Renewable Energy Environmental Research Act of 2014

Summary: Renewable Energy Environmental Research Act of 2014 - Requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), within three years, to: (1) develop a plan for a comprehensive and integrated ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, and atmosphere science program to support renewable energy development and smart grid technology; and (2) establish the program that is based on the plan and designed to collect, synthesize, and distribute data in a manner that can be used by resource managers responsible for making decisions about renewable energy projects.  Requires the Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Commerce, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Minerals Management Service, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and Department of Energy (DOE) to consider this information when making planning, siting, and permitting decisions about renewable energy. Requires NOAA to establish within three years a renewable energy information library and data portal to function as a cross-agency repository of data pertinent to renewable energy development. Gives NOAA the discretion to allow any offshore exploration and production facility to execute a memorandum of understanding authorizing the use of offshore platforms and infrastructure for the placement of meteorological and oceanographic observation sensors of a type to be designated by NOAA in support of the Integrated Ocean Observing System. Requires information collected by the sensors to be readily available for use in hazard response as well as available to the National Weather Service, other NOAA programs, and the general public.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Renewable Energy Environmental 
Research Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to establish an integrated and 
comprehensive ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, and atmospheric research and 
environmental information sharing program to support renewable energy.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
            (2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere in the Under 
        Secretary's capacity as Administrator of the National Oceanic 
        and Atmospheric Administration.
            (3) Renewable energy.--The term ``renewable energy'' means 
        any form of renewable energy, including traditional hydropower, 
        terrestrial renewable energy, and renewable energy derived from 
        the sea, such as wave energy, tidal energy, ocean current 
        energy, offshore wind energy, salinity gradient energy, ocean 
        thermal gradient energy, and ocean thermal energy conversion.

SEC. 4. RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH PLAN.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall develop a plan--
            (1) to define requirements for a comprehensive and 
        integrated ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, and atmosphere science 
        program to support renewable energy development in the United 
        States based on a review of scientific and industry 
        information;
            (2) to identify and describe current climate, weather, and 
        water data programs, products, services, and authorities within 
        the Administration relevant to renewable energy development;
            (3) to provide targeted research, data, monitoring, 
        observation, and other information, products, and services 
        concerning climate, weather, and water in support of renewable 
        energy and ``smart grid'' technology, including research to 
        accurately quantify the downstream micro-climate impacts of 
        wind-power turbines;
            (4) to reduce duplication and leverage the resources of 
        existing Administration programs through coordination with--
                    (A) other offices and programs within the 
                Administration, including the atmospheric, ocean, and 
                coastal observation systems;
                    (B) Federal, State, tribal, and local observation 
                systems; and
                    (C) other entities, including the private sector 
                organizations and institutions of higher education;
            (5) to facilitate public-private cooperation, including 
        identification and assessment of current private sector 
        capabilities; and
            (6) to inform and educate the public and the private sector 
        about the progress and findings of the renewable research and 
        development carried out pursuant to the plan.
    (b) Public Hearings.--In developing the plan, the Administrator 
shall provide public notice and opportunity for 1 or more public 
hearings and shall seek comments from Federal and State agencies, 
tribes, local governments, representatives of the private sector, and 
other parties interested in renewable energy observations, data, and 
use in order to improve Administration climate, weather, and water 
observation data products and services to more effectively support 
renewable energy development.

SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF RESEARCH, PREDICTION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL 
              INFORMATION PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish a program to 
develop and implement an integrated and comprehensive ocean, coastal, 
Great Lakes, and atmosphere research and operations program, based on 
the plan required by section 4, to support renewable energy development 
in the United States.
    (b) Program Components.--At a minimum, the program required by 
subsection (a) shall include the following:
            (1) Improvements in coordinated climate, weather, water 
        research, biological and technological research monitoring, and 
        observations to support renewable energy siting and 
        development.
            (2) Coordinated weather, water, and climate prediction 
        capability focused on renewable energy and ``smart grid'' 
        technology to provide information and decision services in 
        support of renewable energy development.
            (3) Support for the transition to, and reliable delivery 
        of, sustained operational weather, water, and climate products 
        from research, observation, and prediction outputs.
            (4) Means of identifying biological and ecological effects 
        of marine renewable energy development on living marine 
        resources, the marine and coastal environment, marine-dependent 
        industries, and coastal communities.
            (5) Baseline ecological characterization, including 
        research, data collection, and mapping, of the coastal and 
        marine environment and living marine resources for marine 
        renewable energy development.
            (6) Avoidance, minimization, and mitigation strategies to 
        address the potential impacts of renewable energy on the 
        marine, coastal, and Great Lakes habitats resources and 
        communities, including developing effective monitoring 
        protocols, use of adaptive management, informed engineering 
        design and operating parameters, and the establishment of 
        protocols for minimizing the environmental impacts of testing, 
        developing, and deploying marine renewable energy devices.
            (7) Support for the development of marine special area 
        management plans by states as defined by the Coastal Zone 
        Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.) that would 
        support renewable energy development consistent with natural 
        resource protection and other coastal-dependent economic 
        growth.
            (8) Coordination of comprehensive digital mapping, 
        modeling, and other geospatial information and services to 
        support planning for renewable energy and stewardship of 
        ecosystem and living marine ecosystems, including protected 
        species, in ocean, Great Lakes, and coastal areas.
            (9) A coordinated approach for examining and quantifying 
        the micro-climate impacts of wind-power farms on soil 
        transpiration and drying.
            (10) Provision for outreach to the public and private 
        sector about program research, information, and products, 
        including making non-proprietary information and best 
        management practices developed under this program available to 
        the public.
    (c) Use in Agency Decisions.--The program established under 
subsection (a) shall be designed to collect, synthesize, and distribute 
data in a manner that can be used by resource managers responsible for 
making decisions about renewable energy projects. The Army Corps of 
Engineers, Department of Commerce, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and Department of Energy shall 
consider this information when making planning, siting, and permitting 
decisions for renewable energy.
    (d) Support for Public-Private Cooperation.--To the extent 
practicable, in implementing the program established under this 
section, the Administrator shall seek appropriate opportunities to 
facilitate and expand cooperation with private sector entities to 
develop and expand information services that serve the renewable energy 
industry.

SEC. 6. BIENNIAL REPORTS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date on which the 
Administrator establishes the program under section 5(a) and not less 
frequently than once every 2 years thereafter, the Administrator shall 
submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on 
Science and Technology of the House of Representatives a report on 
progress made in implementing this Act.
    (b) Contents.--Each report submitted under subsection (a) shall 
include the following:
            (1) A description of activities carried out under this Act.
            (2) Recommendations for prioritization of activities under 
        this Act for fiscal years beginning after the date on which the 
        report is submitted.
            (3) Funding levels for activities under this Act in those 
        fiscal years.

SEC. 7. LIBRARY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with relevant 
Federal agencies, shall establish and maintain a renewable energy 
information library and data portal to function as a common, cross 
agency repository of data pertinent to renewable energy development.
    (b) Elements.--The library required by subsection (a) shall 
include, at a minimum, the following:
            (1) Links to data and information products for use in 
        renewable energy development.
            (2) Links to planning and decision support tools for use in 
        renewable energy development.
            (3) Data about the baseline condition of ocean and coastal 
        resources.
            (4) Links to digital mapping and geospatial information, 
        products, and services described in section 4(b).

SEC. 8. FEDERAL COORDINATION.

    The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Energy, the 
Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Defense, the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department in which the Coast Guard 
is operating, and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies shall 
cooperate with the Administrator in carrying out this Act.

SEC. 9. AGREEMENTS.

    The Administrator may enter into and perform such contracts, 
leases, grants, cooperative agreements, or other agreements and 
transactions with any agency or instrumentality of the United States, 
or with any State, local, tribal, territorial or foreign government, or 
with any person, corporation, firm, partnership, educational 
institution, nonprofit organization, or international organization as 
may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 10. AUTHORITY TO RECEIVE FUNDS.

    The Administrator may accept, retain, and use funds received from 
any party pursuant to an agreement entered into under section 9 for 
activities furthering the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 11. USE OF OCEAN OBSERVING OFFSHORE INFRASTRUCTURE.

    (a) In General.--Any offshore exploration and production facility, 
at the discretion of the Administrator, may execute a memorandum of 
understanding authorizing the use of offshore platforms and 
infrastructure for the placement of meteorological and oceanographic 
observation sensors of a type to be designated by the Administrator in 
support of the Integrated Ocean Observing System.
    (b) Availability of Information.--All information collected by such 
sensors shall be managed by Administration and be readily available for 
use in spill and other hazard response as well as available to the 
National Weather Service, other Administration programs, and the 
general public.

SEC. 12. SAVINGS PROVISION.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed to supersede or modify the 
jurisdiction, responsibilities, or authority of any Federal or State 
agency under any provision of law in effect on the date of the 
enactment of this Act.