Ocean Research and Exploration Enhancement Act of 2009 - Requires the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to: (1) establish within NOAA a coordinated national ocean exploration program that promotes collaboration with other federal ocean and undersea research and exploration programs; (2) convene an ocean exploration and undersea research technology and infrastructure task force; and (3) appoint an Ocean Exploration Advisory Board.
NOAA Undersea Research Program Act of 2009 - Requires the Administrator to establish and maintain an undersea research program to increase scientific knowledge essential for the informed management, use, and preservation of oceanic, marine, and coastal areas and the Great Lakes. Requires that the program be conducted through a national headquarters, a network of extramural regional undersea research centers that represent all relevant NOAA regions, and the National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology. Requires that funding for projects conducted through the regional centers be awarded through a competitive, merit-reviewed process.
[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 366 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 366
To establish the national ocean exploration program and the national
undersea research program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, to direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration to establish and maintain an undersea
research program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 9, 2009
Mr. Farr (for himself, Mrs. Capps, Ms. Bordallo, Ms. Shea-Porter, Mr.
McIntyre, and Mr. Ehlers) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Science and Technology, and in addition to
the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the national ocean exploration program and the national
undersea research program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, to direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration to establish and maintain an undersea
research program, and for other purposes.
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 ``Ocean Research and Exploration
Enhancement Act of 2009''.
TITLE I--EXPLORATION
SEC. 101. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this title is to establish the national ocean
exploration program and the national undersea research program within
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
SEC. 102. PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.
The Administrator or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration shall, in consultation with the National Science
Foundation and other appropriate Federal agencies, establish a
coordinated national ocean exploration program within the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that promotes collaboration with
other Federal ocean and undersea research and exploration programs. To
the extent appropriate, the Administrator shall seek to facilitate
coordination of data and information management systems, outreach and
education programs to improve public understanding of ocean and coastal
resources, and development and transfer of technologies to facilitate
ocean and undersea research and exploration.
SEC. 103. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE ADMINISTRATOR.
(a) In General.--In carrying out the program authorized by section
102, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration shall--
(1) conduct interdisciplinary voyages or other scientific
activities in conjunction with other Federal agencies or
academic or educational institutions, to explore and survey
little known areas of the marine environment, inventory,
observe, and assess living and nonliving marine resources, and
report such findings;
(2) give priority attention to deep ocean regions, with a
focus on deep water marine systems that hold potential for
important scientific discoveries, such as hydrothermal vent
communities and seamounts;
(3) conduct scientific voyages to locate, define, and
document historic shipwrecks, submerged sites, and other ocean
exploration activities that combine archaeology and
oceanographic sciences;
(4) develop and implement, in consultation with the
National Science Foundation, a transparent, competitive process
for merit-based peer-review and approval of proposals for
activities to be conducted under this program, taking into
consideration advice of the Board established under section
105;
(5) enhance the technical capability of the United States
marine science community by promoting the development of
improved oceanographic research, communication, navigation, and
data collection systems, as well as underwater platforms and
sensor and autonomous vehicles; and
(6) establish an ocean exploration forum to encourage
partnerships and promote communication among experts and other
stakeholders in order to enhance the scientific and technical
expertise and relevance of the national program.
(b) Donations.--The Administrator may accept donations of property,
data, and equipment to be applied for the purpose of exploring the
oceans or increasing knowledge of the oceans.
SEC. 104. OCEAN EXPLORATION AND UNDERSEA RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY AND
INFRASTRUCTURE TASK FORCE.
(a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, in coordination with the National Science
Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the
United States Geological Survey, the Department of the Navy, the
Mineral Management Service, and relevant governmental, non-
governmental, academic, industry, and other experts, shall convene an
ocean exploration and undersea research technology and infrastructure
task force to develop and implement a strategy--
(1) to facilitate transfer of new exploration and undersea
research technology to the programs authorized under this Act;
(2) to improve availability of communications
infrastructure, including satellite capabilities, to such
programs;
(3) to develop an integrated, workable, and comprehensive
data management information processing system that will make
information on unique and significant features obtained by such
programs available for research and management purposes;
(4) to conduct public outreach activities that improve the
public understanding of ocean science, resources, and
processes, in conjunction with relevant programs of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National
Science Foundation, and other agencies; and
(5) to encourage cost-sharing partnerships with
governmental and nongovernmental entities that will assist in
transferring exploration and undersea research technology and
technical expertise to the programs.
(b) Budget Coordination.--The task force shall coordinate the
development of agency budgets and identify the items in their annual
budget that support the activities identified in the strategy developed
under subsection (a).
SEC. 105. OCEAN EXPLORATION ADVISORY BOARD.
(a) Establishment.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration shall appoint an Ocean Exploration Advisory
Board composed of experts in relevant fields--
(1) to advise the Administrator on priority areas for
survey and discovery;
(2) to assist the program in the development of a 5-year
strategic plan for the fields of ocean, marine, and Great Lakes
science, exploration, and discovery;
(3) to annually review the quality and effectiveness of the
proposal review process established under section 103(a)(4);
and
(4) to provide other assistance and advice as requested by
the Administrator.
(b) Federal Advisory Committee Act.--Section 14 of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Board
appointed under subsection (a).
(c) Application With Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.--Nothing in
this title supersedes, or limits the authority of the Secretary of the
Interior under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et
seq.).
SEC. 106. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration to carry out this title--
(1) $33,550,000 for fiscal year 2009;
(2) $36,905,000 for fiscal year 2010;
(3) $40,596,000 for fiscal year 2011;
(4) $44,655,000 for fiscal year 2012;
(5) $49,121,000 for fiscal year 2013;
(6) $54,033,000 for fiscal year 2014; and
(7) $59,436,000 for fiscal year 2015.
TITLE II--NOAA UNDERSEA RESEARCH PROGRAM ACT OF 2009
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``NOAA Undersea Research Program Act
of 2009''.
SEC. 202. PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.
(a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration shall establish and maintain an undersea
research program and shall designate a Director of that program.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the program is to increase scientific
knowledge essential for the informed management, use, and preservation
of oceanic, marine, and coastal areas and the Great Lakes.
SEC. 203. POWERS OF PROGRAM DIRECTOR.
The Director of the program, in carrying out the program, shall--
(1) cooperate with institutions of higher education and
other educational marine and ocean science organizations, and
shall make available undersea research facilities, equipment,
technologies, information, and expertise to support undersea
research efforts by these organizations;
(2) enter into partnerships, as appropriate and using
existing authorities, with the private sector to achieve the
goals of the program and to promote technological advancement
of the marine industry; and
(3) coordinate the development of agency budgets and
identify the items in their annual budget that support the
activities described in paragraphs (1) and (2).
SEC. 204. ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE.
(a) In General.--The program shall be conducted through a national
headquarters, a network of extramural regional undersea research
centers that represent all relevant National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration regions, and the National Institute for Undersea Science
and Technology.
(b) Direction.--The Director shall develop the overall direction of
the program in coordination with a Council of Center Directors
comprised of the directors of the extramural regional centers and the
National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology. The Director
shall publish a draft program direction document not later than 1 year
after the date of enactment of this Act in the Federal Register for a
public comment period of not less than 120 days. The Director shall
publish a final program direction, including responses to the comments
received during the public comment period, in the Federal Register
within 90 days after the close of the comment period. The program
director shall update the program direction, with opportunity for
public comment, at least every 5 years.
SEC. 205. RESEARCH, EXPLORATION, EDUCATION, AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--The following research, exploration, education,
and technology programs shall be conducted through the network of
regional centers and the National Institute for Undersea Science and
Technology:
(1) Core research and exploration based on national and
regional undersea research priorities.
(2) Advanced undersea technology development to support the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's research
mission and programs.
(3) Undersea science-based education and outreach programs
to enrich ocean science education and public awareness of the
oceans and Great Lakes.
(4) Development, testing, and transition of advanced
undersea technology associated with ocean observatories,
submersibles, advanced diving technologies, remotely operated
vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles, and new sampling and
sensing technologies.
(5) Discovery, study, and development of natural resources
and products from ocean, coastal, and aquatic systems.
(b) Operations.--The Director of the program, through operation of
the extramural regional centers and the National Institute for Undersea
Science and Technology, shall leverage partnerships and cooperative
research with academia and private industry.
SEC. 206. COMPETITIVENESS.
(a) Discretionary Fund.--The Program shall allocate no more than 10
percent of its annual budget to a discretionary fund that may be used
only for program administration and priority undersea research projects
identified by the Director but not covered by funding available from
centers.
(b) Competitive Selection.--The Administrator shall conduct an
initial competition to select the regional centers that will
participate in the program 90 days after the publication of the final
program direction under section 204 and every 5 years thereafter.
Funding for projects conducted through the regional centers shall be
awarded through a competitive, merit-reviewed process on the basis of
their relevance to the goals of the program and their technical
feasibility.
SEC. 207. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration--
(1) for fiscal year 2009--
(A) $13,750,000 for the regional centers, of which
50 percent shall be for West Coast regional centers and
50 percent shall be for East Coast regional centers;
and
(B) $5,500,000 for the National Technology
Institute;
(2) for fiscal year 2010--
(A) $15,125,000 for the regional centers, of which
50 percent shall be for West Coast regional centers and
50 percent shall be for East Coast regional centers;
and
(B) $6,050,000 for the National Technology
Institute;
(3) for fiscal year 2011--
(A) $16,638,000 for the regional centers, of which
50 percent shall be for West Coast regional centers and
50 percent shall be for East Coast regional centers;
and
(B) $6,655,000 for the National Technology
Institute;
(4) for fiscal year 2012--
(A) $18,301,000 for the regional centers, of which
50 percent shall be for West Coast regional centers and
50 percent shall be for East Coast regional centers;
and
(B) $7,321,000 for the National Technology
Institute;
(5) for fiscal year 2013--
(A) $20,131,000 for the regional centers, of which
50 percent shall be for West Coast regional centers and
50 percent shall be for East Coast regional centers;
and
(B) $8,053,000 for the National Technology
Institute;
(6) for fiscal year 2014--
(A) $22,145,000 for the regional centers, of which
50 percent shall be for West Coast regional centers and
50 percent shall be for East Coast regional centers;
and
(B) $8,859,000 for the National Technology
Institute; and
(7) for fiscal year 2015--
(A) $24,359,000 for the regional centers, of which
50 percent shall be for West Coast regional centers and
50 percent shall be for East Coast regional centers;
and
(B) $9,744,000 for the National Technology
Institute.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Science and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to House Science and Technology
Referred to House Natural Resources
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife.
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