S. 1582

One Hundred Tenth Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE SECOND SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday,

the third day of January, two thousand and eight

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.).’’.
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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
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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—
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‘‘(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.’’

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.