### §3503. Biennial reports

Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of the National Ocean Exploration Act,1 and biennially thereafter until 2040, the co-chairs of the Working Group, in coordination with the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council established under section 5405 of such Act,1 shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, a report detailing progress made in implementing this chapter, including—

(1) an inventory of ocean and coastal mapping data, including the data maintained by the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, within the territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone and throughout the Continental Shelf of the United States, noting the age and source of the survey and the spatial resolution (metadata) of the data;

(2) identification of priority areas in need of survey coverage using present technologies;

(3) a resource plan that identifies when priority areas in need of modern ocean and coastal mapping surveys can be accomplished, including a plan to map the coasts of the United States on a requirements-based cycle, with mapping agencies and partners coordinating on a unified approach that factors in recent related studies, meets multiple user requirements, and identifies gaps;

(4) the status of efforts to produce integrated digital maps of ocean and coastal areas;

(5) a description of any products resulting from coordinated mapping efforts under this chapter that improve public understanding of the coasts and oceans, or regulatory decisionmaking;

(6) documentation of minimum and desired standards for data acquisition and integrated metadata;

(7) a statement of the status of Federal efforts to leverage mapping technologies, coordinate mapping activities, share expertise, and exchange data;

(8) a statement of resource requirements for organizations to meet the goals of the program, including technology needs for data acquisition, processing, and distribution systems;

(9) a statement of the status of efforts to declassify data gathered by the Navy, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and other agencies to the extent possible without jeopardizing national security, and make it available to partner agencies and the public;

(10) the status of efforts to coordinate Federal programs with international, coastal State, and local government and nongovernmental mapping programs and leverage those programs;

(11) a description of efforts of Federal agencies to streamline and expand contracting with nongovernmental entities for the purpose of fulfilling Federal mapping and charting responsibilities, plans, and strategies;

(12) an inventory and description of any new Federal or federally funded programs conducting shoreline delineation and ocean or coastal mapping since the previous reporting cycle;

(13) a progress report on the development of new and innovative technologies and applications through research and development, including cooperative or other agreements with joint or cooperative research institutes and centers and other nongovernmental entities;

(14) a description of best practices in data processing and distribution and leveraging opportunities among agencies represented on the Working Group and with coastal States, coastal Indian Tribes, and nongovernmental entities;

(15) an identification of any training, technology, or other requirements for enabling Federal mapping programs, vessels, and aircraft to support a coordinated ocean and coastal mapping program; and

(16) a timetable for implementation and completion of the plan described in paragraph (3), including recommendations for integrating new approaches into the program.

(Pub. L. 111–11, title XII, §12204, Mar. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 1423; Pub. L. 117–263, div. J, title CIII, §10307(c), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3977.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### References in Text

The date of the enactment of the National Ocean Exploration Act, referred to in text, probably means the date of enactment of Pub. L. 117–263, which was approved Dec. 23, 2022. See below.

Section 5405 of such Act, referred to in text, means section 5405 of the National Ocean Exploration Act, but probably should have been a reference to section 10304 of Pub. L. 117–263, which established the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council, and is classified to section 3408 of this title. Prior versions of the bill that was enacted into law as title CIII of div. J of Pub. L. 117–263 included such Short Title, but it was not enacted as part of Pub. L. 117–263. Pub. L. 117–263 does not contain a section 5405.

#### Amendments

2022—Pub. L. 117–263, §10307(c)(1), substituted "Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of the National Ocean Exploration Act, and biennially thereafter until 2040, the co-chairs of the Working Group, in coordination with the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council established under section 5405 of such Act, shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives," for "No later than 18 months after March 30, 2009, and biennially thereafter, the co-chairmen of the Committee shall transmit to the Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives" in introductory provisions.

Par. (1). Pub. L. 117–263, §10307(c)(2), inserted ", including the data maintained by the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration," after "mapping data".

Par. (3). Pub. L. 117–263, §10307(c)(3), inserted ", including a plan to map the coasts of the United States on a requirements-based cycle, with mapping agencies and partners coordinating on a unified approach that factors in recent related studies, meets multiple user requirements, and identifies gaps" after "accomplished".

Par. (10). Pub. L. 117–263, §10307(c)(4), (5), redesignated par. (11) as (10), substituted "with international, coastal State, and local government and nongovernmental mapping programs" for "with coastal state and local government programs", and struck out former par. (10) which related to a resource plan for a digital coast integrated mapping pilot project for the northern Gulf of Mexico.

Par. (11). Pub. L. 117–263, §10307(c)(4), (6), redesignated par. (12) as (11), substituted "streamline and expand" for "increase", inserted "for the purpose of fulfilling Federal mapping and charting responsibilities, plans, and strategies" after "entities", and struck out "and" at end. Former par. (11) redesignated (10).

Par. (12). Pub. L. 117–263, §10307(c)(4), (7), redesignated par. (13) as (12) and substituted semicolon for period at end. Former par. (12) redesignated (11).

Pars. (13) to (16). Pub. L. 117–263, §10307(c)(8), added pars. (13) to (16). Former par. (13) redesignated (12).

1 See References in Text note below.