‘‘(2) INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.—For the terms 
of the group of first appointments of voting mem-
bers to the Council, a drawing of lots among the ap-
pointees shall be conducted under which— 
‘‘(A) 1⁄3 of that group shall serve for 3 
years; 
‘‘(B) 1⁄3 of that group shall serve for 2 
years; and 
‘‘(C) the remainder of that group shall 
serve for 1 year. 
‘‘(3) DURATION OF COUNCIL.—The duration of 
the Council shall be throughout the lifetime of en-
ergy development, transportation, and facility re-
moval activities in the Gulf of Mexico. 
‘‘(d) ADMINISTRATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Council shall— 
‘‘(A) elect a chairperson; 
‘‘(B) select staff; and 
‘‘(C) make policies with regard to internal 
operating procedures. 
‘‘(2) SELF-GOVERNANCE.—After the initial or-
ganizational meeting hosted by the Secretary of the 
department in which the Coast Guard is operating, 
the Council shall be self-governing. 
‘‘(3) TRANSPARENCY.—The Council shall— 
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‘‘(A) conduct the operations of the Council 
in public, to the maximum extent practicable; 
and 
‘‘(B) make the work products the Council 
adopts available to the public. 
‘‘(4) CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.—An individual 
selected as a voting member of the Council may not 
engage in any activity that may conflict with the 
execution of the functions or duties of the individual 
as a Council member. 
‘‘(e) DUTIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Council shall, with re-
gard to facilities and tank vessels in, and on the 
coast of, the Gulf of Mexico— 
‘‘(A) with regard to facilities and tank ves-
sels in, and on the coast of, the Gulf of Mex-
ico— 
‘‘(i) provide comprehensive oversight 
and monitoring of policies, permits, and 
regulations relating to the activities, oper-
ation, and maintenance of the facilities and 
tank vessels; 
‘‘(ii) monitor the environmental im-
pacts of the operation of the facilities and 
tank vessels; 
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‘‘(iii) monitor oil spill prevention and 
response plans, including plans relating to 
blowout prevention and response, for the 
facilities and tank vessels; and 
‘‘(iv) recommend standards and condi-
tions for regulations intended to ensure the 
safe and environmentally sound operation 
and maintenance of the facilities and tank 
vessels; 
‘‘(B) provide recommendations for, and 
otherwise assist, any oil spill recovery or spill 
research institute established for the Gulf of 
Mexico; and 
‘‘(C) conduct such other activities within 
the authority and scope of the Council as the 
Council considers appropriate. 
‘‘(2) GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE.—The Council shall 
carry out the duties described in paragraph (1) in a 
manner that, to the maximum extent practicable, 
covers all activities of facilities and tank vessels oc-
curring in the Gulf of Mexico. 
‘‘(f) STANDING COMMITTEES.—The Council may cre-
ate standing committees as necessary to carry out the du-
ties described in subsection (e), including— 
‘‘(1) a scientific and technical committee; 
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‘‘(2) an environmental monitoring committee; 
‘‘(3) an oil spill prevention and response com-
mittee; 
‘‘(4) an offshore committee for monitoring ac-
tivities in water that is more than 500 feet in depth; 
‘‘(5) a near-shore committee for monitoring ac-
tivities in water that is 500 feet or less in depth; 
‘‘(6) an information and education committee; 
and 
‘‘(7) a committee on social impact assessments: 
prevention, mitigation and response. 
‘‘(g) TEMPORARY COMMITTEES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the standing 
committees authorized to be created in subsection 
(f), the Council may create temporary committees as 
necessary to carry out the duties of the Council re-
lating to— 
‘‘(A) the blowout and explosion of the mo-
bile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon 
that occurred on April 20, 2010; and 
‘‘(B) the resulting hydrocarbon releases 
into the environment, including temporary com-
mittees relating to— 
‘‘(i) public and occupational health; 
and 
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‘‘(ii) assessment and monitoring of en-
vironmental, social and economic impacts. 
‘‘(2) DISSOLUTION.—If a 2⁄3 majority of the 
Council votes to discontinue activities relating to the 
incidents described in paragraph (1), any temporary 
committee established under paragraph (1) shall dis-
solve within 60 days after the date of the vote. 
‘‘(h) ESTOPPEL.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Council shall not be 
liable under Federal or State law for costs or dam-
ages as a result of rendering recommendations under 
this section. 
‘‘(2) ADVICE.—Any advice given by a voting 
member of the Council, or by a program representa-
tive or agent, shall not be grounds for estopping 
those interests represented by the voting Council 
members from seeking damages or other appropriate 
relief. 
‘‘(i) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES AND 
INDUSTRY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Council may request 
directly from any Federal agency (as defined in sec-
tion 1004 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 
U.S.C. 6903)) (referred to in this section as a ‘Fed-
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eral agency’) information, suggestions, estimates, 
and statistics for the purposes of this section. 
‘‘(2) AGENCY COOPERATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Effective beginning 
180 days after the date of enactment of this 
section, each Federal agency shall, with respect 
to all permits, site-specific regulations, and 
other matters governing the activities and ac-
tions within the purview of the Council, consult 
with the Council prior to taking substantive ac-
tion with respect to the permit, site-specific reg-
ulation, or other matter. 
‘‘(B) REVIEW.—The consultation shall be 
carried out in a manner that enables the Coun-
cil— 
‘‘(i) to review the permit, site-specific 
regulation, or other matters; and 
‘‘(ii) to make appropriate recommen-
dations regarding operations, policy, or 
agency actions. 
‘‘(C) EMERGENCIES.—Prior consultation 
shall not be required under this paragraph if an 
authorized Federal agency representative rea-
sonably believes that an emergency exists re-
quiring action without delay. 
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‘‘(D) INFORMATION.—Each Federal agen-
cy shall, on the request of the Council, to the 
extent authorized by law, furnish information, 
suggestions, estimates, and statistics directly to 
the Council. 
‘‘(3) ACCESS.—The Council shall have access to 
oil and gas industry facilities and records that are 
relevant to the proper execution of the duties of the 
Council under this section. 
‘‘(j) COUNCIL RESEARCH.—In carrying out this sec-
tion, the Council— 
‘‘(1) may conduct applicable scientific research; 
and 
‘‘(2) shall review applicable scientific work un-
dertaken by or on behalf of— 
‘‘(A) the energy industry; 
‘‘(B) the conservation community; or 
‘‘(C) government agencies. 
‘‘(k) COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—All recommendations of the 
Council shall be advisory only. 
‘‘(2) RECOMMENDATIONS.—If a government 
agency, responsible party, or other owner or oper-
ator, lessee, or permittee (referred to in this para-
graph as the ‘covered individual or entity’) decides 
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not to accept, or decides to substantially modify be-
fore adoption, a recommendation of the Council, the 
covered individual or entity shall provide to the 
Council, not later than 10 days after the date of the 
decision of the covered individual or entity, a written 
notice of the decision and a summary of reasons for 
the rejection or substantial modification of the rec-
ommendation by the covered individual or entity. 
‘‘(l) LOCATION AND COMPENSATION.— 
‘‘(1) OFFICE
LOCATIONS.—The Council shall 
establish offices in 1 or more Gulf States, as the 
Council determines to be necessary and appropriate 
to the operations of the Council. 
‘‘(2) PER DIEM AUTHORIZATION.—A member of 
the Council may not be compensated for service on 
the Council, but shall be allowed travel expenses, in-
cluding per diem, at a rate established by the Coun-
cil, not to exceed the rates authorized for employees 
of agencies under sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, 
United States Code (except by express authorization 
of the Council in any case in which the rates are in-
adequate to reimburse a member not eligible for 
travel rates of the Federal Government). 
‘‘(m) REPORTS.— 
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‘‘(1) GAO REPORTS.—Not later than 3 years 
after the date of establishment of the Council and 
every 3 years thereafter, the Comptroller General of 
the United States shall submit to the President and 
Congress a report covering the operations and ex-
penditures of the Council in carrying out this sec-
tion, including any recommendations. 
‘‘(2) BIENNIAL REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Every 
2 years, the Council shall submit a report to Con-
gress on— 
‘‘(A) the achievement of safe operations in 
the Gulf of oil and gas activities; and 
‘‘(B) on the operations and expenditures, 
needs, problems, issues, and recommendations 
of the Council. 
‘‘(3) ANNUAL AUDITS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Council shall— 
‘‘(i) commission an annual inde-
pendent financial statement audit by an 
independent accounting firm; and 
‘‘(ii) publish the results of the audits 
in a publicly available annual report. 
‘‘(B) BIENNIAL
REPORTS.—The audits 
shall be incorporated into the reports to Con-
gress required by paragraph (2). 
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‘‘(n) SUITS
BARRED.—No program, association, 
council, committee, or other organization created by this 
section may sue any public or private person or entity con-
cerning any matter arising under this section other than 
the performance of a contracts. 
‘‘(o) OPERATIONAL
AND ADMINISTRATIVE FUND-
ING.—Owners or operators of tank vessels, onshore facili-
ties, or offshore facilities, lessees, and permittees in the 
Gulf of Mexico shall provide, on an annual basis, an aggre-
gate amount of not more than $10,000,000, as determined 
by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast 
Guard is operating, that shall— 
‘‘(1) provide for the establishment and oper-
ation of the Council (including standing committees 
and any temporary committees); and 
‘‘(2) be adjusted annually to reflect changes in 
the Consumer Price Index in the Gulf of Mexico re-
gion.’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents in 
section 2 of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. prec. 
2701) is amended by adding at the end of the items relat-
ing to title IV the following: 
‘‘Sec. 4119. Gulf of Mexico Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council.’’. 
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SEC. 211. VESSEL LIABILITY. 
Section 1004(a) of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 
U.S.C. 2704(a)) is amended by striking paragraph (1) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) for a vessel that is— 
‘‘(A) a tank ship that is a single-hull ves-
sel, including a single-hull vessel fitted with 
double sides only or a double bottom only, 
$3,300 per gross ton or $93,600,000, whichever 
is greater; 
‘‘(B) a tank ship that is a double-hull ves-
sel, $1,900 per gross ton or $16,000,000, 
whichever is greater; 
‘‘(C) a tank barge that is a single-hull ves-
sel, including a single-hull vessel fitted with 
double sides only or a double bottom only, 
$7,000 per gross ton or $29,100,000, whichever 
is greater; or 
‘‘(D) a tank barge that is a double-hull 
vessel, $7,000 per gross ton or $36,900,000, 
whichever is greater;’’. 
SEC. 212. COAST GUARD RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. 
Section 1012(a)(5)(A) of the Oil Pollution Act of 
1990 (33 U.S.C. 2712(a)(5)(A)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘$25,000,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$50,000,000’’; and 
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(2) by striking the semicolon at the end and in-
serting ‘‘, of which amount not less than 40 percent 
shall be used to conduct research, development, and 
evaluation of oil spill response and removal tech-
nologies and methods;’’. 
SEC. 213. PROMPT INTERGOVERNMENTAL NOTICE OF MA-
RINE CASUALTIES. 
Section 6101 of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(j) NOTICE
TO STATES
AND TRIBAL GOVERN-
MENTS.— 
‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT
TO
NOTIFY.—Not later 
than 1 hour after receiving a report of a marine cas-
ualty under this section, the Secretary shall forward 
the report to each appropriate State agency and 
tribal government of an Indian tribe (as defined in 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b)) that has ju-
risdiction concurrent with the United States or adja-
cent to waters in which the marine casualty oc-
curred. 
‘‘(2) 
APPROPRIATE
STATE
AGENCY.—Each 
State shall identify for the Secretary the appropriate 
State agency to receive a report under paragraph 
(1). Such agency shall be responsible for forwarding 
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appropriate information related to such report to 
local and tribal governments within the State.’’. 
SEC. 214. PROMPT PUBLICATION OF OIL SPILL INFORMA-
TION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In any response to an oil spill in 
which the Commandant of the Coast Guard serves as the 
Federal On-Scene Coordinator leading a Unified Com-
mand, the Commandant, on a publicly accessible Web site, 
all written Incident Action Plans prepared and approved 
as a part of the response to such oil spill. 
(b) TIMELINESS AND DURATION.—The Commandant 
shall— 
(1) publish each Incident Action Plan pursuant 
to subsection (a) promptly after such Plan is ap-
proved for implementation by the Unified Command, 
and in no event later than 12 hours into the oper-
ational period for which such Plan is prepared; and 
(2) ensure that such plan remains remain pub-
licly accessible by Web site for the duration of the 
response to oil spill. 
(c) REDACTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION.—The 
Commandant may redact information from an Incident 
Action Plans published pursuant to subsection (a) to the 
extent necessary to comply with applicable privacy laws 
and other requirements regarding personal information. 
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TITLE III—OTHER MATTERS 
RELATING TO OIL SPILLS 
SEC. 301. COORDINATION OF FEDERAL AND STATE ACTIVI-
TIES WITH RESPECT TO OIL SPILL SURVEYS. 
(a) DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL PROTOCOLS FOR 
OIL SPILL SURVEYS.—Not later than 270 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary 
for Oceans and Atmosphere shall, in coordination with the 
Secretary of Homeland Security, the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency, and the heads of such 
departments and agencies of State governments as the 
Under Secretary considers appropriate, develop standard 
national protocols for oil spill response and clean up as-
sessments to promote consistent procedures for collecting 
shoreline characterization data. 
(b) GUIDANCE AND TOOLS FOR APPLICATION OF NA-
TIONAL PROTOCOLS
FOR OIL SPILL SURVEYS.—The 
Under Secretary shall develop guidance and tools for oil 
spill responders and offer instructional courses to ensure 
that the protocols developed under subsection (a) are used 
during oil spill responses in the waters of the United 
States. 
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SEC. 302. COORDINATION BETWEEN NATIONAL OCEANIC 
AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, COAST 
GUARD, AND DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR ON 
OIL SPILL MATTERS. 
(a) OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF LEASING PRO-
GRAM.—Section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands 
Act (43 U.S.C. 1344) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting ‘‘the Sec-
retary of Commerce, the Secretary of the depart-
ment in which the Coast Guard is operating, and’’ 
before ‘‘the Attorney General,’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘pro-
gram,’’ in the first sentence and all that follows 
through the end of the paragraph and inserting 
‘‘program— 
‘‘(A) the Attorney General may, after con-
sultation with the Federal Trade Commission, 
submit comments on the anticipated effects of 
the proposed program on competition; 
‘‘(B) the Secretary of Commerce may sub-
mit comments on the anticipated effects of the 
proposed program on the human, marine, and 
coastal environments, including the likelihood of 
occurrence and potential severity of spills and 
chronic pollution; 
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‘‘(C) the Secretary of the department in 
which the Coast Guard is operating may submit 
comments on the adequacy of the response ca-
pabilities of the Federal Government for spills 
and chronic pollution that may occur as a result 
of the proposed program; and 
‘‘(D) any State, local government, or other 
person may submit comments and recommenda-
tions as to any aspect of the proposed pro-
gram.’’; and 
(B) in the second sentence in paragraph 
(2), by striking ‘‘Attorney General’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘Attorney General, the Secretary of Com-
merce, the Secretary of the department in 
which the Coast Guard is operating,’’. 
(b) ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES.—Section 20(f) of the 
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1346(f)) 
is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘(f) In executing’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In executing’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) NATIONAL
OCEANIC
AND
ATMOSPHERIC 
ADMINISTRATION.— 
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‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—In addition to any 
other requirement under law, the Secretary 
shall, prior to the approval of any program, 
lease, exploration plan, or development and pro-
duction plan, consult with the Administrator of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin-
istration (referred to in this paragraph as the 
‘Administrator’) on the reasonably foreseeable 
adverse effects of the proposed action to ocean 
and coastal resources, including oil spills. 
‘‘(B) INITIATION OF CONSULTATION.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary 
shall initiate consultation under subpara-
graph (A) at the earliest practicable time, 
but in no case later than 90 days before 
the date of approval of the proposed ac-
tion. 
‘‘(ii) PROVISION OF INFORMATION.— 
On the initiation of consultation, the Sec-
retary shall provide the Administrator with 
information describing the nature, location, 
and duration of the proposed action, and a 
description of all reasonably foreseeable 
adverse effects to ocean and coastal re-
sources. 
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‘‘(C) ALTERNATIVES.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—At any time prior 
to the date that is 45 days before the ap-
proval of the proposed action, the Adminis-
trator may recommend alternatives to any 
proposed action, including measures that 
will prevent or minimize reasonably fore-
seeable adverse effects to ocean and coastal 
resources. 
‘‘(ii) 
SECRETARIAL
ACTION.—The 
Secretary shall incorporate into the ap-
proval for the proposed action the alter-
natives 
or 
mitigation 
measures 
rec-
ommended under clause (i), unless the Sec-
retary— 
‘‘(I) determines that the alter-
natives or mitigation measures are not 
necessary to prevent or minimize rea-
sonably foreseeable adverse effects to 
marine and coastal resources; and 
‘‘(II) notifies the Administrator 
in writing of the reasons for that deci-
sion.’’. 
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SEC. 303. FEDERAL OIL SPILL RESEARCH COMMITTEE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com-
mittee to be known as the Federal Oil Spill Research Com-
mittee (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Committee’’). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) COMPOSITION.—The Committee shall be 
composed of members selected by the Under Sec-
retary for Oceans and Atmosphere to represent the 
following: 
(A) The National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration. 
(B) The Coast Guard. 
(C) The Environmental Protection Agency. 
(D) Such other Federal agencies as the 
Under Secretary considers appropriate. 
(2) CHAIRPERSON.—The Under Secretary shall 
designate a Chairperson from among members of 
the Committee who represent the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration. 
(c) DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE.— 
(1) RESEARCH.—The Committee shall— 
(A) coordinate a comprehensive program of 
oil pollution research, technology development, 
and demonstration among the Federal agencies, 
in cooperation and coordination with industry, 
universities, research institutions, State and 
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local governments, tribal governments, and 
other nations, as the Committee considers ap-
propriate; and 
(B) foster cost-effective research mecha-
nisms, including the joint funding of research. 
(2) REPORTS ON CURRENT STATE OF OIL SPILL 
PREVENTION AND RESPONSE CAPABILITIES.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Committee shall submit to Congress a 
report on the current state of oil spill preven-
tion and response capabilities that— 
(i) identifies current research pro-
grams conducted by governments, univer-
sities, and corporate entities; 
(ii) assesses the current status of 
knowledge on oil pollution prevention, re-
sponse, and mitigation technologies; 
(iii) establishes national research pri-
orities and goals for oil pollution tech-
nology development related to prevention, 
response, mitigation, and environmental ef-
fects; 
(iv) identifies regional oil pollution re-
search needs and priorities for a coordi-
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nated program of research at the regional 
level developed in consultation with State 
and local governments and tribes; 
(v) assesses the current state of spill 
response equipment, and determines areas 
in need of improvement including amount, 
age, quality, effectiveness, or necessary 
technological improvements; 
(vi) assesses the current state of real 
time data available to mariners, including 
water level, currents and weather informa-
tion and predictions, and assesses whether 
lack of timely information increases the 
risk of oil spills; 
(vii) assesses the capacity of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration to respond to, and restore, and re-
habilitate marine sanctuaries, monuments, 
sea turtles, and other protected species; 
(viii) establishes goals for improved oil 
spill prevention and response upon which 
to target research for the following 5-year 
period before the next report is submitted 
under subparagraph (B); and 
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(ix) includes such recommendations as 
the Committee considers appropriate. 
(B) QUINQUENNIAL UPDATES.—The Com-
mittee shall submit a report every fifth year 
after its first report under subparagraph (A) 
updating the information contained in its pre-
vious report under this paragraph. 
(d) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out its duties 
under subsection (c)(1), the Committee shall estab-
lish a program for conducting oil pollution research 
and development. 
(2) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—The program estab-
lished under paragraph (1) shall provide for re-
search, development, and demonstration of new or 
improved technologies which are effective in pre-
venting, detecting, or mitigating oil discharges and 
which protect the environment, and include the fol-
lowing: 
(A) High-priority research areas described 
in the report. 
(B) Direct and indirect environmental ef-
fects of acute and chronic oil spills on marine 
resources, including impacts on marine sanc-
tuaries, monuments, other protected areas, ma-
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rine mammals, sea turtles, and other protected 
species. 
(C) Monitoring, modeling, and under-
standing the near- and long-term effects of 
major spills and long-term cumulative effects of 
smaller endemic spills. 
(D) New technologies to detect accidental 
or intentional overboard discharges. 
(E) Mechanical response capabilities, such 
as improved booms, oil skimmers, and storage 
capacity. 
(F) Methods to respond to, restore, and re-
habilitate natural resources and ecosystem 
health and services damaged by oil discharges, 
including impacts on marine sanctuaries, monu-
ments, other protected areas, marine mammals, 
sea turtles, and other protected species. 
(G) Research and training, in consultation 
with the National Response Team, to improve 
industry’s and Government’s ability to remove 
an oil discharge quickly and effectively. 
(3) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 
days after submitting the report to Congress 
under subsection (c)(2)(A), the Committee shall 
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submit to Congress a plan for the implementa-
tion of the program required by paragraph (1). 
(B) ASSESSMENT BY NATIONAL ACADEMY 
OF SCIENCES.—The Chairperson shall, acting 
through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, contract with the National 
Academy of Sciences to— 
(i) provide advice and guidance in the 
preparation and development of the plan 
required by subparagraph (A); and 
(ii) assess the adequacy of the plan as 
submitted, and submit a report to Con-
gress on the conclusions of such assess-
ment. 
(e) GRANT PROGRAM IN SUPPORT OF RESEARCH 
AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary shall, 
in consultation with the National Science Founda-
tion, manage a program of competitive grants to 
universities or other research institutions, or groups 
of universities or research institutions, for the pur-
poses of conducting the program established under 
subsection (d). 
(2) APPLICATIONS AND CONDITIONS.—In con-
ducting the program, the Under Secretary— 
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(A) shall establish a notification and appli-
cation procedure; 
(B) may establish such conditions and re-
quire such assurances as may be appropriate to 
ensure the efficiency and integrity of the grant 
program; and 
(C) may make grants under the program 
on a matching or nonmatching basis. 
(f) ADVICE AND GUIDANCE.—The Committee shall 
accept comments and input from State and local govern-
ments, Indian tribes, industry representatives, and other 
stakeholders in carrying out its duties under subsection 
(c). 
(g) FACILITATION.—The Committee may develop 
memoranda of agreement or memoranda of understanding 
with universities, State and local governments, or other 
entities to facilitate the research program required by sub-
section (d). 
(h) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The Chairperson of the 
Committee shall submit an annual report to Congress on 
the activities carried out under this section in the pre-
ceding fiscal year, and on activities proposed to be carried 
out under this section in the current fiscal year. 
(i) COMMITTEE REPLACES EXISTING AUTHORITY.— 
The authority provided by this section supersedes the au-
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thority provided by section 7001 of the Oil Pollution Act 
of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2761) for the establishment of the 
Interagency Committee on Oil Pollution Research under 
subsection (a) of that section, and that Committee shall 
cease operations and terminate on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
Æ 
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