PUBLIC LAW 110–386—OCT. 10, 2008 

HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES IMPROVEMENT 

ACT AMENDMENTS OF 2008 


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122 STAT. 4106 PUBLIC LAW 110–386—OCT. 10, 2008 

Public Law 110–386 

110th Congress 

An Act 

To reauthorize and amend the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act, 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 ‘‘Hydrographic Services Improvement Act Amendments of 2008’’. 

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

Section 303 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act 

of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892) is amended by striking paragraphs (3), 

(4), and (5) and inserting the following: 

‘‘(3) HYDROGRAPHIC DATA.—The term ‘hydrographic data’ 

means information that— 

‘‘(A) is acquired through— 

‘‘(i) hydrographic, bathymetric, photogrammetric, 

lidar, radar, remote sensing, or shoreline and other 

ocean- and coastal-related surveying; 

‘‘(ii) geodetic, geospatial, or geomagnetic measurements; 

‘‘(iii) tide, water level, and current observations; 

or 

‘‘(iv) other methods; and 

‘‘(B) is used in providing hydrographic services. 

‘‘(4) HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES.—The term ‘hydrographic 

services’ means— 

‘‘(A) the management, maintenance, interpretation, certification, and dissemination of bathymetric, hydrographic, 

shoreline, geodetic, geospatial, geomagnetic, and tide, water 

level, and current information, including the production 

of nautical charts, nautical information databases, and 

other products derived from hydrographic data; 

‘‘(B) the development of nautical information systems; 

and 

‘‘(C) related activities. 

‘‘(5) COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY ACT.—The term ‘Coast 

and Geodetic Survey Act’ means the Act entitled ‘An Act to 

define the functions and duties of the Coast and Geodetic 

Survey, and for other purposes’, approved August 6, 1947 (33 

U.S.C. 883a et seq.).’’. 

Hydrographic 

Services 

Improvement 

Act Amendments 

of 2008. 

33 USC 851 note. 

Oct. 10, 2008 

[S. 1582] 


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PUBLIC LAW 110–386—OCT. 10, 2008 122 STAT. 4107 

SEC. 3. FUNCTIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATOR. 

Section 303 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act 

of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892a) is amended— 

(1) by striking ‘‘the Act of 1947,’’ in subsection (a) and 

inserting ‘‘the Coast and Geodetic Survey Act, promote safe, 

efficient and environmentally sound marine transportation, and 

otherwise fulfill the purposes of this Act,’’; 

(2) by striking ‘‘data;’’ in subsection (a)(1) and inserting 

‘‘data and provide hydrographic services;’’ and 

(3) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following: 

‘‘(b) AUTHORITIES.—To fulfill the data gathering and dissemination duties of the Administration under the Coast and Geodetic 

Survey Act, promote safe, efficient, and environmentally sound 

marine transportation, and otherwise fulfill the purposes of this 

Act, subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator— 

‘‘(1) may procure, lease, evaluate, test, develop, and operate 

vessels, equipment, and technologies necessary to ensure safe 

navigation and maintain operational expertise in hydrographic 

data acquisition and hydrographic services; 

‘‘(2) shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, 

design, install, maintain, and operate real-time hydrographic 

monitoring systems to enhance navigation safety and efficiency; 

and 

‘‘(3) where appropriate and to the extent that it does not 

detract from the promotion of safe and efficient navigation, 

may acquire hydrographic data and provide hydrographic services to support the conservation and management of coastal 

and ocean resources; 

‘‘(4) where appropriate, may acquire hydrographic data and 

provide hydrographic services to save and protect life and property and support the resumption of commerce in response to 

emergencies, natural and man-made disasters, and homeland 

security and maritime domain awareness needs, including 

obtaining mission assignments (as defined in section 641 of 

the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 

(6 U.S.C. 741)); 

‘‘(5) may create, support, and maintain such joint centers 

with other Federal agencies and other entities as the Administrator deems appropriate or necessary to carry out the purposes 

of this Act; and 

‘‘(6) notwithstanding the existence of such joint centers, 

shall award contracts for the acquisition of hydrographic data 

in accordance with subchapter VI of chapter 10 of title 40, 

United States Code.’’. 

SEC. 4. HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES REVIEW PANEL. 

Section 305(c)(1)(A) of the Hydrographic Services Improvement 

Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892c(c)(1)(A)) is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘(A) The panel shall consist of 15 voting members who shall be 

appointed by the Administrator. The Co-directors of the Center 

for Coastal and Ocean Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center and 

no more than 2 employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration appointed by the Administrator shall serve as nonvoting members of the panel. The voting members of the panel 

shall be individuals who, by reason of knowledge, experience, or 

training, are especially qualified in 1 or more of the disciplines 

Establishment. 


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122 STAT. 4108 PUBLIC LAW 110–386—OCT. 10, 2008 

and fields relating to hydrographic data and hydrographic services, 

marine transportation, port administration, vessel pilotage, coastal 

and fishery management, and other disciplines as determined 

appropriate by the Administrator.’’. 

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

Section 306 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act 

of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892d) is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘SEC. 306. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator 

the following: 

‘‘(1) To carry out nautical mapping and charting functions 

under sections 304 and 305, except for conducting hydrographic 

surveys— ‘‘(A) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

‘‘(B) $56,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; 

‘‘(C) $57,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 

‘‘(D) $58,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. 

‘‘(2) To contract for hydrographic surveys under section 

304(b)(1), including the leasing or time chartering of vessels— ‘‘(A) $32,130,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

‘‘(B) $32,760,000 for fiscal year 2010; 

‘‘(C) $33,390,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 

‘‘(D) $34,020,000 for fiscal year 2012. 

‘‘(3) To operate hydrographic survey vessels owned by the 

United States and operated by the Administration— 

‘‘(A) $25,900,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

‘‘(B) $26,400,000 for fiscal year 2010; 

‘‘(C) $26,900,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 

‘‘(D) $27,400,000 for fiscal year 2012. 

‘‘(4) To carry out geodetic functions under this title— 

‘‘(A) $32,640,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

‘‘(B) $33,280,000 for fiscal year 2010; 

‘‘(C) $33,920,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 

‘‘(D) $34,560,000 for fiscal year 2012. 

‘‘(5) To carry out tide and current measurement functions 

under this title— 

‘‘(A) $27,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

‘‘(B) $27,500,000 for fiscal year 2010; 

‘‘(C) $28,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 

‘‘(D) $28,500,000 for fiscal year 2012. 

‘‘(6) To acquire a replacement hydrographic survey vessel 

capable of staying at sea continuously for at least 30 days 

$75,000,000.’’. 

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZED NOAA CORPS STRENGTH. 

Section 215 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002 (33 U.S.C. 3005) 

is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘SEC. 215. NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED COMMISSIONED OFFICERS. 

‘‘Effective October 1, 2009, the total number of authorized 

commissioned officers on the lineal list of the commissioned corps 

of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall be 

increased from 321 to 379 if— 

‘‘(1) the Secretary has submitted to the Congress— 

Effective date. 


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PUBLIC LAW 110–386—OCT. 10, 2008 122 STAT. 4109 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1582: 

SENATE REPORTS: No. 110–218 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transportation). 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 154 (2008): 

Sept. 26, considered and passed Senate. 

Sept. 29, considered and passed House. 

Æ 

‘‘(A) the Administration’s ship recapitalization plan for 

fiscal years 2010 through 2024; 

‘‘(B) the Administration’s aircraft remodernization 

plan; and 

‘‘(C) supporting workforce management plans; 

‘‘(2) appropriated funding is available; and 

‘‘(3) the Secretary has justified organizational needs for 

the commissioned corps for each such fiscal year.’’ 

Approved October 10, 2008. 


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