[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 85 (Monday, May 17, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2385-H2387]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL ESTUARIES AND ACIDIFICATION RESEARCH ACT OF 2021
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2533) to provide for a study by the National Academies of
Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examining the impact of ocean
acidification and other stressors in estuarine environments.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2533
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 ``National Estuaries and
Acidification Research Act of 2021'' or the ``NEAR Act of
2021''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Ocean acidification impacts human health, natural
resources, and the environmental, economic, and recreational
uses of the coastline.
(2) The current understanding of ocean acidification
impacts on estuarine ecosystems is inadequate to fully
prepare and manage for changing environmental conditions in
nearshore locations.
(3) While pH can be measured with high precision and
accuracy in open ocean environments, more understanding of
the carbonate system in estuarine ecosystems is needed for
precise and accurate measurements and observations.
(4) The interaction of multiple stressors, including
salinity, pH, temperature, sea level rise, and nutrient
input, within estuarine ecosystems is inadequately understood
for managing the health, economic, recreational, and
environmental impacts driven by these interactions.
(5) A better understanding is needed of how anthropogenic
influences in coastal environments affect estuarine
ecosystems.
(6) More integration and coordination is needed among
regional, national, and global environmental observations in
estuarine environments, supporting prior investments in
related topics such as nutrient loading, hypoxia, ocean
acidification, and harmful algae bloom research and
observational systems.
SEC. 3. STUDY EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION AND
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS ON ESTUARINE
ENVIRONMENTS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall make
appropriate arrangements with the National Academies of
Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (referred to in this Act
as the ``National Academies'') under which the National
Academies shall conduct a study that--
(1) examines the existing science of ocean acidification in
estuarine environments;
(2) examines the challenges to studying ocean acidification
and ocean acidification's interactions with other environment
stressors in estuarine environments;
(3) provides recommendations for improving future research
with respect to ocean acidification in estuarine
environments; and
(4) identifies pathways for applying science in management
and mitigation decisions relating to ocean acidification in
estuarine environments.
(b) Contents of Study.--The study described under
subsection (a) shall include--
(1) the behavior of the carbonate system within estuarine
environments;
(2) the interactions of the carbonate system with other
biotic and abiotic characteristics of estuarine ecosystems;
(3) how environmental and anthropogenic changes or
disturbances could affect abiotic and biotic processes within
estuaries;
(4) how estuarine biotic and abiotic processes will be
affected under predicted environmental changes;
(5) the current state of data collection, interpretation,
storage, and retrieval and observational infrastructure of
abiotic and biotic parameters in estuarine ecosystems;
(6) the gaps that exist in understanding the socio-economic
and health impacts of ocean acidification in estuaries;
(7) future directions for scientific research; and
(8) pathways for applying science in management and
mitigation decisions.
(c) Report.--In entering into an arrangement under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall request that the National
Academies transmit to Congress a report on the results of the
study not later than 24 months after the date of enactment of
this Act.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Oregon.
General Leave
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include extraneous material on H.R. 2533, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Oregon?
There was no objection.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Congressman Posey's National
Estuaries and Acidification Research Act. I am an original cosponsor of
this bipartisan bill, which would direct the National Academies of
Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study that examines
the science of ocean and coastal acidification in estuaries and provide
recommendations to improve future research and management to inform
mitigation decisions.
As co-chair of both the House Oceans Caucus and Congressional Estuary
Caucus, I know that acidification is not only affecting the open ocean,
estuaries and nearshore waters are also absorbing tremendous amounts of
carbon pollution and becoming more acidic.
Our understanding of ocean acidification and its interactions with
other environmental stressors, such as hypoxia, harmful algal blooms,
and warming waters, is rapidly evolving, but is still limited in scope.
Ocean and coastal acidification are often present in the context of
other coastal processes, like runoff, erosion, and upwelled water from
the oceans, making it difficult to measure its individual effects on
estuaries.
Our estuaries and nearshore waters are also experiencing the
consequences of our inaction to address the climate crisis, and
research has not kept pace with the needs of coastal communities. The
NEAR Act will help address significant research gaps and the urgent
need to improve our understanding of the ecological and socioeconomic
effects of ocean and coastal acidification.
I thank Congressman Posey for his leadership on this bipartisan bill
and his efforts to preserve our Nation's estuaries. I also thank
Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas for making this bill a
priority.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
[[Page H2386]]
House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology,
Washington, DC, April 16, 2021.
Chairman Raul M. Grijalva,
Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Grijalva: I am writing to you concerning H.R.
2533, the ``National Estuaries and Acidification Research Act
of 2021,'' which was referred to the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology as lead committee and sequentially
referred to the Committee on Natural Resources on April 14,
2021.
I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this
bill. I recognize that the bill contains provisions that fall
within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Natural
Resources. I acknowledge that your Committee will waive
further consideration of H.R. 2533 and that this action is
not a waiver of future jurisdictional claims by the Committee
on Natural Resources over this subject matter.
I will make sure to include our exchange of letters in the
Congressional Record and will support the appointment of the
Committee on Natural Resources conferees during any House-
Senate conference. Thank you for your cooperation on this
legislation.
Sincerely,
Eddie Bernice Johnson,
Chairwoman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC, April 20, 2021.
Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson,
Chairwoman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairwoman Johnson: In recognition of the goal of
expediting consideration of H.R. 2533, a bill to provide for
a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,
and Medicine examining the impact of ocean acidification and
other stressors in estuarine environments, the Committee on
Natural Resources agrees to waive formal consideration of the
bill as to provisions that fall within the Rule X
jurisdiction of the Committee on Natural Resources.
The Committee on Natural Resources takes this action with
the mutual understanding that, in doing so, we do not waive
any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or
similar legislation, and that the Committee will be
appropriately consulted and involved as the bill or similar
legislation moves forward so that we may address any
remaining issues within our jurisdiction. Our Committee also
reserves the right to seek appointment of conferees to any
House-Senate conference involving this or similar
legislation.
Thank you for agreeing to include our exchange of letters
in the Congressional Record. I appreciate your cooperation
regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to
work with you as this measure moves through the legislative
process.
Sincerely,
Raul M. Grijalva,
Chair,
House Natural Resources Committee.
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2533, the National Estuaries
and Acidification Research Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill sponsored by
Congressman Bill Posey, my esteemed colleague on the Science Committee.
This legislation directs the Secretary of Commerce to coordinate a
study with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine to examine the effects of ocean acidification on estuary
environments, and to submit that report to Congress within 2 years.
{time} 1615
Specifically, this study will be led by the Ocean Studies Board of
the National Academies and provide Congress a better understanding of
the biological and economic impacts of ocean acidification on inland
marine environments.
Estuaries are economically important water ecosystems that occur when
inland rivers meet oceans. This mix of fresh and salt waters is a
delicate balance of nature that possesses unique biological
characteristics. To date, there have been few studies on the effects
ocean acidification has on these ecosystems.
We can't manage and mitigate the effects of something we don't fully
understand. That is why H.R. 2533 is still needed today to bridge our
knowledge gaps by utilizing the best expertise and resources to gain a
better understanding of this important issue.
While Oklahoma is a landlocked State without estuaries, I recognize
the economic and environmental effects acidification has on all of our
Nation's waterways and other natural treasures. The waters of
Oklahoma's rivers, streams, and tributaries feed into larger systems
and eventually make it to the ocean. At the end of the day, being a
conservationist doesn't stop at geographic barriers. It is a nationwide
effort.
Mr. Speaker, this important word-for-word bill passed the House last
Congress with the same bipartisan support it has here today.
Unfortunately, it didn't move further in the Senate. So, 1 year later,
we still need to improve our knowledge of coastal acidification and
estuaries.
I thank Mr. Posey for leading this important legislation. I know his
constituents and the Indian River Lagoon community appreciate his
efforts to protect their surrounding environment. I also thank my
Science Committee colleague across the aisle, Ms. Bonamici, for leading
the effort on the majority side.
Mr. Speaker, as the saying goes, knowledge is power. This simple
bipartisan bill advances our knowledge and gives us the power to
quantify the effects estuary communities face when faced with coastal
acidification.
The National Academies are a tremendous resource. Their studies are
thorough, informative, and world class. I look forward to seeing the
final product directed by this bill.
By preserving our Nation's estuaries, we are saving businesses from
closing, ecosystems from dying, and people from getting sick. I, again,
thank Representative Bill Posey and the entire Congressional Estuary
Caucus for leading on this important topic.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense bill to address the
urgent need for research on ocean and coastal acidification in
estuaries.
I appreciate the partnership and leadership from Chairwoman Johnson,
Ranking Member Lucas, and Congressman Posey to protect the health of
our oceans and estuaries.
Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues on both sides of the
aisle to support this bipartisan bill, and I yield back the balance of
my time.
Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to rise in support of H.R. 2533,
The National Estuaries and Acidification Research (NEAR) Act.
I want to thank Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici and Congressman Brian
Mast for working with me to advance this important legislation.
I also want to thank the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,
and Medicine for their valuable input.
The NEAR Act is a national proposal with a very special personal
connection. People in my district--the 8th district of Florida--
understand in a very deep way, the economic and environmental
importance of the ocean and our estuary--the Indian River Lagoon.
This bill focuses on estuaries--those wondrous nurseries and homes
for sea life.
Unfortunately, the Indian River Lagoon, and other valuable estuaries
throughout the country, are being threatened by ocean acidification,
along with other stressors.
Scientists tell us that when carbon dioxide is released into the
atmosphere, about one third of that carbon dioxide is absorbed by
seawater, creating carbonic acid.
Shellfish and other marine organisms don't do well in acidic waters.
We know that.
We have over a decade of research on the impacts of acidification in
the open ocean. Unfortunately, we don't have the same kind of knowledge
about acidification in estuaries and waters near our shores.
We need to deepen our investment in research in our estuaries so we
can protect and restore our estuaries and defend our environment and
coastal economy.
The story of my district and the Indian River Lagoon plays out along
our entire national coastline. More than half of the U.S. population
lives in coastal areas.
Five years ago, Congresswoman Bonamici and I cofounded the bipartisan
Congressional Estuary Caucus to preserve and restore our estuaries.
Coastal watershed counties provide an estimated 69 million U.S. jobs
and contribute an estimated $7.9 trillion to the GDP annually.
The National Academy study authorized by the NEAR Act is a great step
toward filling in the gaps in our knowledge of how acidification
affects our estuaries--both environmentally and economically.
Mr. Speaker, when we take care of our environment, we take care of
ourselves, and therefore, I ask my colleagues to join me in taking this
important step toward understanding how ocean acidification affects our
precious estuaries and support this bill today.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 2533.
[[Page H2387]]
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
____________________