33 USC 3703 - Interagency working group

U.S Code last checked for updates: Apr 28, 2024

§ 3703.

Interagency working group

(a)

Designation

(1)

In general

(2)

Membership

(3)

Chair

(b)

Duties

The Subcommittee shall—

(1)

develop the strategic research and monitoring plan to guide Federal research on ocean acidification required under section 3704 of this title and oversee the implementation of the plan;

(2)

oversee the development of—

(A)

an assessment of the potential impacts of ocean acidification and coastal acidification on marine organisms and marine ecosystems; and

(B)

adaptation and mitigation strategies to conserve marine organisms and ecosystems exposed to ocean acidification and coastal acidification;

(3)

facilitate communication and outreach opportunities with nongovernmental organizations and members of the stakeholder community with interests in marine resources;

(4)

coordinate the United States Federal research and monitoring program with research and monitoring programs and scientists from other nations;

(5)

establish or designate, and contribute to as appropriate, an Ocean Acidification Information Exchange to make information on ocean acidification and coastal acidification developed through or utilized by the interagency ocean acidification program accessible through electronic means, including information which would be useful to policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders in mitigating or adapting to the impacts of ocean acidification and coastal acidification; and 1

 So in original.

(c)

Advisory Board

(1)

Establishment

(2)

Duties

The Advisory Board shall—

(A)

maintain a process for reviewing and making recommendations to the Subcommittee on—

(i)

the biennial report specified in subsection (d)(2); and

(ii)

the strategic research plan in subsection (d)(3);

(B)

provide ongoing advice to the Subcommittee and the interagency working group on matters related to Federal activities on ocean and coastal acidification, including impacts and mitigation of ocean and coastal acidification; and

(C)

advise the Subcommittee and the interagency working group on—

(i)

efforts to coordinate research and monitoring activities related to ocean acidification and coastal acidification; and

(ii)

the best practices for the standards developed for data archiving under section 3705(d) of this title.

(3)

Membership

The Advisory Board shall consist of 25 members as follows:

(A)

Two representatives of the shellfish, lobster, or crab industry.

(B)

One representative of the finfish industry.

(C)

One representative of seafood processors.

(D)

Three representatives from academia, including both natural and social sciences.

(E)

One representative of recreational fishing.

(F)

One representative of a relevant nongovernmental organization.

(G)

Six representatives from relevant State and local governments with policy or regulatory authorities related to ocean acidification and coastal acidification.

(H)

One representative from the Alaska Ocean Acidification Network or a subsequent entity that represents the same geographical region and has a similar purpose.

(I)

One representative from the California Current Acidification Network or a subsequent entity that represents the same geographical region and has a similar purpose.

(J)

One representative from the Northeast Coastal Acidification Network or a subsequent entity that represents the same geographical region and has a similar purpose.

(K)

One representative from the Southeast Coastal Acidification Network or a subsequent entity that represents the same geographical region and has a similar purpose.

(L)

One representative from the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Acidification Network or a subsequent entity that represents the same geographical region and has a similar purpose.

(M)

One representative from the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network or a subsequent entity that represents the same geographical region and has a similar purpose.

(N)

One representative from the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System or a subsequent entity that represents the island territories and possessions of the United States in the Pacific Ocean, and the State of Hawaii and has a similar purpose.

(O)

One representative from the Caribbean Regional Association for Coastal Ocean Observing or a subsequent entity that represents Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands and has a similar purpose.

(P)

One representative from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Olympic Coast Ocean Acidification Sentinel Site or a subsequent entity that represents the same geographical representation.

(Q)

One representative from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Advisory Board without a vote.

(4)

Appointment of members

The Chair of the Subcommittee shall—

(A)

appoint members to the Advisory Board (taking into account the geographical interests of each individual to be appointed as a member of the Advisory Board to ensure that an appropriate balance of geographical interests are represented by the members of the Advisory Board) who—

(i)

represent the interest group for which each seat is designated;

(ii)

demonstrate expertise on ocean acidification or coastal acidification and its scientific, economic, industry, cultural, and community impacts; and

(iii)

have a record of distinguished service with respect to ocean acidification or coastal acidification, and such impacts;

(B)

give consideration to nominations and recommendations from the members of the interagency working group and the public for such appointments; and

(C)

ensure that an appropriate balance of scientific, industry, State and local resource managers, and geographical interests are represented by the members of the Advisory Board.

(5)

Term of membership

Each member of the Advisory Board—

(A)

shall be appointed for a 5-year term; and

(B)

may be appointed to no more than two terms.

(6)

Chair

(7)

Meetings

(8)

Briefing

(9)

Tribal government engagement and coordination

(A)

In general

The Advisory Board shall maintain mechanisms for coordination, and engagement with Tribal governments.

(i)

Rule of construction

(10)

Federal Advisory Committee Act

(d)

Prize competitions

(1)

In general

(2)

Purposes

(3)

Priority programs

(e)

Reports to Congress

(1)

Initial report

Not later than 1 year after March 30, 2009, the Subcommittee shall transmit a report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science and Technology and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives that—

(A)

includes a summary of federally funded ocean acidification research and monitoring activities, including the budget for each of these activities; and

(B)

describes the progress in developing the plan required under section 3704 of this title.

(2)

Biennial report

Not later than 2 years after the delivery of the initial report under paragraph (1) and every 2 years thereafter until 2032, the Subcommittee shall transmit a report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science and Technology and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, and to the Office of Management and Budget, that includes—

(A)

a summary of federally funded ocean acidification research and monitoring activities, including the budget for each of these activities; and

(B)

an analysis of the progress made toward achieving the goals and priorities for interagency strategic research plan developed by the Subcommittee under section 3704 of this title.

(3)

Strategic research plan

(4)

Economic vulnerability report

(A)

In general

Not later than 2 years after December 31, 2020, and every 6 years thereafter until 2032, the Subcommittee shall transmit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that—

(i)

is named the “Ocean Chemistry Coastal Community Vulnerability Assessment”;

(ii)

identifies gaps in ocean acidification monitoring by public, academic, and private assets in the network of regional coastal observing systems;

(iii)

identifies geographic areas which have gaps in ocean acidification research;

(iv)

identifies United States coastal communities, including island communities, fishing communities, low-population rural communities, tribal and subsistence communities, and island communities, that may be impacted by ocean acidification;

(v)

identifies impacts of changing ocean carbonate chemistry on the communities described in clause (iv), including impacts from changes in ocean and coastal marine resources that are not managed by the Federal Government;

(vi)

identifies gaps in understanding of the impacts of ocean acidification on economically or commercially important species, particularly those which support United States commercial, recreational, and tribal fisheries and aquaculture;

(vii)

identifies habitats that may be particularly vulnerable to corrosive sea water, including areas experiencing multiple stressors such as hypoxia, sedimentation, and harmful algal blooms;

(viii)

identifies areas in which existing National Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System assets, including unmanned maritime systems, may be leveraged as platforms for the deployment of new sensors or other applicable observing technologies;

(ix)

is written in collaboration with Federal agencies responsible for carrying out this chapter, including representatives of—

(I)

the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Office for Coastal Management of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;

(II)

regional coastal observing systems established under section 3603(c)(4) of this title;

(III)

regional ocean acidification networks; and

(IV)

sea grant programs (as defined in section 1122 of this title); and

(x)

is written in consultation with experts, including subsistence users, academia, and stakeholders familiar with the economic, social, ecological, geographic, and resource concerns of coastal communities in the United States.

(B)

Form of report

(i)

Initial report

(ii)

Subsequent reports

Each report required under subparagraph (A) after the initial report—

(I)

may describe the information described in clauses (i) through (viii) of that subparagraph on a national level; or

(II)

may consist of separate reports for each region of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

(iii)

Regional reports

(C)

Appropriate committees of Congress defined

(5)

Monitoring prioritization plan

Not later than 180 days after the date of the submission of the initial report under paragraph (4)(A), the Subcommittee shall transmit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that develops a plan to deploy new sensors or other applicable observing technologies such as unmanned maritime systems—

(A)

based on such initial report;

(B)

prioritized by—

(i)

the threat to coastal economies and ecosystems;

(ii)

gaps in data; and

(iii)

research needs; and

(C)

that leverage existing platforms, where possible.

(Pub. L. 111–11, title XII, § 12404, Mar. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 1437; Pub. L. 116–271, title I, § 109, Dec. 31, 2020, 134 Stat. 3341; Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title VI, § 10644, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1673.)

cite as: 33 USC 3703