Ocean Restoration Research and Development Act of 2022

Ocean Restoration Research and Development Act of 2022

This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a pilot program for the research and development of ocean replenishment and restoration technologies and techniques that have the potential to achieve regional-to-global scale ocean restoration, enhancement of fisheries, conservation of marine mammals, and emissions reductions.

DOE shall prioritize activities that take place in pelagic waters and will not stimulate phytoplankton production that causes or accelerates harmful algal blooms in coastal waters. Pelagic waters means the part of the open sea or ocean other than coastal waters.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9027 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9027

To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a pilot program on ocean 
     restoration research and development, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 29, 2022

 Mr. McKinley (for himself, Mr. Michael F. Doyle of Pennsylvania, and 
    Mr. Carter of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was 
      referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a pilot program on ocean 
     restoration research and development, 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 Restoration Research and 
Development Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. OCEAN FERTILIZATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish a pilot 
program for the research and development of ocean replenishment and 
restoration technologies and techniques that have the potential to 
achieve regional-to-global scale ocean restoration, enhancement of 
fisheries, conservation of marine mammals, and emissions reductions.
    (b) Requirements.--The pilot program established under subsection 
(a) shall include--
            (1) a research and development program;
            (2) demonstration projects, including pilot projects; and
            (3) front-end engineering, design, and economic analysis.
    (c) Consultation.--In carrying out the pilot program established 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult and collaborate with, 
as necessary--
            (1) the heads of other relevant Federal departments and 
        agencies, including--
                    (A) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration;
                    (B) the Administrator of the Environmental 
                Protection Agency;
                    (C) the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy 
                Management; and
                    (D) the Director of the National Science 
                Foundation;
            (2) institutions of higher education;
            (3) the National Oceanographic Partnership Program; and
            (4) representatives from other relevant private and public 
        sector organizations.
    (d) Program Goals and Objectives.--In consultation with the 
entities described in subsection (c), the Secretary shall develop goals 
and objectives for the pilot program established under subsection (a) 
to be applied to the transformational technologies and practices 
developed under such program, taking into consideration--
            (1) the acceleration of the development of technologies and 
        practices that have transformational ocean restoration, carbon 
        removal, or carbon storage characteristics;
            (2) the utilization of, to the maximum extent practicable, 
        environmental data collected by--
                    (A) the entities described in subsection (c);
                    (B) the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency 
                through the Ocean of Things program;
                    (C) the National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration through the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, 
                ocean Ecosystem mission; and
                    (D) the United States Navy through the Marine 
                Mammal Program;
            (3) support for sites for safe testing and demonstration;
            (4) the need to enter into cooperative agreements to carry 
        out and expedite small-scale demonstration projects;
            (5) compliance with relevant international laws and 
        treaties; and
            (6) any benefits or barriers to the commercial deployment 
        of any such technologies and practices.
    (e) Priorities.--In carrying out the pilot program established 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent 
practicable, prioritize activities that--
            (1) take place in pelagic waters; and
            (2) will not stimulate phytoplankton production that causes 
        or accelerates harmful algal blooms in coastal waters.
    (f) Report to Congress.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
describing--
            (1) the program goals and objectives adopted under 
        subsection (d);
            (2) the effectiveness of the pilot program established 
        under subsection (a) on reducing carbon dioxide levels in the 
        atmosphere and recommendations for improving such program;
            (3) any results, successes, and related co-benefits to 
        marine mammals and fisheries, and failures of carrying out the 
        pilot program established under subsection (a);
            (4) the potential to undertake large-scale demonstration 
        projects and utilize international waters for demonstration 
        projects; and
            (5) any other information the Secretary considers relevant.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $33,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2023 through 2027.
    (h) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Coastal waters.--The term ``coastal waters'' means the 
        land and sea areas bordering the shoreline where hypoxic 
        conditions exist or are likely to occur due to excess 
        nutrients.
            (2) Ocean restoration.--The term ``ocean restoration'' 
        includes the research and development of technologies and 
        techniques that support the addition of nutrients to the upper 
        layers of the ocean for the purpose of stimulating 
        phytoplankton activity.
            (3) Pelagic waters.--The term ``pelagic waters'' means the 
        part of the open sea or ocean other than coastal waters.
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