II 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 247

To reauthorize the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control 

Act of 1998, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 29, 2003

Ms. SNOWE (for herself and Mr. BREAUX) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation 

A BILL

To reauthorize the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia 

Research and Control Act of 1998, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Harmful Algal Bloom 

5 and Hypoxia Amendments Act of 2003’’. 

6 SEC. 2. RETENTION OF TASK FORCE. 

7 Section 603 of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hy8 poxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 1451 

9 nt) is amended by striking subsection (e). 
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1 SEC. 3. PREDICTION AND RESPONSE PLAN. 

2 Section 603 of such Act, as amended by section 2, 

3 is further amended by adding at the end the following: 

4 ‘‘(e) PREDICTION AND RESPONSE PLAN.— 

5 ‘‘(1) DEVELOPMENT OF PLAN.—Not later then 

6 12 months after the date of enactment of the Harm7 ful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Amendments Act of 

8 2003, the President, in conjunction with the chief 

9 executive officers of the States, shall develop and 

10 submit to the Congress a plan to protect environ11 mental and public health from impacts of harmful 

12 algal blooms. In developing the plan, the President 

13 shall consult with the Task Force, the coastal 

14 States, Indian tribes, local governments, industry, 

15 academic institutions, and non-governmental organi16 zations with expertise in coastal zone management. 

17 ‘‘(2) PLAN REQUIREMENTS.—The plan shall— 

18 ‘‘(A) review techniques for prediction of 

19 the onset, course, and impacts of harmful algal 

20 blooms including evaluation of their accuracy 

21 and utility in protecting environmental and 

22 public health and provisions for implementation; 

23 ‘‘(B) identify innovative response measures 

24 for the prevention, control, and mitigation of 

25 harmful algal blooms and provisions for their 

26 development and implementation; and 
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1 ‘‘(C) include incentive-based partnership 

2 approaches where practicable. 

3 ‘‘(3) PUBLICATION AND OPPORTUNITY FOR

4 COMMENT.—At least 90 days before submitting the 

5 plan to the Congress, the President shall cause a 

6 summary of the proposed plan to be published in the 

7 Federal Register for a public comment period of not 

8 less than 60 days. 

9 ‘‘(4) FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary of 

10 Commerce, in coordination with the Task Force and 

11 to the extent of funds available, shall provide for 

12 Federal cooperation with and assistance to the 

13 coastal States, Indian tribes, and local governments 

14 in implementing measures in paragraph (2), as re15 quested.’’. 

16 SEC. 4. LOCAL AND REGIONAL ASSESSMENTS. 

17 Section 603 of such Act, as amended by section 3, 

18 is further amended by adding at the end the following: 

19 ‘‘(f) LOCAL AND REGIONAL ASSESSMENTS.— 

20 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Com21 merce, in coordination with the Task Force and to 

22 the extent of funds available, shall provide for local 

23 and regional assessments of hypoxia and harmful 

24 algal blooms, as requested by coastal States, Indian 

25 tribes, and local governments. 
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1 ‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—Local and regional assess2 ments may examine— 

3 ‘‘(A) the causes of hypoxia or harmful 

4 algal blooms in that area; 

5 ‘‘(B) the ecological and economic impacts 

6 of hypoxia or harmful algal blooms; 

7 ‘‘(C) alternatives to reduce, mitigate, and 

8 control hypoxia and harmful algal blooms; and 

9 ‘‘(D) the social and economic benefits of 

10 such alternatives.’’. 

11 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

12 Section 605 of such Act is amended—

13 (1) by striking ‘‘and’’ after ‘‘2000,’’ in the first 

14 sentence and in the paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and 

15 (5); 

16 (2) by inserting ‘‘$26,000,000 for fiscal year 

17 2004, $26,500,000 for fiscal year 2005, and 

18 $27,000,000 for fiscal year 2007’’ after ‘‘2001,’’ in 

19 the first sentence; 

20 (3) by inserting ‘‘and $2,500,000 for each of 

21 fiscal years 2004, 2005, and 2006’’ after ‘‘2001’’ in 

22 paragraph (1); 

23 (4) by inserting ‘‘and $5,500,000 for each of 

24 fiscal years 2004, 2005, and 2006’’ after ‘‘2001’’ in 

25 paragraph (2); 
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1 (5) by striking ‘‘2001’’ in paragraph (3) and in2 serting ‘‘2001, $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, 

3 $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, and $3,000,000 for 

4 fiscal year 2006’’; 

5 (6) by striking ‘‘blooms;’’ in paragraph (3) and 

6 inserting ‘‘blooms and to implement section 

7 603(e);’’; 

8 (7) by striking ‘‘2001’’ in paragraph (4) and in9 serting ‘‘2001, and $6,000,000 for each of fiscal 

10 years 2004, 2005, and 2006,’’; 

11 (8) by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon in 

12 paragraph (4); 

13 (9) by striking ‘‘2001’’ in paragraph (5) and in14 serting ‘‘2001, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, 

15 $5,500,000 for fiscal year 2005, and $6,600,000 for 

16 fiscal year 2006’’; 

17 (10) by striking ‘‘Administration.’’ in para18 graph (5) and inserting ‘‘Administration; and’’; and 

19 (11) by adding at the end the following: 

20 ‘‘(6) $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004, 

21 2005, and 2006 to carry out section 603(f).’’.

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