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[Senate Report 109-102]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

109th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session                                                    109-102
_______________________________________________________________________

                                     

                                                       Calendar No. 161

               OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING INTEGRATION ACT

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 of the

           COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION

                                   on

                                 S. 364

DATE deg.July 13, 2005.--Ordered to be printed
       SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
                       one hundred ninth congress
                             first session

                     TED STEVENS, Alaska, Chairman
                 DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii, Co-Chairman
JOHN McCAIN, Arizona                 JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West 
CONRAD BURNS, Montana                    Virginia
TRENT LOTT, Mississippi              JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas          BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine              BARBARA BOXER, California
GORDON H. SMITH, Oregon              BILL NELSON, Florida
JOHN ENSIGN, Nevada                  MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
GEORGE ALLEN, Virginia               FRANK LAUTENBERG, New Jersey
JOHN E. SUNUNU, New Hampshire        E. BENJAMIN NELSON, Nebraska
JIM DeMINT, South Carolina           MARK PRYOR, Arkansas
DAVID VITTER, Louisiana
                    Lisa Sutherland, Staff Director
             Christine Drager Kurth, Deputy Staff Director
                      David Russell, Chief Counsel
     Margaret Cummisky, Democratic Staff Director and Chief Counsel
 Samuel Whitehorn, Democratic Deputy Staff Director and General Counsel

                                                       Calendar No. 161
109th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session                                                    109-102

======================================================================

 
               OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING INTEGRATION ACT

                                _______
                                

                 July 13, 2005.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

       Mr. Stevens, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 364]

    The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 
which was referred the bill (S. 364), ``A Bill to establish a 
program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration to integrate Federal ocean and coastal mapping 
activities,'' having considered the same, reports favorably 
thereon with amendments and recommends that the bill 
joint resolution deg. (as amended) do pass.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    S. 364, as reported, would establish within the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) a comprehensive 
Federal ocean and coastal mapping program for the U.S. 
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that will support better 
conservation and management of marine resources, improve 
decisions in the siting of ocean observing platforms, advance 
coastal and ocean science and the development of ocean 
exploration technology, and support vessel safety.

                          BACKGROUND AND NEEDS

    The jurisdiction of the U.S. extends 200 miles beyond its 
coastline and includes the U.S. Territorial Sea and EEZ. Nearly 
ninety percent of this area remains unmapped by modern 
technologies. Improved mapping technology is necessary for a 
number of reasons. The U.S. marine transportation system is 
expected to grow exponentially over the next twenty years and a 
backlog of required surveys is developing. According to NOAA's 
Office of Coast Survey, approximately 35,000 square nautical 
miles of navigationally significant U.S. waters have been 
designated as critical areas requiring updated information on 
depth and obstructions. Improved mapping of these waters will 
help to minimize maritime accidents, as well as help support 
the national security missions of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast 
Guard. The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy estimates that there 
are potentially $1.3 trillion in resources in the form of oil, 
minerals, and sedentary species which could be available under 
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea provisions 
concerning extensions of the continental shelf. Improved data 
and maps of the resources available on the continental shelf 
could support the United States in asserting jurisdictional 
claims to this submarine area upon its accession to the United 
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
    Currently at least ten Federal agencies (including NOAA, 
the Environmental Protection Agency, the Minerals Management 
Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast 
Guard, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Science 
Foundation, the U.S. Navy, the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, and the U.S. Geological Survey), in addition to coastal 
State and local agencies, academic institutions, and private 
companies, share the expensive and time-consuming 
responsibility of mapping, charting, and assessing living and 
non-living resources in U.S. waters. This creates a significant 
amount of overlap where different parties perform repeated 
surveys of the same area for different purposes. It also 
prevents the integration of these surveys since they differ 
from each other in terms of scale, resolution, projection, and 
reference frames. To complicate matters further, the coastal 
zone has the unique issue of the land-sea interface, or 
shoreline position, which requires seamless joining of onshore 
topographic maps with offshore bathymetric maps.
    The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy recommends that many of 
the existing Federal mapping activities be consolidated and 
coordinated to increase efficiency and help ensure that all 
necessary surveys are conducted. The Commission recommends that 
NOAA, which already has the responsibility of collecting 
hydrographic and bathymetric data and creating navigational 
charts for safe and efficient maritime commerce, be the lead 
agency in U.S. ocean and coastal mapping and charting efforts. 
In addition to the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, the 
National Research Council (NRC) released a study in 2004 
entitled A Geospatial Framework for the Coastal Zone which 
details the national needs for coastal mapping and charting. 
The report was requested by NOAA, the U.S. Geological Survey, 
and the Environmental Protection Agency. The NRC identified the 
same problems with the nation's ocean and coastal mapping 
efforts as did the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, and it 
stated that coordination and communication among Federal 
agencies and integration of mapping efforts is needed.

                         SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS

    S. 364, the Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act, 
would direct NOAA to coordinate a comprehensive Federal ocean 
and coastal mapping program that enhances conservation and 
management of ocean and coastal resources, and to conduct the 
following activities: identify and coordinate Federal 
shoreline, ocean, and coastal mapping activities; build 
expertise in mapping technologies; set standards and protocols 
for testing and transferring new technologies to the private 
sector; and archive and distribute data and specific data 
products for the benefit of multiple users. Ocean and coastal 
mapping activities covered under the bill would include the 
suite of existing Federal activities: mapping, data processing, 
management, and archiving. Mapping activities are intended to 
include the areas and resources of the outer continental shelf 
and inshore areas--extending from coastal State waters to the 
territorial sea and the EEZ, as well as to areas of the outer 
continental shelf beyond the EEZ.
    The bill would also establish an Interagency Committee on 
Ocean and Coastal Mapping composed of high-ranking officials in 
Federal agencies engaged in ocean and coastal mapping 
activities, with the NOAA representative acting as chair of the 
committee. This committee would be required to meet on a 
quarterly basis, and to submit a report to Congress within 18 
months after enactment of this bill, and biannually thereafter, 
detailing Federal ocean and coastal mapping plans, efforts, and 
needs. Together with this committee, the Administrator of NOAA 
would be required to submit a plan to Congress setting forth an 
Integrated Mapping Initiative. This plan would be due six 
months from the date of enactment of this bill.
    The bill provides authorization levels of $20 million for 
FY2006, $26 million for FY2007, $32 million for FY2008, $38 
million for FY2009, and $45 million annually for FY2010 through 
FY2013 for NOAA to carry out the purposes of this Act. In 
addition, the heads of Department of Defense, Department of 
Interior, Department of Homeland Security, the Environmental 
Protection Agency, and the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration may make available up to $10 million per fiscal 
year for interagency mapping activities from amounts authorized 
to be appropriated for such agencies.

                          LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

    On February 10, 2005, Senator Inouye introduced S. 364, the 
Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act of 2004, a bill to 
establish within NOAA a comprehensive Federal coastal and ocean 
seafloor mapping program. The bill, cosponsored by Senators 
Stevens, Lott, Snowe, Cantwell, Kerry, and Lautenberg, was 
referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.
    On April 14, 2005, the Committee considered this bill, 
along with an amendment offered by Senator Vitter that makes 
technical changes to the bill as introduced and adds new 
language to increase the emphasis on private sector contracting 
opportunities. At the Executive Session, the Commerce Committee 
approved the Vitter amendment by voice vote and ordered S. 364 
to be reported favorably as amended.

                            ESTIMATED COSTS

    In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the 
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget 
Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                    Washington, DC, April 22, 2005.
Hon. Ted Stevens,
Chairman, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 364, the Ocean and 
Coastal Mapping Integration act.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
            Sincerely,
                                     Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director.
    Enclosure.

S. 364--Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act

    Summary: S. 364 would direct the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish an integrated 
mapping program encompassing the Great Lakes, coastal state 
waters, territorial sea, exclusive economic zone and 
continental shelf of the United States. The bill also would 
establish an interagency committee to coordinate federal 
mapping of ocean and coastal areas, require an integrated 
mapping plan to identify and describe all mapping programs, and 
authorize up to three joint centers for ocean and coastal 
mapping to be located at colleges or universities. For these 
purposes, the bill would authorize the appropriation of a total 
of $296 million over the 2006-2013 period.
    Assuming appropriation of the amounts authorized by the 
bill, CBO estimates that the federal government would spend $7 
million in fiscal year 2006 and $116 million over the 2006-2010 
period to implement the legislation. The remaining $180 million 
authorized would be spent after 2010, including $135 million 
authorized to be appropriated between 2011 and 2013. Enacting 
S. 364 would not affect revenues or direct spending.
    This legislation contains no intergovernmental or private-
sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 
(UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal 
governments.
    Estimated cost to the Federal Government: S. 364 would 
authorize the appropriation of between $20 million and $45 
million a year for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2013 for 
the new ocean and coastal mapping initiative. Of these amounts, 
between $10 million and $15 million a year would be available 
for research and other mapping programs to be carried out at 
the new ocean and coastal mapping centers.
    The estimated budgetary impact of S. 364 is shown in the 
following table. The costs of this legislation fall within 
budget function 300 (natural resources and environment). For 
this estimate, CBO assumes that the full amounts authorized by 
the bill will be appropriated for each year and that outlays 
will follow historical spending patterns for similar NOAA 
programs.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      By fiscal year, in millions of
                                                 dollars--
                                 ---------------------------------------
                                   2006    2007    2008    2009    2010
------------------------------------------------------------------------
              CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Authorization Level \1\.........      20      26      32      38      45
Estimated Outlays...............       7      15      25      32      37
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Additional amounts, totaling $135 million, would be authorized for
  appropriation over the 2011-2013 period.

    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 364 
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or 
tribal governments.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Deborah Reis; Impact 
on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Sarah Puro; and Impact 
on the Private Sector: Craig Cammarata.
    Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.

                      REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT

  In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the 
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the 
legislation, as reported:

Number of persons covered

    The reported bill would direct NOAA to coordinate a 
comprehensive Federal ocean and coastal mapping program that 
enhances conservation and management of ocean and coastal 
resources. It does not authorize any new regulations and 
therefore will not subject any individuals or businesses to new 
regulations.

Economic impact

    The bill provides authorization levels of $20 million for 
FY2006, $26 million for FY2007, $32 million for FY2008, $38 
million for FY2009, and $45 million annually for FY2010 through 
FY2013 for NOAA to carry out the purposes of this Act. These 
funding levels are not expected to have an inflationary impact 
on the nation's economy.

Privacy

    This legislation would not have any adverse impact on the 
personal privacy of the individuals that will be impacted by 
this legislation.

Paperwork

    The reported bill would not increase paperwork requirements 
for the private sector. Those non-governmental partners that 
are interested in working with the Interagency Committee on 
Ocean and Coastal Mapping established in section 3 would likely 
increase their communications, data management, and technical 
expertise capacity related to ocean mapping.

                      SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section. 1. Short title

    Section 1 names the bill as the ``Ocean and Coastal Mapping 
Integration Act''.

Section 2. Integrated ocean and coastal mapping program

    Section 2 would require NOAA to establish a program to 
develop a comprehensive ocean and coastal mapping program, in 
conjunction with the Interagency Committee described in section 
3. The goals of this program are to ``enhance conservation and 
management of marine resources, improve decision-making 
regarding research priorities and the siting of research and 
other platforms, and advance coastal and ocean science.'' The 
program would identify existing Federal mapping projects and 
encourage cooperative operational and training programs among 
them and with the private sector. The program would also 
encourage the use and development of new mapping techniques and 
would create standards for the transfer of new information and 
technology to the public.

Section 3. Interagency Committee on Coastal and Ocean Mapping

    Section 3 would establish an Interagency Committee on 
Coastal and Ocean Mapping (Mapping Committee), consisting of 
representatives from the following 11 Federal agencies involved 
in ocean mapping: NOAA (whose representative would serve as 
chair), Chief of Naval Operations, U.S. Geological Survey, 
Minerals Management Service, National Science Foundation, 
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, EPA, Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, and NASA. The Mapping Committee would coordinate ocean 
mapping activities within and between the respective agencies, 
other government agencies, user groups, and representatives of 
the private sector.

Section 4. NOAA integrated mapping initiative

    Section 4 would require NOAA and the Mapping Committee to 
develop a plan within 6 months for an integrated coastal and 
ocean mapping initiative, which would identify and describe 
mapping activities across the Federal Government, establish 
mapping priorities, encourage new technologies, identify 
resource needs, and identify a centralized mechanism for 
storing and processing mapping data. It would also authorize 
NOAA to establish 3 joint hydrographic centers for researching, 
developing, processing, and otherwise advancing ocean mapping 
capabilities. Additionally, it would direct NOAA to prepare a 
report developing a strategy for expanding contracting with 
private entities.

Section 5. Interagency program reporting

    Section 5 would require, within 18 months and bi-annually 
thereafter, that the Mapping Committee issue regular reports 
describing the progress made in implementing the provisions of 
this act. The reports would include: new additions of data, 
priority areas needing coverage and a plan to map them, various 
status reports on workings of the mapping program, and a 
description of efforts to increase private sector contracting.

Section 6. Authorization of appropriations

    Section 6 would authorize the following appropriations to 
NOAA, in addition to those appropriations authorized in section 
306 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 
(U.S.C. 892d): $20,000,000 for FY 2006, $26,000,000 for FY 
2007, $32,000,000 for FY 2008, $38,000,000 for FY 2009, and 
$45,000,000 for each year of FY 2010-2013. Of the amounts 
authorized for NOAA, the following amounts would be required 
for use in maintaining and operating the Joint Ocean and 
Coastal Mapping Centers outlined in Section 4: $10,000,000 for 
FY 2006; $11,000,000 for FY 2007; $12,000,000 for FY 2008; 
$13,000,000 for FY 2009; and $15,000,000 for each year of FY 
2010-2013. The provision also authorizes the Department of 
Defense, Department of the Interior, Department of Homeland 
Security, EPA, and NASA to utilize up to $10,000,000 of their 
authorized funds annually for this initiative.

Section 7. Definitions

    Section 7 provides definitions for terms used in this bill.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee states that the 
bill as reported would make no change to existing law.

                                  
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