IB 
Union Calendar No. 511 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3764 
[Report No. 117–695, Part I] 
To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin-
istration to provide for ocean-based climate solutions to reduce carbon 
emissions and global warming; to make coastal communities more resil-
ient; and to provide for the conservation and restoration of ocean and 
coastal habitats, biodiversity, and marine mammal and fish populations; 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 8, 2021 
Mr. GRIJALVA (for himself, Mr. BEYER, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. BONAMICI, 
Ms. BROWNLEY, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Mr. CASE, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, 
Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CRIST, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. ESPAILLAT, 
Mr. EVANS, Mr. GOMEZ, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. JOHNSON of 
Texas, Mr. LEVIN of California, Mr. LIEU, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. MAT-
SUI, Ms. NORTON, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. SABLAN, Mr. SIRES, and Mr. 
SWALWELL) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on 
Science, Space, and Technology, House Administration, Ways and Means, 
Transportation and Infrastructure, Foreign Affairs, and Armed Services, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned 
DECEMBER 30, 2022 
Additional sponsors: Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. WELCH, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. 
NADLER, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. LEVIN of Michigan, Mr. 
DESAULNIER, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mrs. DINGELL, 
Mr. MCEACHIN, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Ms. STANSBURY, Mr. AGUILAR, Mr. 
KAHELE, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mrs. MCBATH, Mr. VARGAS, Mr. SCHIFF, and 
Mr. MCGOVERN 
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DECEMBER 30, 2022 
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with an amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
DECEMBER 30, 2022 
Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, House Administration, Ways 
and Means, Transportation and Infrastructure, Foreign Affairs, and 
Armed Services discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 8, 2021] 
A BILL 
To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration to provide for ocean-based 
climate solutions to reduce carbon emissions and global 
warming; to make coastal communities more resilient; 
and to provide for the conservation and restoration of 
ocean and coastal habitats, biodiversity, and marine 
mammal and fish populations; and for other purposes. 
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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 ‘‘Ocean-Based Climate 
Solutions Act of 2022’’. 
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents of this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
Sec. 3. Definitions. 
TITLE I—BLUE CARBON 
Sec. 101. Blue Carbon Program. 
Sec. 102. National map of coastal and marine blue carbon ecosystems. 
Sec. 103. Report on blue carbon in the United States. 
Sec. 104. Blue Carbon Partnership Grant Program. 
Sec. 105. Integrated pilot programs to protect and restore degraded blue carbon 
ecosystems. 
Sec. 106. Interagency working group. 
Sec. 107. Blue carbon areas of significance. 
Sec. 108. Authorization of Smithsonian Institution blue carbon activities. 
Sec. 109. Federal coastal and marine blue carbon restoration and protections; 
funding. 
Sec. 110. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 111. Rule of construction. 
Sec. 112. Definitions. 
TITLE II—OFFSHORE ENERGY 
Subtitle A—Oil and Gas Leasing in the Outer Continental Shelf 
Sec. 201. Prohibition of oil and gas leasing and other activities in certain areas 
of the Outer Continental Shelf. 
Sec. 202. Best available technology. 
Subtitle B—Offshore Renewable Energy 
Sec. 211. Findings; Sense of Congress on the importance of offshore wind energy. 
Sec. 212. Outer Continental Shelf offshore wind targets. 
Sec. 213. Removing roadblocks for data sharing. 
Sec. 214. Increasing funding for scientific research. 
Sec. 215. Extending collaboration with industry. 
Sec. 216. Developing strategies to protect wildlife. 
Sec. 217. Offshore wind for the Territories. 
Sec. 218. Increasing funding for coastal conservation and resilience. 
Sec. 219. Restoring Offshore Wind Opportunities. 
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TITLE III—CLIMATE-READY FISHERIES, EFFICIENT FISHERY 
VESSELS, AND BUY AMERICAN SEAFOOD 
Sec. 301. Sense of Congress. 
Sec. 302. Caught in the USA. 
Sec. 303. Eliminate fish subsidies in trade agreements. 
Sec. 304. Fuel efficient fishing vessels. 
Sec. 305. Climate and fisheries research and management program. 
Sec. 306. Climate-ready fisheries innovation program. 
Sec. 307. Report on shifting stocks and ways to adapt fisheries for the impacts 
of climate change. 
Sec. 308. Essential fish habitat consultation. 
Sec. 309. Ocean Aquaculture Research and Policy Program. 
TITLE IV—COASTAL BARRIER RESOURCE ACT AMENDMENTS 
Sec. 401. Undeveloped coastal barrier. 
Sec. 402. Coastal hazard pilot project. 
Sec. 403. Report on expanding Coastal Barrier Resources Act to the Pacific 
Coast, including Pacific Territories and Freely Associated 
States. 
Sec. 404. Require disclosure to prospective buyers that property is in the Coastal 
Barrier Resources System. 
Sec. 405. Improve Federal agency compliance with Coastal Barrier Resources 
Act. 
Sec. 406. Excess Federal property. 
Sec. 407. Emergency exceptions to limitations on expenditures. 
Sec. 408. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE V—COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT ACT AMENDMENTS 
Sec. 501. Grants to further achievement of Tribal coastal zone objectives. 
Sec. 502. Eligibility of District of Columbia for Federal funding. 
Sec. 503. Coastal and Estuarine Resilience and Restoration Program. 
Sec. 504. Coastal Zone Management Fund. 
Sec. 505. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 506. Amendments to National Estuarine Research Reserve System Program. 
Sec. 507. Working Waterfronts Grant Program. 
TITLE VI—INSULAR AFFAIRS 
Sec. 601. Definitions. 
Sec. 602. Insular Area Climate Change Interagency Task Force. 
Sec. 603. Runit Dome report and monitoring activities. 
Sec. 604. Coastal management technical assistance and report. 
Sec. 605. Climate Change Insular Research Grant Program. 
Sec. 606. National Weather Service technical assistance grants. 
Sec. 607. Coral reef prize competitions. 
Sec. 608. Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act. 
Sec. 609. Office of Insular Affairs Technical Assistance Program. 
Sec. 610. Non-Federal cost-share waiver. 
Sec. 611. Disaster relief non-Federal cost-share waiver. 
TITLE VII—STRENGTHENING MARINE MAMMAL CONSERVATION 
Sec. 701. Conservation of marine mammals adversely affected by climate change. 
Sec. 702. Vessel restrictions in marine mammal habitat. 
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Sec. 703. Monitoring ocean noise for marine mammal protection. 
Sec. 704. Grants for seaports to establish programs to reduce the impacts of vessel 
traffic and port operations on marine mammals. 
Sec. 705. Near real-time monitoring and mitigation program for large whales. 
Sec. 706. Grants to support technology that reduces underwater noise from vessels. 
Sec. 707. Naval technology transfer for quieting Federal noncombatant vessels. 
TITLE VIII—INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS, EFFORTS IN THE ARC-
TIC, AND BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS TRIBAL RESILIENCE PRO-
GRAM 
Subtitle A—International Agreements 
Sec. 801. Law of the Sea Convention. 
Sec. 802. United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14. 
Sec. 803. Marine protected areas in areas beyond national jurisdiction. 
Subtitle B—Efforts in the Arctic 
Sec. 811. Plan for the United States to cut black carbon emissions to 33 percent 
below 2013 levels by 2025. 
Subtitle C—Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Resilience Program 
Sec. 821. Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Resilience Program. 
TITLE IX—COASTAL RESILIENCY AND ADAPTATION 
Sec. 901. Living Shoreline Grant Program. 
Sec. 902. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Research Programs. 
Sec. 903. Improvements to the National Oceans and Coastal Security Act. 
Sec. 904. Shovel-ready restoration grants for coastlines and fisheries. 
Sec. 905. Strategic Climate Change Relocation Initiative and Program. 
Sec. 906. National Centers of Excellence in Coastal Resilience Research and Edu-
cation. 
Sec. 907. Initiate designation process for successful sanctuary nominations and 
technical corrections to the National Marine Sanctuaries Act. 
Sec. 908. Grants to further resilience and climate research with indigenous and 
Tribal communities. 
Sec. 909. Grants for conserving, recovering, and maintaining kelp forest eco-
systems. 
TITLE X—OCEAN HEALTH: OCEAN ACIDIFICATION AND HARMFUL 
ALGAL BLOOMS 
Subtitle A—Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act 
Sec. 1001. Coastal community vulnerability assessment. 
Subtitle B—Ocean Acidification Act 
Sec. 1011. Prize competitions. 
Subtitle C—Harmful Algal Bloom Essential Forecasting 
Sec. 1021. Centers of Excellence in Harmful Algal Bloom Research, Prevention, 
Response, and Mitigation. 
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TITLE XI—OCEAN DATA AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS 
Subtitle A—Regional Ocean Partnerships 
Sec. 1101. Purposes. 
Sec. 1102. Regional ocean partnerships. 
Subtitle B—National Coastal Resilience Data and Services 
Sec. 1111. Authorization of NOAA activities. 
Sec. 1112. Interagency coordination. 
Subtitle C—Centralized Website for Resiliency Grants 
Sec. 1121. Centralized website for resiliency grants. 
Subtitle D—Automatic Identification Systems 
Sec. 1131. Automatic identification systems. 
Subtitle E—Authorization of Appropriations 
Sec. 1141. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE XII—MEASURES TO ADDRESS GREENHOUSE GAS POLLUTION 
FROM SHIPPING VESSELS 
Sec. 1201. Greenhouse gas emissions from shipping. 
Sec. 1202. Quiet Seas and Clear Skies Vessel Speed Reduction Award Program. 
TITLE XIII—VIRGIN PLASTIC EXCISE TAX 
Sec. 1301. Virgin plastic excise tax. 
Sec. 1302. Establishment of the Virgin Plastic Trust Fund. 
TITLE XIV—STUDIES AND REPORTS 
Sec. 1401. Deep sea mining. 
Sec. 1402. National Academies assessment of oceanic blue carbon. 
Sec. 1403. Report on the ecological and economic effects of high seas fishing in 
the ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction. 
Sec. 1404. National Academies assessment of public access to the coasts. 
Sec. 1405. Study examining the impact of acidification and other environmental 
stressors on estuaries environments. 
Sec. 1406. Study examining the causes and impacts of black carbon. 
Sec. 1407. Marine areas inventory. 
Sec. 1408. Marine biodiversity census. 
Sec. 1409. Marine biodiversity gap analysis. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) 
ADMINISTRATOR.—The 
term 
‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Secretary of Commerce, acting 
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through the Administrator of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration. 
(2) EXCLUSIVE
ECONOMIC
ZONE.—The term 
‘‘Exclusive Economic Zone’’ means the zone estab-
lished by Proclamation Numbered 5030, dated March 
10, 1983. 
(3) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
(4) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 101(a) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(5) NATIONAL ACADEMIES.—The term ‘‘National 
Academies’’ means the National Academies of Science, 
Engineering, and Medicine. 
(6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of the 
several States, the District of Columbia, and the 
United States Territories of American Samoa, the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 
Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands of the 
United States. 
(7) UNITED STATES.—The term ‘‘United States’’ 
means the several States, the District of Columbia, 
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and the United States Territories of American 
Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands 
of the United States. 
TITLE I—BLUE CARBON 
SEC. 101. BLUE CARBON PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator shall estab-
lish and maintain a program within the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration to further conservation 
and restoration objectives for fish and wildlife habitat and 
coastal resilience, including the development of ways to in-
corporate ecosystem services from carbon storage into exist-
ing domestic and international policies, programs, and ac-
tivities. 
(b) ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY.—In conducting the pro-
gram, the Administrator may enter into and perform such 
contracts, leases, grants, or cooperative agreements as may 
be necessary to carry out the purposes of this title on such 
terms as the Administrator considers appropriate. 
(c) ACTIVITIES.—The Administrator shall lead the de-
velopment and coordination of the strategic plan described 
in section 106(e) and shall— 
(1) collaborate with Federal agencies, the inter-
agency working group, State agencies, Indian Tribes, 
Native American Pacific Islander organizations, and 
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nongovernmental organizations on research, restora-
tion, and protection efforts relating to blue carbon 
ecosystems; 
(2) develop a database of blue carbon stocks and 
fluxes in the United States; 
(3) assist in exploration of the potential for a 
market for carbon credits and other financial instru-
ments for protection and restoration initiatives, in-
cluding research, development of protocols, and eval-
uation of protocols and the efficacy of blue carbon 
markets as a tool for protecting ecosystems; 
(4) develop and provide informational materials 
and guidance relating to using blue carbon ecosystems 
as a tool to further conservation and biodiversity ob-
jectives; 
(5) use existing models or develop new models to 
assess blue carbon storage potential that include 
quantification, verifiability, additionality as com-
pared to a historical baseline, and permanence of 
those benefits; 
(6) quantify current total and net ecosystem car-
bon storage and sequestration in coastal and marine 
areas; 
(7) project future total and net ecosystem carbon 
storage and sequestration under different scenarios in-
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