I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4822 
To establish a coastal zone research initiative at the Department of Energy, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 29, 2021 
Ms. HERRERA BEUTLER (for herself and Mr. KILMER) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology 
A BILL 
To establish a coastal zone research initiative at the 
Department of Energy, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Department of Energy 
Coastal Research Initiative Act’’. 
SEC. 2. COASTAL ZONE RESEARCH INITIATIVE. 
Section 306 of the Department of Energy Research 
and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 18644) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) COASTAL ZONE RESEARCH INITIATIVE.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall carry 
out a research program, in consultation with the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to 
enhance the understanding of coastal ecosystems. In 
carrying out this program, the Director shall 
prioritize efforts to enhance the collection of obser-
vational data, and shall develop models to analyze 
the ecological, biogeochemical, hydrological and 
physical processes that interact in coastal zones. 
‘‘(2) NATIONAL
SYSTEM
FOR
COASTAL
DATA 
COLLECTION.—The Director shall establish, in con-
sultation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration and other relevant agencies, an inte-
grated system of geographically diverse field re-
search sites in order to improve the quantity and 
quality of observational data, and that encompass 
the major land water interfaces of the United 
States, including— 
‘‘(A) the Great Lakes region; 
‘‘(B) the Pacific coast; 
‘‘(C) the Atlantic coast; 
‘‘(D) the Arctic; and 
‘‘(E) the Gulf coast. 
‘‘(3) EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE.—In carrying 
out the programs and establishing the field research 
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sites under paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary 
shall leverage existing research and development in-
frastructure supported by the Department, including 
the Department’s existing marine and coastal re-
search lab. 
‘‘(4) COORDINATION.—For the purposes of car-
rying out the programs and establishing the field re-
search sites under the Initiative, the Secretary may 
enter into agreements with Federal Departments 
and agencies with complementary capabilities. 
‘‘(5) REPORT.—Not less than 2 years after the 
date of the enactment of the Department of Energy 
Coastal Research Initiative Act, the Director shall 
provide to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology and the Committee on Appropriations of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee 
on Appropriations of the Senate a report examining 
whether the system described in this section should 
be established as a National User Facility.’’. 
Æ 
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