Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2015

To direct the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to conduct coastal community vulnerability assessments related to ocean acidification, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2015 2. Coastal community vulnerability assessment (a) In general Section 12406 of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 ( 33 U.S.C. 3705 (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following: (b) Community vulnerability assessment (1) In general The Secretary, through the program established under subsection (a), shall conduct an ocean acidification coastal community vulnerability assessment, and issue a corresponding public report, that shall be updated at least once every 7 years. (2) Requirements The assessment conducted under paragraph (1) shall— (A) identify the United States coastal communities, including island communities, low-population rural communities, and subsistence communities, that are most dependent on coastal and ocean resources that may be impacted by ocean acidification; (B) assess the nature of those communities’ social and economic vulnerabilities; (C) identify the ocean acidification impacts that might harm those communities, including impacts from changes in ocean and coastal marine resources that are not managed by the Federal Government; (D) identify key knowledge gaps where research could be devoted to better understand the possible impacts of ocean acidification on these vulnerable communities, the risks and threats facing these communities, and possible adaptation strategies for these communities; and (E) be conducted in collaboration with experts who are familiar with the unique economic, social, ecological, geographic, and resource concerns of the Nation’s coastal communities, including representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service and the Office for Coastal Management. . (b) Ongoing input mechanism Section 12404(b)(5) of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 ( 33 U.S.C. 3703(b)(5) , also including an ongoing mechanism that allows affected industry members, coastal stakeholders, non-Federal resource managers, and scientific experts not employed by the Federal Government to provide input on research, data, and monitoring that is necessary to support on-the-ground management, decisionmaking, and adaptation related to ocean acidification and its impacts (c) Strategic research plan Section 12405(b) of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 ( 33 U.S.C. 3704(b) (1) in paragraph (8), by striking and (2) in paragraph (9), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (10) make recommendations for research that should be conducted, including in the social sciences and economics, to address the key knowledge gaps identified in the community vulnerability assessment report conducted under subsection (b) of section 12406. .

Summary: Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2015 This bill amends the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009 to require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct and update at least once every seven years an ocean acidification coastal community vulnerability assessment with a corresponding public report. The assessment must identify: (1) U.S. coastal communities that are most dependent on coastal and ocean resources that may be impacted by ocean acidification; (2) the nature of those communities' social and economic vulnerabilities; (3) impacts from changes in ocean and coastal marine resources that are not managed by the federal government; and (4) key knowledge gaps where research could be devoted to better understand the possible ocean acidification impacts, risks, threats, and possible adaptation strategies for the communities. NOAA's ocean acidification program is expanded to include an ongoing mechanism that allows affected industry members, coastal stakeholders, non-federal resource managers, and outside scientific experts not employed by the federal government to provide input on research, data, and monitoring necessary to support on-the-ground management, decision making, and adaptation related to ocean acidification and its impacts. The strategic plan for ocean acidification research and monitoring developed by the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology of the National Science and Technology Council must make recommendations for research to address the key knowledge gaps identified in the community vulnerability assessment report.