152 
(C) Lake Michigan; 
(D) Lake Ontario; 
(E) Lake Superior; and 
(F) the connecting channels of those 
Lakes, including— 
(i) the Saint Mary’s River; 
(ii) the Saint Clair River; 
(iii) the Detroit River; 
(iv) the Niagara River; and 
(v) the Saint Lawrence River to the 
Canadian border. 
(3) OBSERVING SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘observing 
system’’ means the integrated coastal, ocean, and 
Great Lakes observing system to be established by 
the Committee under section 612(a). 
(4) INTERAGENCY
PROGRAM
OFFICE.—The 
term ‘‘interagency program office’’ means the office 
established under section 612(d). 
SEC. 612. INTEGRATED OCEAN AND COASTAL OBSERVING 
SYSTEM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) 
IN
GENERAL.—The 
President, 
acting 
through the Council, shall establish and maintain an 
integrated system of ocean and coastal observations, 
data communication and management, analysis, 
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modeling, research, education, and outreach de-
signed to provide data and information for the time-
ly detection and prediction of changes occurring in 
the ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes environment 
that impact the social, economic, and ecological sys-
tems of the United States. 
(2) PURPOSES.—The observing system shall 
provide for long-term, continuous, and quality-con-
trolled observations of the coasts, oceans, and Great 
Lakes so as to— 
(A) improve the health of the coasts, 
oceans, and Great Lakes of the United States; 
(B) protect human lives and livelihoods 
from hazards, including tsunamis, hurricanes, 
coastal erosion, and fluctuating Great Lakes 
water levels; 
(C) understand the effects of human activi-
ties and natural variability on the state of the 
coasts, oceans, and Great Lakes and the socio-
economic well-being of the United States; 
(D) provide for the sustainable use, protec-
tion, and enjoyment of ocean, coastal, and 
Great Lakes resources; 
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(E) provide information that can support 
the eventual implementation and refinement of 
ecosystem-based management; 
(F) supply critical information to marine- 
related businesses, including aquaculture and 
fisheries; and 
(G) support research and development to— 
(i) ensure continuous improvement to 
ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes observa-
tion measurements; and 
(ii) enhance understanding of the 
ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources 
of the United States. 
(b) SYSTEM ELEMENTS.—To carry out the purposes 
of this subtitle, the observing system shall consist of— 
(1) a national program to fulfill national obser-
vation priorities, including the ocean contribution of 
the United States to the Global Earth Observation 
System of Systems and the Global Ocean Observing 
System; 
(2) a network of regional associations to man-
age the regional ocean and coastal observing and in-
formation programs that collect, measure, and dis-
seminate data and information products to meet re-
gional needs; 
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(3) a data management and dissemination sys-
tem for the timely integration and dissemination of 
data and information products from the national 
and regional systems; 
(4) a research and development program con-
ducted under the guidance of the Council; and 
(5) an outreach, education, and training pro-
gram that augments existing programs, including 
the National Sea Grant College Program, the Cen-
ters for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence pro-
gram, and the National Estuarine Research Reserve 
System, to ensure the use of the data and informa-
tion for— 
(A) improving public education and aware-
ness of the oceans of the United States; and 
(B) building the technical expertise re-
quired to operate and improve the observing 
system. 
(c) COUNCIL FUNCTIONS.—In carrying out this sec-
tion, the Council shall— 
(1) serve as the oversight body for the design 
and implementation of all aspects of the observing 
system; 
(2) adopt plans, budgets, and standards that 
are developed and maintained by the interagency 
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