(ii) by striking ‘‘agencies’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘entities, and regional coastal observ-
ing systems (as such term is defined in 
section 12330(6) of the Integrated Coastal 
and Ocean Observation System Act of 
2009 (33 U.S.C. 3602(6)))’’; 
(E) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated, 
by inserting ‘‘and communities’’ after ‘‘eco-
systems’’; 
(F) by inserting after paragraph (5) the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(6) support sustained observations to provide 
State, local, and Tribal entities and others access to 
real-time or near real-time observation data for deci-
sion-making to protect human and ecological health 
and local economies;’’; 
(G) in paragraph (8), by striking ‘‘State 
and local’’ and inserting ‘‘State, local, and Trib-
al’’; and 
(H) in paragraph (9)(A), by striking ‘‘trib-
al’’ and inserting ‘‘Tribal’’; 
(5) by amending subsections (f) and (g) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(f) COOPERATIVE EFFORTS.—The Under Secretary 
shall work cooperatively with and avoid duplication of ef-
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fort of other agencies on the Task Force, and with and 
of States, Indian tribes, and nongovernmental organiza-
tions concerned with marine and freshwater issues, and 
shall coordinate harmful algal bloom and hypoxia and re-
lated activities and research. 
‘‘(g) FRESHWATER PROGRAM DUTIES.—The Admin-
istrator, in coordination with the Task Force, shall carry 
out the duties under subsection (e) for freshwater aspects 
of the Program.’’; 
(6) by striking subsection (h); and 
(7) by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection 
(h). 
(d) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMIN-
ISTRATION ACTIVITIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Harmful Algal Blooms 
and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 is 
amended by amending section 603B (33 U.S.C. 
4003) to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 603B. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC AD-
MINISTRATION ACTIVITIES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) carry out marine, coastal, and Great 
Lakes harmful algal bloom and hypoxia events re-
sponse activities; 
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‘‘(2) develop and enhance operational harmful 
algal bloom observing and forecasting programs, in-
cluding operational observations and forecasting, 
monitoring, modeling, data management, and infor-
mation dissemination; 
‘‘(3) maintain and enhance the existing peer-re-
viewed, merit-based, competitive grant funding relat-
ing to harmful algal blooms and hypoxia to— 
‘‘(A) maintain and enhance baseline moni-
toring programs established by the Program; 
‘‘(B) support the projects maintained and 
established by the Program; 
‘‘(C) address the research and manage-
ment needs and priorities identified in the Ac-
tion Strategy under section 603(c); 
‘‘(D) accelerate the utilization of effective 
methods of intervention and mitigation to re-
duce the frequency, severity, and impacts of 
harmful algal bloom and hypoxia events; 
‘‘(E) identify opportunities to improve 
monitoring of harmful algal bloom and hypoxia, 
with a particular focus on coastal waters that 
may affect fisheries, public health, or subsist-
ence harvest; 
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‘‘(F) examine the effects of other environ-
mental stressors on harmful algal blooms and 
hypoxia; 
‘‘(G) assess the effects of multiple environ-
mental stressors on living marine resources and 
coastal ecosystems; and 
‘‘(H) evaluate adaptation and mitigation 
strategies to address the impacts of harmful 
algal blooms and hypoxia; 
‘‘(4) enhance communication and coordination 
among Federal agencies carrying out marine and 
freshwater harmful algal bloom and hypoxia activi-
ties and research; 
‘‘(5) to the greatest extent practicable, leverage 
existing resources and expertise available from local 
research universities and institutions; and 
‘‘(6) use cost effective methods in carrying out 
this section. 
‘‘(b) INTEGRATED COASTAL AND OCEAN OBSERVA-
TION SYSTEM.—The collection of monitoring and observ-
ing data under this section shall comply with all data 
standards and protocols developed pursuant to the Inte-
grated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 
2009 (33 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.). Such data shall be made 
available through the system established under that Act.’’. 
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(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents in section 2 of the Coast Guard Authorization 
Act of 1998 is amended by amending the item relat-
ing to section 603B to read as follows: 
‘‘Sec. 603B. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration activities.’’. 
(e) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ACTIVI-
TIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Harmful Algal Blooms 
and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 is 
amended by inserting after section 603B, as amend-
ed by subsection (d), the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 603C. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AC-
TIVITIES. 
‘‘The Administrator shall— 
‘‘(1) carry out research on the ecology and 
human health impacts of freshwater harmful algal 
blooms; 
‘‘(2) develop and maintain forecasting and mon-
itoring of, and event response to, freshwater harmful 
algal blooms in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and estu-
aries (including tributaries thereof); 
‘‘(3) enhance communication and coordination 
among Federal agencies carrying out freshwater 
harmful algal bloom and hypoxia activities and re-
search; 
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