[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 85 (Monday, May 17, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E531-E533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN SUPPORT OF H.R. 1447--COAST RESEARCH ACT OF 2021 AND H.R. 2533--NEAR 
                              ACT OF 2021

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 17, 2021

  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas.  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1447, 
the Coastal and Ocean Acidification Stressors and Threats, or COAST, 
Research Act of 2021. I also rise in support of H.R. 2533, the National 
Estuaries and Acidification Resarch, or NEAR, Act of 2021.
  These two bipartisan bills supporting ocean acidification research 
passed the House under suspension last Congress. The oceans have 
absorbed excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from the burning of 
fossil fuels. The resulting rise in ocean acidity levels has been shown 
to cause harm to marine life. Organisms like oysters, clams, and corals 
have difficulty building their shells and skeletons in more acidic 
environments. Higher acidity also alters the behavior of some fish. 
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.
  Congresswoman Bonamici's COAST Research Act reauthorizes and updates 
the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act. The bill 
supports the ocean acidification program at the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. The bill has several updates to 
improve the text from last Congress, with bipartisan agreement.
  This year marks 10 years of ocean acidification research at NOAA. 
This next decade will be crucial for further understanding the impacts 
of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems and coastal communities. We 
must pass this crucial legislation to help support federal efforts to 
inform mitigation and adaptation strategies.
  Congressman Posey's NEAR Act would require a study by the National 
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. This study would 
examine the impact of ocean acidification and other stressors in 
estuarine environments.
  I thank Congresswoman Bonamici for her leadership on this issue and 
Congressman Posey for his bill. I thank Ranking Member Lucas and our 
staffs for working together to prepare these bills for Floor passage. 
Finally, I thank the numerous experts who helped inform the development 
of both bills.
  I urge my colleagues to swiftly pass these two bipartisan bills 
through the House. I look forward to working with the Senate to pass 
strong ocean acidification legislation into law.
  I also want to include in the Record several letters of support we 
have received for H.R. 1447 from outside groups.


[[Page E532]]




                                            Ocean Conservancy,

                                     Washington, DC, May 17, 2021.
     Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Bonamici: On behalf of Ocean 
     Conservancy, I am writing to express our strong support for 
     H.R. 1447, the Coastal and Ocean Acidification Stressors and 
     Threats (COAST) Research Act of 2021, and to urge your 
     colleagues to vote to pass the legislation when it is 
     considered on the House Floor. 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. The COAST Research Act will strengthen our nation's 
     investments in ocean and coastal acidification, and we 
     encourage Members of Congress to stand with coastal 
     communities, businesses, and our marine environment by 
     passing this important legislation.
       From coast to coast, ocean acidification is having a broad 
     range of impacts on the health of our ocean and coastal 
     communities. Economically and ecologically important regional 
     species are suffering. Ocean acidification has attributed to 
     dissolving the shells of young Dungeness crab, an 
     economically valuable fishery in the Pacific Northwest, with 
     additional research suggesting that acidification also 
     impacts the crab's ability to navigate their environment. 
     Corals, such as the corals off the coast of Florida, grow 
     more slowly under acidification and are less likely to 
     recover from breakage or loss. However, ocean acidification 
     is not the only stressor facing our ocean, and the 
     combination of impacts can be more detrimental to our marine 
     environment. Ocean acidification, when combined with 
     increased ocean temperatures for example, have shown the 
     ability to impact the reproductive success of Pacific 
     herring, more than either change alone.
       Since the first detrimental impacts of ocean acidification 
     in the Pacific Northwest in the mid-2000s, when acidification 
     caused widespread larval shellfish death in the region, 
     researchers and coastal industries have faced the reality of 
     an increasingly acidic ocean head-on. Oregon State University 
     researchers studying Netarts Bay, the initial hotspot for 
     documented ocean acidification impacts on the Pacific oyster, 
     have uncovered the complex interactions among local 
     circulation and biological activity, which is now informing 
     local shellfish farmers of when to begin particular 
     activities. From the Atlantic to the Pacific, ocean and 
     coastal acidification has had extensive biological and 
     socioeconomic impacts and research is accelerating to find 
     ways to offset those harms.
       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.
       As the ocean continues to absorb carbon dioxide and the 
     ocean continues to acidify, we must take action to protect 
     our communities and wildlife from the impacts of 
     acidification. The COAST Research Act will help our nation 
     and coastal communities better prepare for the effects from 
     ocean and coastal acidification, strengthen investments in 
     research and monitoring, increase our understanding of the 
     impacts acidification has on our communities and bring 
     together ocean stakeholders to guide research and monitoring. 
     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,

                                                 Reggie Paros,

                                   Director, Government Relations,
                                                Ocean Conservancy.
                                  ____
                                  


                              Consortium for Ocean Leadership,

                                     Washington, DC, May 17, 2021.
     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 the larger nonprofit sector (to 
     include aquariums, philanthropy, and associations), I am 
     writing to express support for the Coastal and Ocean 
     Acidification Stressors and Threats (COAST) Research Act of 
     2021 (H.R. 1447). COL applauds the COAST Research Act in its 
     mission to strengthen existing ocean acidification 
     initiatives and to 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 
     security and prosperity, jeopardizing the stability of those 
     whose livelihoods depend on a healthy ocean. Like many 
     environmental challenges of our time, vulnerable communities 
     who rely on shellfish and healthy coastal ecosystems for 
     food, employment, and commerce with few alternatives will 
     feel the negative impacts of ocean acidification most 
     acutely. Combatting the causes and mitigating the effects of 
     ocean acidification requires sustained congressional support 
     and interagency collaboration, as well as engagement by 
     stakeholders in the private sector, academia, philanthropy, 
     and beyond. 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, 
     for your efforts to help us better understand this urgent 
     threat and to 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, Consortium for Ocean Leadership.
                                  ____
                                  


                                                 EARTHJUSTICE,

                                                     May 17, 2021.
     Re Earthjustice supports the H.R. 1447, the Coastal and Ocean 
         Acidification Stressors and Threats Research Act of 2021.

     Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congresswoman Bonamici: Thank you for your leadership 
     in addressing one of the greatest threats facing our oceans. 
     Earthjustice strongly supports the Coastal and Ocean 
     Acidification Stressors and Threats (COAST) Act of 2021 (H.R. 
     1447). Ocean acidification is a growing global phenomenon 
     harming our coastal communities, ecosystems, and economies, 
     and this proposed legislation would strengthen our ability to 
     combat this threat with the urgency and resources needed.
       Ocean acidification erodes the very foundations of our 
     ocean ecosystems, as acidic waters imperil everything from 
     cod larvae and lobsters to plankton and corals. The ocean 
     absorbs 30% of the carbon dioxide that we release into the 
     atmosphere, and acidification from excess carbon sets of a 
     destructive chain reaction whereby the loss of tiny snails 
     imperils species of all sizes that prey on them, such as 
     killer whales. We have also seen the damage that 
     acidification can wreak on coastal economies, such as our 
     Pacific Northwest shellfish farms, We need immediate action 
     to halt plunging pH levels and promote resilience in the face 
     of changing temperatures.
       The COAST Research Act jumpstarts ocean recovery by 
     updating the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and 
     Monitoring Act (FOARAM) to address the full scope of 
     acidification's effects. Increasing funding for FOARAM and 
     expanding the definition of ocean acidification ensures our 
     efforts are informed by the best available science we have. 
     Incorporating data on the socioeconomic and regional impacts 
     of acidification ensures that our response to the problem is 
     both comprehensive and practical. Establishing an advisory 
     board that represents and coordinates the diverse 
     stakeholders impacted by acidification ensures that interests 
     at every level--industry, recreation, and conservation--are 
     considered in federal actions against ocean acidification.
       Bipartisan support for the COAST Research Act speaks to the 
     seriousness of the problem and the efficiency of this bill's 
     proposed solutions. Neither Democrats nor Republicans are 
     willing to watch our blue economy dissolve in increasingly 
     acidic waters. Both parties support action to stabilize and 
     strengthen our ocean ecosystems. This bill provides the 
     funding and the strategy to do just that.
       We greatly appreciate your leadership on this important 
     issue and implore Congress to timely pass it.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Danny Folds,
                      Associate Legislative Counsel, Earthjustice.
                                  ____
                                  

                                           Wild Salmon Center,

                                                February 22, 2021.
     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

[[Page E533]]

     Pacific Northwest. Additionally, 63% 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.
       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,
                                                     Sara LaBorde,
     Executive Vice President, Wild Salmon Center.
                                  ____



                                             IOOS Association,

                                                     May 17, 2021.
     Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congresswoman Bonamici: On behalf of the Integrated 
     Ocean Observing System (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.

                          ____________________