II 

Calendar No. 161 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 364 

[Report No. 109–102] 

To establish a program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration to integrate Federal coastal and ocean mapping activities. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 10, 2005 

Mr. INOUYE (for himself, Mr. STEVENS, Mr. LOTT, Ms. CANTWELL, Ms. 

SNOWE, Mr. KERRY, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. SARBANES, and Mr. GREGG) 

introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

JULY 13, 2005 

Reported by Mr. STEVENS, with amendments 

[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To establish a program within the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration to integrate Federal coastal 

and ocean mapping activities. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
2 

•S 364 RS 

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ocean and Coastal 

3 Mapping Integration Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. INTEGRATED OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING PRO5 GRAM. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Na7 tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall es8 tablish a program to develop, in coordination with the 

9 Interagency Committee on Ocean and Coastal Mapping, 

10 a coordinated and comprehensive Federal ocean and coast11 al mapping plan for the Great Lakes and Coastal State 

12 waters, the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone, 

13 and the continental shelf of the United States that en14 hances ecosystem approaches in decision-making for con15 servation and management of marine resources and habi16 tats, establishes research priorities, supports the siting of 

17 research and other platforms, and advances ocean and 

18 coastal science. 

19 (b) PROGRAM PARAMETERS.—In developing such a 

20 program, the Administrator shall work with the Com21 mittee to— 

22 (1) identify all Federal and federally-funded 

23 programs conducting shoreline delineation and ocean 

24 or coastal mapping, noting geographic coverage, fre25 quency, spatial coverage, resolution, and subject 
3 

•S 364 RS 

1 matter focus of the data and location of data ar2 chives; 

3 (2) promote cost-effective, cooperative mapping 

4 efforts that incorporate policies for private sector 

5 contracting among all Federal agencies conducting 

6 ocean and coastal mapping agencies by increasing 

7 data sharing, developing data acquisition and 

8 metadata standards, and facilitating the interoper9 ability of in situ data collection systems, data proc10 essing, archiving, and distribution of data products; 

11 (3) facilitate the adaptation of existing tech12 nologies as well as foster expertise in new ocean and 

13 coastal mapping technologies, including through re14 search, development, and training conducted in co15 operation with the private sector, academia, and 

16 other non-Federal entities; 

17 (4) develop standards and protocols for testing 

18 innovative experimental mapping technologies and 

19 transferring new technologies between the Federal 

20 Government and the private sector or academia; 

21 (5) centrally archive, manage, and distribute 

22 data sets as well as provide mapping products and 

23 services to the general public in service of statutory 

24 requirements; 
4 

•S 364 RS 

1 (6) develop specific data presentation standards 

2 for use by Federal, State, and other entities that 

3 document locations of federally-permitted activities, 

4 living and nonliving resources, marine ecosystems, 

5 sensitive habitats, submerged cultural resources, un6 dersea cables, offshore aquaculture projects, and any 

7 areas designated for the purposes of environmental 

8 protection or conservation and management of living 

9 marine resources; and 

10 (7) identify the procedures to be used for co11 ordinating Federal data with State and local govern12 ment programs. 

13 SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON OCEAN AND COAST14 AL MAPPING. 

15 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established 

16 an Interagency Committee on Ocean and Coastal Map17 ping. 

18 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Committee shall be com19 prised of senior representatives from Federal agencies 

20 with ocean and coastal mapping and surveying responsibil21 ities. The representatives shall be high-ranking officials of 

22 their respective agencies or departments and, whenever 

23 possible, the head of the portion of the agency or depart24 ment that is most relevant to the purposes of this Act. 

25 Membership shall include senior representatives from the 
5 

•S 364 RS 

1 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the 

2 Chief of Naval Operations, the United States Geological 

3 Survey, Minerals Management Service, National Science 

4 Foundation, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, 

5 United States Army Corps of Engineers, United States 

6 Coast Guard, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal 

7 Emergency Management Agency and National Aero8 nautics and Space Administration, and other appropriate 

9 Federal agencies involved in ocean and coastal mapping. 

10 (c) CHAIRMAN.—The Committee shall be chaired by 

11 the representative from the National Oceanic and Atmos12 pheric Administration. The chairman may create sub13 committees chaired by any member agency of the com14 mittee. Working groups may be formed by the full Com15 mittee to address issues of short duration. 

16 (d) MEETINGS.—The Committee shall meet on a 

17 quarterly basis, but subcommittee or working group meet18 ings shall meet on an as-needed basis. 

19 (e) COORDINATION.—The committee should shall co20 ordinate activities, when appropriate, with— 

21 (1) other Federal efforts, including the Digital 

22 Coast, Geospatial One-Stop, and the Federal Geo23 graphic Data Committee; 

24 (2) international mapping activities; and 
6 

•S 364 RS 

1 (3) States and user groups through workshops 

2 and other appropriate mechanisms. mechanisms; and 

3 (4) representatives of the private sector. 

4 SEC. 4. NOAA INTEGRATED MAPPING INITIATIVE. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the 

6 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in con7 sultation with the Committee, shall develop and submit to 

8 the Congress a plan for an integrated ocean and coastal 

9 mapping initiative within the National Oceanic and At10 mospheric Administration. 

11 (b) PLAN REQUIREMENTS.—The plan shall— 

12 (1) identify and describe all ocean and coastal 

13 mapping programs within the agency, including 

14 those that conduct mapping or related activities in 

15 the course of existing missions, such as hydrographic 

16 surveys, ocean exploration projects, living marine re17 source conservation and management programs, 

18 coastal zone management projects, and ocean and 

19 coastal science projects; 

20 (2) establish priority mapping programs and es21 tablish and periodically update priorities for geo22 graphic areas in surveying and mapping, as well as 

23 minimum data acquisition and metadata standards 

24 for those programs; 
7 

•S 364 RS 

1 (3) encourage the development of innovative 

2 ocean and coastal mapping technologies and applica3 tions through research and development through co4 operative or other agreements at joint centers of ex5 cellence and with the private sector; 

6 (4) document available and developing tech7 nologies, best practices in data processing and dis8 tribution, and leveraging opportunities with other 

9 Federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, 

10 and the private sector; 

11 (5) identify training, technology, and other re12 source requirements for enabling the National Oce13 anic and Atmospheric Administration’s programs, 

14 ships, and aircraft to support a coordinated ocean 

15 and coastal mapping program; 

16 (6) identify a centralized mechanism or office 

17 for coordinating data collection, processing, 

18 archiving, and dissemination activities of all such 

19 mapping programs within the National Oceanic and 

20 Atmospheric Administration, including— 

21 (A) designating primary data processing 

22 centers to maximize efficiency in information 

23 technology investment, develop consistency in 

24 data processing, and meet Federal mandates 

25 for data accessibility; and 
8 

•S 364 RS 

1 (B) designating a repository that is re2 sponsible for archiving and managing the dis3 tribution of all ocean and coastal mapping data 

4 to simplify the provision of services to benefit 

5 Federal and State programs; and 

6 (6) (7) set forth a timetable for implementation 

7 and completion of the plan, including a schedule for 

8 periodic Congressional progress reports, and rec9 ommendations for integrating approaches developed 

10 under the initiative into the interagency program. 

11 (c) NOAA JOINT OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING

12 CENTERS.—The Administrator is authorized to maintain 

13 and operate up to 3 joint ocean and coastal mapping cen14 ters, including a joint hydrographic center, which shall be 

15 co-located with an institution of higher education. The 

16 centers shall serve as hydrographic centers of excellence 

17 and are authorized to conduct activities necessary to carry 

18 out the purposes of this Act, including— 

19 (1) research and development of innovative 

20 ocean and coastal mapping technologies, equipment, 

21 and data products; 

22 (2) mapping of the United States outer conti23 nental shelf; 

24 (3) data processing for non-traditional data and 

25 uses; 
9 

•S 364 RS 

1 (4) advancing the use of remote sensing tech2 nologies, for related issues, including mapping and 

3 assessment of essential fish habitat and of coral re4 sources, ocean observations and ocean exploration; 

5 and 

6 (5) providing graduate education in ocean and 

7 coastal mapping sciences for National Oceanic and 

8 Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer 

9 Corps, personnel of other agencies with ocean and 

10 coastal mapping programs, and civilian personnel. 

11 (d) NOAA REPORT.—The Administrator shall con12 tinue developing a strategy for expanding contracting with 

13 private entities to minimize duplication and take max14 imum advantage of private sector capabilities in fulfilling 

15 the Administration’s mapping and charting responsibil16 ities. Within 120 days after the date of enactment of this 

17 Act, the Administrator shall transmit a report describing 

18 the strategy developed under this subsection to the Senate 

19 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and 

20 the House of Representatives Committee on Resources. 

21 SEC. 5. INTERAGENCY PROGRAM REPORTING. 

22 No later than 18 months after the date of enactment 

23 of this Act, and bi-annually thereafter, the Chairman of 

24 the Committee shall transmit to the Senate Committee on 

25 Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of 
10 

•S 364 RS 

1 Representatives Committee on Resources a report detail2 ing progress made in implementing the provisions of this 

3 Act, including— 

4 (1) an inventory of ocean and coastal mapping 

5 data, noting the metadata, within the territorial seas 

6 and the exclusive economic zone and throughout the 

7 continental shelf of the United States, noting the 

8 age and source of the survey and the spatial resolu9 tion (metadata) of the data; 

10 (2) identification of priority areas in need of 

11 survey coverage using present technologies; 

12 (3) a resource plan that identifies when priority 

13 areas in need of modern ocean and coastal mapping 

14 surveys can be accomplished; 

15 (4) the status of efforts to produce integrated 

16 digital maps of ocean and coastal areas; 

17 (5) a description of any products resulting from 

18 coordinated mapping efforts under this Act that im19 prove public understanding of the coasts, oceans, or 

20 regulatory decision-making; 

21 (6) documentation of minimum and desired 

22 standards for data acquisition and integrated 

23 metadata; 
11 

•S 364 RS 

1 (7) a statement of the status of Federal efforts 

2 to leverage mapping technologies, coordinate map3 ping activities, share expertise, and exchange data; 

4 (8) a statement of resource requirements for or5 ganizations to meet the goals of the program, includ6 ing technology needs for data acquisition, processing 

7 and distribution systems; 

8 (9) a statement of the status of efforts to de9 classify data gathered by the Navy, the National 

10 Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and other agencies to 

11 the extent possible without jeopardizing national se12 curity, and make it available to partner agencies and 

13 the public; and 

14 (10) a resource plan for a digital coast inte15 grated mapping pilot project for the northern Gulf 

16 of Mexico that will— 

17 (A) cover the area from the authorized 

18 coastal counties through the territorial sea; 

19 (B) identify how such a pilot project will 

20 leverage public and private mapping data and 

21 resources, such as the United States Geological 

22 Survey National Map, to result in an oper23 ational coastal change assessment program for 

24 the subregion; and 
12 

•S 364 RS 

1 (11) the status of efforts to coordinate Federal 

2 programs with State and local government programs 

3 and leverage those programs. programs; and 

4 (12) describes efforts of Federal agencies to in5 crease private sector contracting. 

6 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the amounts au8 thorized by section 306 of the Hydrographic Services Im9 provement Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892d), there are au10 thorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry 

11 out this Act— 

12 (1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; 

13 (2) $26,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; 

14 (3) $32,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 

15 (4) $38,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; and 

16 (5) $45,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 

17 through 2013. 

18 (b) JOINT OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING CEN19 TERS.—Of the amounts appropriated pursuant to sub20 section (a), the following amounts shall be used to carry 

21 out section 4(c) of this Act: 

22 (1) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2006. 

23 (2) $11,000,000 for fiscal year 2007. 

24 (3) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2008. 

25 (4) $13,000,000 for fiscal year 2009. 
13 

•S 364 RS 

1 (5) $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 

2 through 2013. 

3 (c) INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE.—Notwithstanding 

4 any other provision of law, from amounts authorized to 

5 be appropriated for fiscal years 2006 through 2013 to the 

6 Department of Defense, the Department of the Interior, 

7 the Department of Homeland Security, the Environmental 

8 Protection Agency, and the National Aeronautics and 

9 Space Administration, the head of each such department 

10 or agency may make available not more than $10,000,000 

11 per fiscal year to carry out interagency activities under 

12 section 3 of this Act. 

13 SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 

14 In this Act: 

15 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis16 trator’’ means the Administrator of the National 

17 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

18 (2) COASTAL STATE.—The term ‘‘coastal state’’ 

19 has the meaning given that term by section 304(4) 

20 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 

21 U.S.C. 1453(4). 

22 (3) COMMITTEE.—The term ‘‘Committee’’ 

23 means the Interagency Ocean Mapping Committee 

24 established by section 3. 
14 

•S 364 RS 

1 (4) EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE.—The term 

2 ‘‘exclusive economic zone’’ means the exclusive eco3 nomic zone of the United States established by Pres4 idential Proclamation No. 5030, of March 10, 1983. 

5 (5) OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING.—The term 

6 ‘‘ocean and coastal mapping’’ means the acquisition, 

7 processing, and management of physical, biological, 

8 geological, chemical, and archaeological characteris9 tics and boundaries of ocean and coastal areas, re10 sources, and sea beds through the use of acoustics, 

11 satellites, aerial photogrammetry, light and imaging, 

12 direct sampling, and other mapping technologies. 

13 (6) TERRITORIAL SEA.—The term ‘‘territorial 

14 sea’’ means the belt of sea measured from the base15 line of the United States determined in accordance 

16 with international law, as set forth in Presidential 

17 Proclamation Number 5928, dated December 27, 

18 1988. 

Calendar No. 161 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 364 

[Report No. 109–102] 

A BILL 

To establish a program within the National Oceanic 

Federal coastal and ocean mapping activities. and Atmospheric Administration to integrate 

JULY 13, 2005 

Reported with amendments