I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2750 

To establish an Interagency Working Group on Coastal Blue Carbon, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 22, 2021 

Ms. BONAMICI (for herself, Mr. POSEY, Mr. BEYER, and Mr. MAST) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 

Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and 

Technology, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently 

determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To establish an Interagency Working Group on Coastal Blue 

Carbon, 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 ‘‘Blue Carbon for Our 

5 Planet Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP. 

7 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The National Science and 

8 Technology Council Subcommittee on Ocean Science and 


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1 Technology shall establish an Interagency Working Group 

2 on Coastal Blue Carbon. 

3 (b) PURPOSES.—The Interagency Working Group on 

4 Coastal Blue Carbon shall oversee the development of a 

5 national map of coastal blue carbon ecosystems, establish 

6 national coastal blue carbon ecosystem protection and res7 toration priorities, assess the biophysical, social, and eco8 nomic impediments to coastal blue carbon ecosystem res9 toration, study the effects of climate change, environ10 mental stressors, and human stressors on carbon seques11 tration rates, and preserve the continuity of coastal blue 

12 carbon data. 

13 (c) MEMBERSHIP.—The Interagency Working Group 

14 on Coastal Blue Carbon shall be comprised of senior rep15 resentatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

16 Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the 

17 National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics 

18 and Space Administration, the United States Geological 

19 Survey, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the 

20 National Park Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the 

21 Smithsonian Institution, the Army Corps of Engineers, 

22 the Department of Agriculture, the Department of En23 ergy, the Department of Defense, the Department of 

24 Transportation, the Department of State, the Federal 


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1 Emergency Management Agency, and the Council on En2 vironmental Quality. 

3 (d) CHAIR.—The Interagency Working Group shall 

4 be chaired by the Administrator. 

5 (e) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Interagency Working 

6 Group shall— 

7 (1) oversee the development, update, and main8 tenance of a national map and inventory of coastal 

9 blue carbon ecosystems, including habitat types with 

10 a regional focus in analysis that is usable for local 

11 level protection planning and restoration; 

12 (2) develop a strategic assessment of the bio13 physical, chemical, social, statutory, regulatory, and 

14 economic impediments to protection and restoration 

15 of coastal blue carbon ecosystems; 

16 (3) develop a national strategy for foundational 

17 science necessary to study, synthesize, and evaluate 

18 the effects of climate change, environmental, and 

19 human stressors on sequestration rates and capabili20 ties of coastal blue carbon ecosystems protection; 

21 (4) establish national coastal blue carbon eco22 system protection and restoration priorities, includ23 ing an assessment of current Federal funding being 

24 used for restoration efforts; 


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1 (5) ensure the continuity, use, and interoper2 ability of data assets through the Smithsonian Envi3 ronmental Research Center’s Coastal Carbon Data 

4 Clearinghouse; and 

5 (6) assess current legal authorities to protect 

6 and restore blue carbon ecosystems. 

7 (f) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 

9 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

10 Interagency Working Group shall provide to the 

11 Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 

12 House of Representatives, the Committee on Natural 

13 Resources of the House of Representatives, and the 

14 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor15 tation of the Senate a report containing the fol16 lowing: 

17 (A) A summary of federally funded coastal 

18 blue carbon ecosystem research, monitoring, 

19 preservation, and restoration activities, includ20 ing the budget for each of these activities and 

21 describe the progress in advancing the national 

22 priorities established in section 4(a)(4)(A). 

23 (B) An assessment of biophysical, social, 

24 and economic impediments to coastal blue car25 bon ecosystem restoration, including the vulnerVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Jun 15, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2750.IH H2750

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1 ability of coastal blue carbon ecosystems to cli2 mate impacts, such as sea-level rise, ocean and 

3 coastal acidification, and other environmental 

4 and human stressors. 

5 (2) STRATEGIC PLAN.— 

6 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Interagency Work7 ing group shall create a strategic plan for Fed8 eral investments in basic research, development, 

9 demonstration, long-term monitoring and stew10 ardship, and deployment of coastal blue carbon 

11 ecosystem projects for the 5-year period begin12 ning at the start of the first fiscal year after 

13 the date on which the budget assessment is sub14 mitted under paragraph (1). The plan shall in15 clude an assessment of the use of existing Fed16 eral programs to protect and preserve coastal 

17 blue carbon ecosystems and identify the need 

18 for any additional authorities or programs. 

19 (B) TIMING.—The Interagency Working 

20 Group shall— 

21 (i) submit the strategic plan under 

22 paragraph (A) to the Committee on 

23 Science, Space, and Technology of the 

24 House of Representatives, the Committee 

25 on Natural Resources of the House of RepVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Jun 15, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2750.IH H2750

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1 resentatives, and the Committee on Com2 merce, Science, and Transportation of the 

3 Senate on a date that is not later than one 

4 year after the enactment of this Act and 

5 not earlier than the date on which the re6 port under paragraph (1) is submitted to 

7 such committees of Congress; and 

8 (ii) submit a revised version of such 

9 plan not less than quinquennially there10 after. 

11 (C) FEDERAL REGISTER.—Not later than 

12 90 days before the strategic plan under this 

13 paragraph, or any revision thereof, is submitted 

14 under subparagraph (B), the Interagency 

15 Working Group shall publish such plan in the 

16 Federal Register and provide an opportunity for 

17 submission of public comments for a period of 

18 not less than 60 days. 

19 SEC. 3. NATIONAL MAP OF COASTAL BLUE CARBON ECO20 SYSTEMS. 

21 (a) NATIONAL MAP.—The Interagency Working 

22 Group shall— 

23 (1) produce, update at least once every five 

24 years, and maintain a national level map and inven25 tory of coastal blue carbon ecosystems, including— 


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1 (A) the species and types of habitats and 

2 species in the ecosystem; 

3 (B) the condition of such habitats includ4 ing whether a habitat is degraded, drained, eu5 trophic, or tidally restricted; 

6 (C) type of public or private ownership and 

7 any protected status; 

8 (D) the size of the ecosystem; 

9 (E) the salinity boundaries; 

10 (F) the tidal boundaries; 

11 (G) an assessment of carbon sequestration 

12 potential, methane production, and net green13 house gas reductions including consideration 

14 of— 

15 (i) quantification; 

16 (ii) verifiability; 

17 (iii) comparison to a historical base18 line, as available; and 

19 (iv) permanence of those benefits; 

20 (H) an assessment of cobenefits of eco21 system and carbon sequestration; 

22 (I) the potential for landward migration as 

23 a result of sea level rise; 


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1 (J) any upstream restrictions detrimental 

2 to the watershed process and conditions such as 

3 dams, dikes, and levees; 

4 (K) the conversion of coastal blue carbon 

5 ecosystems to other land uses and the cause of 

6 such conversion; and 

7 (L) a depiction of the effects of climate 

8 change, including sea level rise, environmental 

9 stressors, and human stressors on the seques10 tration rate, carbon storage, and potential of 

11 coastal blue carbon ecosystems; and 

12 (2) in carrying out paragraph (1)— 

13 (A) incorporate, to the extent possible, ex14 isting data collected through federally funded 

15 research and by a Federal agency, State agen16 cy, local agency, Tribe, including data collected 

17 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

18 Administration Coastal Change Analysis Pro19 gram, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National 

20 Wetlands Inventory, United States Geological 

21 Survey LandCarbon program, Federal Emer22 gency Management Agency LiDAR information 

23 coordination and knowledge program, Depart24 ment of Energy Biological and Environmental 

25 Research program, and Department of AgriVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Jun 15, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2750.IH H2750

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1 culture National Coastal Blue Carbon Assess2 ment; and 

3 (B) engage regional technical experts in 

4 order to accurately account for regional dif5 ferences in coastal blue carbon ecosystems. 

6 (b) USE.—The Interagency Working Group shall use 

7 the national map and inventory— 

8 (1) to assess the carbon sequestration potential 

9 of different coastal blue carbon habitats, and ac10 count for any regional differences; 

11 (2) to assess and quantify emissions from de12 graded and destroyed coastal blue carbon eco13 systems; 

14 (3) to develop regional assessments and to pro15 vide technical assistance to regional, State, Tribal, 

16 and local government agencies, and regional infor17 mation coordination entities as defined in section 

18 123030(6) of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Ob19 servation System Act (33 U.S.C. 3602); 

20 (4) to assess degraded coastal blue carbon eco21 systems and their potential for restoration, including 

22 developing scenario modeling to identify vulnerable 

23 areas where management, protection, and restora24 tion efforts should be focused; 


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1 (5) produce future predictions of coastal blue 

2 carbon ecosystems and carbon sequestration rates in 

3 the context of climate change, environmental 

4 stressors, and human stressors; and 

5 (6) use such map to inform the Administrator 

6 of the Environmental Protection Agency’s creation 

7 of the annual Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas 

8 Emissions and Sinks. 

9 SEC. 4. RESTORATION AND PROTECTIONS FOR EXISTING 

10 COASTAL BLUE CARBON ECOSYSTEMS. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall— 

12 (1) lead the Interagency Working Group in im13 plementing the strategic plan under section 2(e)(2); 

14 (2) coordinate monitoring and research efforts 

15 among Federal agencies in cooperation with State, 

16 local, and Tribal government and international part17 ners and nongovernmental organizations; 

18 (3) establish a national goal for conserving 

19 ocean and coastal blue carbon ecosystems within the 

20 territory of the United States, and as appropriate 

21 setting targets for restoration of degraded coastal 

22 blue carbon ecosystems; 

23 (4) in coordination with the Interagency Work24 ing Group and as informed by the report under secVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Jun 15, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2750.IH H2750

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1 tion 2(e) on current Federal expenditures on coastal 

2 blue carbon ecosystem restoration, identify— 

3 (A) national coastal blue carbon ecosystem 

4 protection and restoration priorities that would 

5 produce the highest rate of carbon sequestra6 tion and greatest ecosystem benefits such as 

7 flood protection, soil and beach retention, ero8 sion reduction, biodiversity, water purification, 

9 and nutrient cycling in the context of other en10 vironmental stressors and climate change; and 

11 (B) ways to improve coordination and to 

12 prevent unnecessary duplication of effort among 

13 Federal agencies and departments with respect 

14 to research on coastal blue carbon ecosystems 

15 through existing and new coastal management 

16 networks; and 

17 (5) in coordination with State, local, and Tribal 

18 governments and coastal stakeholders, develop inte19 grated pilot programs to restore degraded coastal 

20 blue carbon ecosystems in accordance with sub21 section (b). 

22 (b) INTEGRATED PILOT PROGRAMS TO RESTORE

23 AND PROTECT DEGRADED COASTAL BLUE CARBON ECO24 SYSTEMS.—In carrying out subsection (a)(5), the Admin25 istrator shall— 


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1 (1) establish integrated pilot programs that de2 velop best management practices, including design 

3 criteria and performance functions for coastal blue 

4 carbon ecosystem restoration and protection, nature5 based adaptation strategies, restoration areas that 

6 intersect with the built environments as green-gray 

7 infrastructure projects, management practices for 

8 landward progression or migration of coastal blue 

9 carbon ecosystems, and identify potential barriers to 

10 restoration efforts, and increase long-term carbon 

11 sequestration and storage; 

12 (2) ensure that the pilot programs cover geo13 graphically and ecologically diverse locations with 

14 significant ecological, economic, and social benefits, 

15 such as flood protection, soil and beach retention, 

16 erosion reduction, biodiversity, water purification, 

17 and nutrient cycling to reduce hypoxic conditions, 

18 and maximum potential for greenhouse gas emission 

19 reduction; 

20 (3) establish a procedure for reviewing applica21 tions for the pilot program, taking into account— 

22 (A) quantification; 

23 (B) verifiability; 

24 (C) additionality as compared to a histor25 ical baseline, when feasible; and 


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1 (D) permanence of those benefits; 

2 (4) ensure, through consultation with the Inter3 agency Working Group, that the goals and metrics 

4 for the pilot programs are communicated to the ap5 propriate State, Tribe, and local governments, and 

6 to the general public; 

7 (5) coordinate with relevant Federal agencies 

8 on the Interagency Working Group to prevent un9 necessary duplication of effort among Federal agen10 cies and departments with respect to restoration and 

11 protection programs; 

12 (6) give priority to proposed eligible restoration 

13 activities that would— 

14 (A) result in long-term protection and se15 questration of carbon stored in coastal and ma16 rine environments; 

17 (B) protect key habitats for fish, wildlife, 

18 and the maintenance of biodiversity; 

19 (C) provide coastal protection from devel20 opment, storms, flooding, and land-based pollu21 tion; 

22 (D) protect coastal resources of national, 

23 historical, and cultural significance; and 


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1 (E) benefit communities of color, low-in2 come communities, Tribal or Indigenous com3 munities, or rural communities; and 

4 (7) report to the Interagency Working Group, 

5 and Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

6 of the House of Representatives, the Committee on 

7 Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, 

8 and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

9 Transportation of the Senate on the total number of 

10 acres of land or water protected or restored through 

11 the program, the status of restoration projects, and 

12 the blue carbon sequestration potential of each res13 toration pilot project. 

14 SEC. 5. COASTAL CARBON DATA CLEARINGHOUSE. 

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Smithso16 nian, in coordination with the Administrator and members 

17 of the Interagency Working Group, shall provide for the 

18 long-term stewardship of, and access to, data relating to 

19 coastal blue carbon ecosystems and national mapping, by 

20 supporting the maintenance of the Coastal Carbon Data 

21 Clearinghouse. 

22 (b) COASTAL CARBON DATA CLEARINGHOUSE DU23 TIES.—Acting through the Coastal Carbon Data Clearing24 house, the Secretary of the Smithsonian in coordination 

25 with the Administrator and members of the Interagency 


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1 Working Group shall process, store, archive, provide ac2 cess to, and incorporate to the extent possible, all data 

3 collected through federally funded research by a Federal 

4 agency, State, local agency, Tribe, academic scientist, or 

5 any other relevant entity. 

6 (c) GLOBAL AND NATIONAL DATA ASSETS.—The 

7 Secretary of the Smithsonian in coordination with the Ad8 ministrator and members of the Interagency Working 

9 Group shall ensure that existing global and national data 

10 assets are incorporated into the Coastal Carbon Data 

11 Clearinghouse to the greatest extent possible. 

12 (d) ESTABLISHMENT OF STANDARDS, PROTOCOLS, 

13 AND PROCEDURES.—The Secretary of the Smithsonian in 

14 coordination with the Administrator and members of the 

15 Interagency Working Group, shall establish standards, 

16 protocols, and procedures for the processing, storing, 

17 archiving, and providing access to data in the Coastal Car18 bon Data Clearinghouse and best practices for sharing 

19 such data with State, local, and Tribal governments, 

20 coastal stakeholders, non-Federal resource managers, and 

21 academia. The Administrator shall work to disseminate 

22 such data to the greatest extent practicable. 

23 (e) DIGITAL TOOLS AND RESOURCES.—The Sec24 retary of the Smithsonian, in coordination with the Ad25 ministrator and members of the Interagency Working 


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1 Group, shall develop digital tools and resources to support 

2 the public use of the Coastal Carbon Data Clearinghouse. 

3 SEC. 6. NAS ASSESSMENT OF CONTAINMENT OF CARBON 

4 DIOXIDE IN DEEP SEAFLOOR ENVIRONMENT. 

5 Not later than 90 days after the date of the enact6 ment of this Act, the Administrator shall seek to enter 

7 into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences 

8 to conduct a comprehensive assessment on the long-term 

9 effects of geologic stores of carbon dioxide in a deep 

10 seafloor environment, including impacts on marine species 

11 and ecosystems. 

12 SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

13 There are authorized to be appropriated to the Na14 tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry 

15 out this Act $15,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2022 

16 through 2026. 

17 SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS. 

18 In this Act: 

19 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis20 trator’’ means the Under Secretary of Commerce for 

21 Oceans and Atmosphere in the Under Secretary’s 

22 capacity as the Administrator of the National Oce23 anic and Atmospheric Administration. 

24 (2) COASTAL BLUE CARBON ECOSYSTEM.—The 

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1 tated coastal habitats including mangroves, tidal 

2 marshes, seagrasses, kelp forests, and other tidal, 

3 freshwater, or salt-water wetlands, and their ability 

4 to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, accumu5 late it in biomass for years to decades, and store it 

6 in soils for centuries to millennia. Coastal blue car7 bon ecosystems include both autochthonous carbon 

8 and allochthonous carbon. 

9 (3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each 

10 State of the United States, the District of Columbia, 

11 the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American 

12 Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern 

13 Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands of the United 

14 States, and any other territory or possession of the 

15 United States. 

Æ 


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