[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3548 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3548
To improve data collection and monitoring of the Great Lakes, oceans,
bays, estuaries, and coasts, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 27, 2019
Ms. Bonamici (for herself and Mr. Young) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in
addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, and
Education and Labor, 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 improve data collection and monitoring of the Great Lakes, oceans,
bays, estuaries, and coasts, 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 ``Bolstering Long-Term Understanding
and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, Bays, and Estuaries Act''
or the ``BLUE GLOBE Act''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to promote and support--
(1) the monitoring, understanding, and exploration of the
Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts; and
(2) the collection, analysis, synthesis, and sharing of
data related to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and
coasts to facilitate science and operational decision making.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts
face significant challenges from, among other things, marine
debris, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and
changing conditions.
(2) Most of the ocean floor is mapped only at a very coarse
resolution of 5 kilometers per pixel, whereas Mars, the Moon,
and Venus are mapped at a much finer resolution of 100 meters
per pixel or better.
(3) Many industries, including the fishing and aquaculture,
energy, shipping, insurance, telecommunications, weather and
climate forecasting, and tourism industries, among others, use
ocean data, whether or not the industries collect that data
themselves.
(4) In 2017, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration estimated that United States businesses that
collect ocean data or provide enhanced ocean data products have
overall revenues of approximately $58,000,000,000.
(5) Although a large amount of data related to the Great
Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts is collected
internationally, nationally, and regionally, by international
bodies, national agencies, institutes, private companies, and
other entities, that data collection is often uncoordinated,
and the resulting data are not always shared in a timely and
useful manner between those entities.
(6) Improved collection, analysis, synthesis, and sharing
of such data will improve our understanding of, and responses
to, the challenges faced by the Great Lakes, oceans, bays,
estuaries, and coasts.
(7) Innovation, research, and a skilled workforce are
required to improve our understanding of the Great Lakes,
oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts and the challenges they
face.
(8) According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, in 2015, the ocean and Great Lakes economy in
the United States employed approximately 3,200,000 people and
accounted for approximately $320,000,000,000 of the gross
domestic product of the United States.
(9) The value and impact of the industries related to the
Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts on the economy
of the United States are evidently immense; however, what is
known as the ``Blue Economy'' is neither consistently defined
nor regularly quantified.
(10) The Federal Government has a responsibility to support
the monitoring, understanding, and exploration of the Great
Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts in pursuit of the
national security and economic and environmental well-being of
the United States, and as a world leader.
SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) agencies should optimize data collection, management,
and dissemination, to the extent practicable, to maximize their
impact for research, commercial, regulatory, and educational
benefits and to foster innovation, scientific discoveries, the
development of commercial products, and the development of
sound policy with respect to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays,
estuaries, and coasts;
(2) the United States is a leading member of the
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, a
founding member of the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance, and a
key partner in developing the United Nations Decade of Ocean
Science for Sustainable Development;
(3) the Integrated Ocean Observing System and the Global
Ocean Observing System are key assets and networks that bolster
our understanding of the marine environment;
(4) the National Oceanographic Partnership Program is a
meaningful venue for collaboration and coordination among
Federal agencies, scientists, and ocean users;
(5) the National Centers for Environmental Information of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration should be
looked to by other Federal agencies as a primary, centralized
repository for Federal ocean data;
(6) the Marine Cadastre, a joint effort of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management, provides access to data and information for
specific issues and activities in ocean resources management to
meet the needs of offshore energy and planning efforts;
(7) the regional associations of the Integrated Ocean
Observing System, certified by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration for the quality and reliability of
their data, are important sources of observation information
for the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts; and
(8) the Regional Ocean Partnerships and regional data
portals, which provide publicly available tools such as maps,
data, and other information to inform decisions and enhance
marine development, should be supported by and viewed as
collaborators with Federal agencies and ocean users.
SEC. 5. DEFINITION.
In this Act, the term ``Administrator'' means the Under Secretary
of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere in the Under Secretary's capacity
as Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
SEC. 6. INCREASED COORDINATION AMONG AGENCIES WITH RESPECT TO DATA AND
MONITORING.
(a) Interagency Ocean Observation Committee.--In addition to its
responsibilities as of the date of the enactment of this Act, and in
consultation with the associated advisory committee authorized by
section 12304(d) of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System
Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3603(d)), the Interagency Ocean Observation
Committee shall--
(1) work with international coordinating bodies, as
necessary, to ensure robust, direct measurements of the Great
Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts, including
oceanographic data;
(2) coordinate supercomputing capacity, data storage
capacity, and public access across agencies; and
(3) support cross-agency and multi-platform synergy, by
coordinating overlapping data collection by satellites, buoys,
submarines, gliders, vessels, and other data collection
vehicles and technologies.
(b) Federal Geographic Data Committee.--In addition to its
responsibilities as of the date of the enactment of this Act, and in
consultation with the National Geospatial Advisory Committee, the
Federal Geographic Data Committee shall--
(1) work with international coordinating bodies, as
necessary, to ensure robust, continuous measurements of the
Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts, including
satellite and geospatial data;
(2) coordinate supercomputing capacity, data storage
capacity, and public access across agencies;
(3) develop and deploy cross-agency, real-time,
standardized, centralized, archived, open-source, and publicly
available databases (using declassified information to the
extent possible) for all federally funded observational and
model data, using the example of the World Ocean Database; and
(4) support new and old data and metadata certification,
quality assurance, quality control, integration, and archiving.
(c) Interagency Committee on Ocean and Coastal Mapping.--In
addition to its responsibilities as of the date of the enactment of
this Act, and in consultation with its associated advisory panel
authorized by section 12203(g) of the Ocean and Coastal Mapping
Integration Act (33 U.S.C. 3502(g)), the Interagency Committee on Ocean
and Coastal Mapping shall--
(1) work with international coordinating bodies, as
necessary, to ensure robust, continuous satellite and direct
measurements of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and
coasts, including bathymetric data;
(2) coordinate supercomputing capacity, data storage
capacity, and public access across agencies; and
(3) make recommendations on how to make data, metadata, and
model output accessible to a broader public audience, including
through geographic information system layers, graphics, and
other visuals.
SEC. 7. INTERAGENCY OCEAN EXPLORATION COMMITTEE.
(a) Establishment.--The President shall establish a committee to
promote the exploration and improved understanding of the oceans, to be
known as the ``Interagency Ocean Exploration Committee''.
(b) Membership.--The Interagency Ocean Exploration Committee shall
be composed of not fewer than one senior-level representative from each
of the following Federal agencies:
(1) The Department of the Navy.
(2) The Department of the Interior.
(3) The Department of Commerce.
(4) The department in which the Coast Guard is operating.
(5) The Office of Management and Budget.
(6) The Council on Environmental Quality.
(7) The Office of Science and Technology Policy.
(8) The Department of State.
(9) The National Science Foundation.
(10) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(11) The Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology of
the National Science and Technology Council.
(12) The elements of the intelligence community (as defined
in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C.
3003)), as the President considers appropriate.
(c) Duties.--The Interagency Ocean Exploration Committee shall--
(1) cultivate public-private partnerships, including with
Federal agencies, academic institutions, nongovernmental
organizations, technology companies, and international
partners, to develop and deploy advanced technologies to
explore and characterize the oceans; and
(2) coordinate the application of existing innovative
technologies and development of emerging technologies to
promote the understanding, mapping, and collection of data
describing the oceans and the changes the oceans are
experiencing and are anticipated to experience in the future,
such as changes in temperature, salinity, oxygenation, and
acidity, and the biological consequences of those changes.
SEC. 8. COMMITTEE ON OCEAN POLICY.
(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Executive Office of
the President a Committee on Ocean Policy, which--
(1) succeeds the Ocean Policy Committee established on June
19, 2018, by Executive Order 13840 (83 Fed. Reg. 29431;
relating to ocean policy);
(2) shall continue the activities of that committee as it
was in existence on the day before the date of the enactment of
this Act; and
(3) shall carry out the functions described in subsection
(b).
(b) Functions.--The Committee on Ocean Policy shall--
(1) facilitate coordination and integration of Federal
activities in ocean and coastal waters to inform ocean policy
and identify priority ocean research, technology, and data
needs; and
(2) engage and collaborate with stakeholders, including
Regional Ocean Partnerships, to address ocean-related matters
that may require interagency or intergovernmental solutions.
SEC. 9. TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION TASK FORCE TO COMBAT ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED,
AND UNREGULATED FISHING.
(a) Establishment.--The President shall establish a technology
innovation task force (in this Act referred to as the ``IUU Tech
Force'') to combat IUU fishing.
(b) Leadership.--The IUU Tech Force shall be led by the Director of
the National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office, who shall
coordinate with the National Ocean Counsel Committee on IUU Fishing and
Seafood Fraud.
(c) Membership.--The IUU Tech Force shall be composed of not fewer
than one senior-level representative from each of the following Federal
agencies:
(1) The Department of the Navy.
(2) The Department of Justice.
(3) The Department of the Interior.
(4) The Department of Agriculture.
(5) The Department of Commerce.
(6) The Department of Labor.
(7) The Department of Health and Human Services.
(8) The department in which the Coast Guard is operating.
(9) The Office of Management and Budget.
(10) The Council on Environmental Quality.
(11) The Office of Science and Technology Policy.
(12) The Office of the United States Trade Representative.
(13) The United States Agency for International
Development.
(14) The Department of State.
(15) The National Science Foundation.
(16) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(17) The Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology of
the National Science and Technology Council.
(d) Duties.--The IUU Tech Force shall--
(1) cultivate public-private partnerships, including with
Federal agencies, academic institutions, nongovernmental
organizations, technology companies, and international
partners, to develop and deploy advanced technologies to
identify and combat IUU fishing;
(2) identify opportunities to declassify and make more
publicly available imagery from the Department of Defense and
the department in which the Coast Guard is operating and other
information that can be used to identify IUU fishing or be used
in enforcement actions against violators; and
(3) coordinate the application of existing innovative
technologies and development of emerging technologies to
address--
(A) IUU fishing; and
(B) associated forced labor, human trafficking, and
other illicit activities.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Innovative technologies.--The term ``innovative
technologies'' includes the following:
(A) Improved satellite imagery and tracking.
(B) Advanced electronic monitoring equipment.
(C) Vessel location data.
(D) Improved genetic, molecular, or other
biological methods of tracking sources of seafood.
(E) Electronic catch documentation and
traceability.
(F) Such other technologies as the Administrator
considers appropriate.
(2) IUU fishing.--The term ``IUU fishing''--
(A) means illegal fishing, unreported fishing, or
unregulated fishing (as such terms are defined in
paragraph 3 of the International Plan of Action to
Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and
Unregulated Fishing, adopted at the 24th Session of the
Committee on Fisheries of the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations in Rome on March 2,
2001); and
(B) includes fishing activities conducted in
contravention of applicable laws and regulations
related to labor conditions.
SEC. 10. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Workforce Development Program.--The Administrator shall develop
a workforce development program, in consultation with the following:
(1) The Secretary of Defense.
(2) The Commandant of the Coast Guard.
(3) The Chief of Engineers of the Army Corps of Engineers.
(4) The Secretary of Education.
(5) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(6) The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
(7) The Assistant Director for Geosciences of the National
Science Foundation.
(8) The Secretary of the Navy.
(9) The Director of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy.
(10) The Secretary of Labor.
(11) The heads of other relevant Federal agencies.
(12) The Interagency Ocean Observation Committee and the
associated advisory committee authorized by section 12304(d) of
the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009
(33 U.S.C. 3603(d)).
(13) The Federal Geographic Data Committee and the National
Geospatial Advisory Committee.
(14) The Interagency Committee on Ocean and Coastal Mapping
and its associated advisory panel authorized by section
12203(g) of the Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act (33
U.S.C. 3502(g)).
(15) The Interagency Ocean Exploration Committee
established under section 7.
(16) The Committee on Ocean Policy established under
section 8.
(17) The IUU Tech Force established under section 9.
(18) Non-Federal partners and other experts.
(b) Duties.--The workforce development program developed under
subsection (a) shall--
(1) support undergraduate and graduate education in the
fields of engineering, marine sciences, data science and
analytics, machine learning, robotics, cybersecurity, and other
fields related to the advancement of the monitoring,
collection, synthesis, and analysis of data relating to the
Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts;
(2) support citizen science and public outreach related to
the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts that may
encourage people to develop scientific skills and to enter the
fields described in paragraph (1);
(3) promote diversity in the fields described in paragraph
(1); and
(4) build on existing science, technology, engineering, and
math (known as ``STEM'') education, veterans' training, and
programs to support indigenous people and other
underrepresented groups to facilitate education and training
through programs that include--
(A) grants to members of the Armed Forces and
veterans for vocational training or other educational
opportunities in the fields of engineering, marine
sciences, and data management and collection;
(B) grants to marine trade associations,
engineering associations, and other professional
organizations to provide apprenticeships; and
(C) scholarships for trade schools, vocational
institutes, institutions of higher education, and
educational coalitions such as the Alaska Native
Science and Engineering Program.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given that
term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(2) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given
that term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
SEC. 11. ACCELERATING INNOVATION AT COOPERATIVE INSTITUTES.
(a) Focus on Emerging Technologies.--The Administrator shall ensure
that the goals of the Cooperative Institutes of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration include focusing on advancing or
applying emerging technologies, which may include--
(1) applied uses and development of real-time and other
advanced genetic technologies and applications, including such
technologies and applications that derive genetic material
directly from environmental samples without any obvious signs
of biological source material;
(2) deployment of, and improvements to, the durability,
maintenance, and other lifecycle concerns of advanced unmanned
vehicles, regional small research vessels, and other research
vessels that support and launch unmanned vehicles and sensors;
and
(3) supercomputing and big data management, including data
collected through electronic monitoring and remote sensing.
(b) Designation of New Institutes.--The Administrator may carry out
subsection (a) by--
(1) incorporating the goals described in that subsection
into one or more Cooperative Institutes in existence on the
date of the enactment of this Act; or
(2) designating through a competitive selection process the
development of not more than 2 new Cooperative Institutes to
carry out those goals.
(c) Data Sharing.--Each Cooperative Institute shall ensure that
data collected from the work of the institute, other than classified,
confidential, or proprietary data, are archived and made publicly
accessible.
(d) Coordination With Other Programs.--The Cooperative Institutes
shall work with the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee, the
regional associations of the Integrated Ocean Observing System, and
other ocean observing programs to coordinate technology needs and the
transition of new technologies from research to operations.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated
such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
(2) Limitation on use of funds.--No funds authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section may be obligated or
expended for the construction of new buildings or facilities
for Cooperative Institutes.
SEC. 12. BUILDING DATA SOURCES.
(a) Engaging Indigenous, Subsistence, and Fishing Communities.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator shall establish
opportunities to engage indigenous, subsistence, and fishing
communities to understand the needs of those communities and to
provide improved products and services that are practical and
useful to those communities, including collecting and
integrating traditional ecological data and narrative records
into national datasets.
(2) Data rights.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the
Administrator shall--
(A) consider issues relating to data ownership; and
(B) ensure that indigenous, subsistence, and
fishing communities retain any specific rights or
ownership of data provided to Federal agencies.
(b) Report to Congress.--
(1) Report required.--Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall
submit to Congress a report identifying potential opportunities
to encourage voluntary actions and partnerships between the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and non-Federal
partners to increase and enhance data collection.
(2) Opportunities for partnership.--The opportunities
described in paragraph (1) may include opportunities that can
be pursued in conjunction with Federal permits, leases, and
other actions requiring Federal approval or funding, such as
partnering with companies to acquire and share bathymetric data
or supplying fishermen with sensors that can collect data
through fishing gear.
SEC. 13. OCEAN INNOVATION PRIZE AND PRIORITIZATION.
(a) Ocean Innovative Prizes.--The Administrator, in consultation
with the heads of relevant Federal agencies, including the Secretary of
Defense, and in conjunction with nongovernmental partners, as
appropriate and at the discretion of the Administrator, shall establish
at least one Ocean Innovation Prize to catalyze the rapid development
and deployment of data collection and monitoring technology related to
the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts in at least one of
the areas specified in subsection (b).
(b) Areas.--The areas specified in this subsection are the
following:
(1) Improved eDNA analytics and deployment with autonomous
vehicles.
(2) Plastic pollution detection, quantification, and
mitigation, including with respect to used fishing gear and
tracking technologies to reduce or eliminate bycatch.
(3) Advanced satellite data and other advanced technology
for improving scientific assessment.
(4) New stock assessment methods using satellite data or
other advanced technologies.
(5) Identifying forced labor or human trafficking (or other
illicit activity) often associated with IUU fishing (as defined
in section 9).
(6) Advanced electronic fisheries monitoring equipment and
data analysis tools, including improved fish species
recognition software, confidential data management, data
analysis and visualization, and storage of electronic reports,
imagery, location information, and other data.
(7) Autonomous and other advanced surface vehicles,
underwater vehicles, or airborne platforms for data collection
and monitoring.
(8) Artificial intelligence and machine learning
applications for data collection and monitoring related to the
Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts.
(9) Coral reef ecosystem monitoring.
(10) Electronic equipment, chemical or biological sensors,
data analysis tools, and platforms to identify and fill gaps in
robust and shared continuous data related to the Great Lakes,
oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts to inform global earth
system models.
(11) Means for protecting aquatic life from injury or other
ill effects caused, in whole or in part, by monitoring or
exploration activities.
(12) Discovery and dissemination of data related to the
Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts.
(13) Water quality monitoring, including improved detection
and prediction of harmful algal blooms and pollution.
(14) Enhancing blue carbon sequestration and other ocean
acidification mitigation opportunities.
(15) Such other areas as may be identified by the
Administrator.
(c) Prioritization of Proposals.--In selecting recipients of Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology
Transfer (STTR) solicitations and interagency grants for ocean
innovation, including the National Oceanographic Partnership Program,
the Administrator shall prioritize proposals for fiscal years 2020 and
2021 that address at least one of the areas specified in subsection
(b).
SEC. 14. REAUTHORIZATION OF NOAA PROGRAMS.
(a) NOAA Ocean Exploration Program.--Section 12006 of the Omnibus
Public Land Management Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3406) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (6), by striking ``and'';
(2) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(8) $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through
2024.''.
(b) Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act.--Section 12207 of
the Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act (33 U.S.C. 3506) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'';
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the
end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) $45,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through
2024.''; and
(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following:
``(5) $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through
2024.''.
(c) Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998.--Section 306 of
the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892d) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'';
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at
the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) $71,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019
through 2024.'';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'';
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at
the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) $34,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019
through 2024.'';
(3) in paragraph (3)--
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'';
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at
the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) $38,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019
through 2024.'';
(4) in paragraph (4)--
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'';
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at
the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) $45,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019
through 2024.''; and
(5) in paragraph (5)--
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'';
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at
the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) $35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019
through 2024.''.
SEC. 15. BLUE ECONOMY VALUATION.
(a) Measurement of Blue Economy Industries.--The Administrator, the
Director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Commissioner of the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the
heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall prioritize the
collection, aggregation, and analysis of data to measure the value and
impact of industries related to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays,
estuaries, and coasts on the economy of the United States, including
living resources, marine construction, marine transportation, offshore
mineral extraction, ship and boat building, tourism, recreation,
subsistence, and such other industries the Administrator considers
appropriate (known as ``Blue Economy'' industries).
(b) Collaboration.--In carrying out subsection (a), the
Administrator shall--
(1) work with the Director of the Bureau of Economic
Analysis and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies to
develop a Coastal and Ocean Economy Satellite Account that
includes national and State-level statistics to measure the
contribution of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and
coasts to the overall economy of the United States; and
(2) collaborate with national and international
organizations and governments to promote consistency of
methods, measurements, and definitions to ensure comparability
of results between countries.
(c) Report.--Not less frequently than once every 2 years, the
Administrator, in consultation with the Director of the Bureau of
Economic Analysis, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
the Secretary of the Treasury, and the heads of other relevant Federal
agencies, shall publish a report that--
(1) defines the Blue Economy, in coordination with
academia, industry, nongovernmental organizations, and other
relevant experts;
(2) makes recommendations for updating North American
Industry Classification System (NAICS) reporting codes to
reflect the Blue Economy; and
(3) provides a comprehensive estimate of the value and
impact of the Blue Economy with respect to each State and
territory of the United States, including--
(A) the value and impact of--
(i) economic activities that are dependent
upon the resources of the Great Lakes, oceans,
bays, estuaries, and coasts;
(ii) the population and demographic
characteristics of the population along the
coasts;
(iii) port and shoreline infrastructure;
(iv) the volume and value of cargo shipped
by sea or across the Great Lakes; and
(v) data collected from the Great Lakes,
oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts, including
such data collected by businesses that purchase
and commodify the data, including weather
prediction and seasonal agricultural
forecasting; and
(B) to the extent possible, the qualified value and
impact of the natural capital of the Great Lakes,
oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts with respect to
tourism, recreation, natural resources, and cultural
heritage, including other indirect values.
SEC. 16. ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY-OCEANS.
(a) Agreement.--Not later than 45 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall seek to enter into an
agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct the
comprehensive assessment under subsection (b).
(b) Comprehensive Assessment.--
(1) In general.--Under an agreement between the
Administrator and the National Academy of Sciences under this
section, the National Academy of Sciences shall conduct a
comprehensive assessment of the need for and feasibility of
establishing an Advanced Research Projects Agency-Oceans (ARPA-
O).
(2) Elements.--The comprehensive assessment carried out
pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include--
(A) an assessment of how an ARPA-O could help
overcome the long-term and high-risk technological
barriers in the development of ocean technologies, with
the goal of enhancing the economic, ecological, and
national security of the United States through the
rapid development of technologies that result in--
(i) improved data collection, monitoring,
and prediction of the ocean environment,
including sea ice conditions;
(ii) overcoming barriers to the application
of new and improved technologies, such as high
costs and scale of operational missions;
(iii) improved management practices for
protecting ecological sustainability;
(iv) improved national security capacity;
(v) improved technology for fishery
population assessments;
(vi) expedited processes between and among
Federal agencies to successfully identify,
transition, and coordinate research and
development output to operations, applications,
commercialization, and other uses; and
(vii) ensuring that the United States
maintains a technological lead in developing
and deploying advanced ocean technologies;
(B) an evaluation of the organizational structures
under which an ARPA-O could be organized, which takes
into account--
(i) best practices for new research
programs;
(ii) metrics and approaches for periodic
program evaluation;
(iii) capacity to fund and manage external
research awards; and
(iv) options for oversight of the activity
through a Federal agency, an interagency
organization, nongovernmental organization, or
other institutional arrangement; and
(C) an estimation of the scale of investment
necessary to pursue high priority ocean technology
projects.
(c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a
report on the comprehensive assessment conducted under subsection (b).
<all>
BLUE GLOBE Act
#3548 | HR Congress #116
Policy Area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovationsAdvisory bodiesAir qualityAlaska Natives and HawaiiansAquatic ecologyCensus and government statisticsClimate change and greenhouse gasesComputer security and identity theftComputers and information technologyCongressional oversightEconomic performance and conditionsEmployment and training programsEnvironmental assessment, monitoring, researchExecutive Office of the PresidentExecutive agency funding and structureGeneticsGeography and mappingGovernment information and archivesGreat Lakes
Last Action: Committee Hearings Held. (11/17/2020)
Bill Text Source: Congress.gov
Summary and Impacts
Original Text