
President and CEO.
____
Surfrider Foundation,
Clemente, CA, March 7, 2019.
Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,
Washington, DC.
Re Support for Coastal and Ocean Acidification Stressors and
Threats (COAST) Research Act.
Dear Honorable Congresswoman Bonamici: On behalf of
Surfrider Foundation's 160 Chapters and student clubs and our
250,000 supporters, activists and members worldwide, we write
to express our enthusiastic supports for Coastal and Ocean
Acidification Stressors and Threats (COAST) Research Act. The
Surfrider Foundation (Surfrider) is a non-profit grassroots
organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our
world's oceans, waves and beaches.
As climate change continues to impact our ocean and coast,
local communities need to plan ahead to better understand and
plan for a changing climate. Ocean acidification (OA) is
particularly concerning for Surfrider. The current
understanding of ocean acidification impacts on ocean and
estuarine ecosystems is inadequate and must be improved to
fully prepare for and adapt to changing environmental
conditions and manage our natural resources in nearshore
locations. In addition, more integration and coordination is
needed between local, state, and national entities to ensure
adequate scientific research and investments in related
topics such as nutrient loading, hypoxia, ocean
acidification, and harmful algae bloom research and other
observational systems are targeted to meet coastal
communities' needs.
Surfrider is particularly pleased to see the legislation
focuses on adaptation strategies for ocean acidification and
expands the definition of ocean acidification to include
estuaries. In addition, we are pleased to see that the bill
would expand the Interagency Working Group's strategic
research plan to also address socioeconomic effects of ocean
and coastal acidification and assess adaptation and
mitigation strategies.
Furthermore, establishing an Advisory Board to increase
coordination among stakeholders, and requiring NOAA to
facilitate an Interagency Working Group's strategic research
plan, that coordinates monitoring and research efforts among
federal and local agencies and stakeholders is critical to
ensure success of this important piece of legislation.
Thank you for introducing such important legislation.
Sincerely,
Stefanie Sekich-Quinn,
Surfrider Foundation, Coastal
Preservation Manager.
Charlie Plybon,
Surfrider Foundation,
Oregon Policy Manager.
[[Page H4325]]
____
Pacific States Marine
Fisheries Commission,
Portland, OR, March 4, 2019.
Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative Bonamici: The Pacific States Marine
Fisheries Commission has a standing resolution adopted by the
Commissioners to support and encourage new funding should be
identified to augment coastwide research and monitor changing
ocean conditions, harmful algal blooms, and ocean
acidification.
We have had an opportunity to review the Coastal and Ocean
Acidification Stressors and Threats (COAST) Research Act. The
bill would reauthorize the Federal Ocean Acidification
Research and Monitoring Act to continue funding research
through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
and the National Science Foundation. The bill would designate
NOAA as the lead federal agency in the coordination of the
federal response to ocean acidification. The bill also
broadens the program to include marine estuaries.
The bill, as introduced, strengthens the federal research
programs that focus on ocean acidification. West Coast and
Alaska ocean stakeholders are already feeling the
socioeconomic impacts of ocean acidification. We view ocean
acidification research as an important ongoing federal
responsibility in seeking to address the negative impacts to
these stakeholders. Pacific States therefore supports the
your efforts and that of other Members of the Ocean Caucus in
seeking to expeditiously move the Coast Research Act through
the House of Representatives.
Regards,
Randy Fisher,
Executive Director.
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March 10, 2019.
Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative Bonamici: From coast to coast, ocean
acidification is having a broad range of impacts on the
health of our ocean and coastal communities. Coastal
industries are continuing to face the reality of an
increasingly acidic ocean. In 2017, researchers at Oregon
State University recorded some of the highest levels of ocean
acidification in the world off the coast of the Pacific
Northwest. Additionally, 63 percent of test sites on the west
coast experienced levels of acidification known to cause
commercial oyster production failures.
Our Pacific Northwest economies, our recreational and
commercial fishing, and shellfish industry as well as our
great northwest tourism economy--all depend on a healthy
ocean. And because we are already seeing the effects of ocean
acidification, we support your efforts and we support H.R.
1237, the Coastal and Ocean Acidification Stressors and
Threats (COAST) Research Act of 2019.
Much of our knowledge and understanding of ocean
acidification that has emerged in the last decade can be
credited to the federal funding authorized by Federal Ocean
Acidification Research and Monitoring (FOARAM) Act of 2009.
FOARAM established the federal government's work on ocean
acidification by creating the NOAA Ocean Acidification
Program and an interagency working group on ocean
acidification. FOARAM's authorization expired in 2012. The
COAST Research Act amends FOARAM to further improve our
ability to understand acidification in the open ocean as well
as in the coastal zone.
We support the COAST Research Act and believe it will help
our coastal communities better prepare for the effects from
ocean and coastal acidification. Thank you for your
leadership to strengthen the nation's focus and investment in
oceans and coastal acidification.
Sincerely,
Lyf Gildersleeve,
Owner, Flying Fish Company--Sustainable Seafood.
Grant Putnam,
President, Northwest Guides and Anglers Association.
Liz Hamilton,
Executive Director, Northwest Sportfishing Industry
Association.
Joseph Bogaard,
Executive Director, Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition.
Greg Block,
Executive Director, Sustainable Northwest.
David Moskowitz,
Executive Director, The Conservation Angler.
Kurt Beardslee,
Executive Director, Wild Fish Conservancy.
Guido Rahr,
Executive Director, Wild Salmon Center.
Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, we must not fail to preserve the
sustainability and resilience of our coastal resources, our
environments, and our economies.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support the COAST Research Act.
Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would simply urge the passage of
this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Johnson) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 1237, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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