I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5390 
To designate Regional Ocean Partnerships of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 11, 2019 
Mr. CRIST (for himself, Mr. PALAZZO, Mr. LOWENTHAL, and Mr. SMITH of 
New Jersey) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To designate Regional Ocean Partnerships of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 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 ‘‘Regional Ocean Part-
nership Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS; PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
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(1) The ocean and coastal waters of the United 
States are foundational to the economy, security, 
global competitiveness, and well-being of the United 
States and continuously serve the people of the 
United States and other countries as an important 
source of food, energy, economic productivity, recre-
ation, beauty, and enjoyment. 
(2) Over many years, the resource productivity 
and water quality of the ocean and coastal areas of 
the United States have been diminished by pollution, 
increasing population demands, economic develop-
ment, and natural and man-made hazard events, 
both acute and chronic. 
(3) Ocean and coastal areas of the United 
States are managed by State and Federal resource 
agencies and regulated on an interstate and regional 
scale by various overlapping Federal authorities, 
thereby creating a significant need for interstate co-
ordination to enhance regional priorities, including 
the ecological and economic health of those areas. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the United States should seek to support 
interstate coordination of shared regional priorities 
relating to the management, conservation, resilience, 
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and restoration of ocean and coastal areas to maxi-
mize efficiencies through collaborative regional ef-
forts by Regional Ocean Partnerships, in consulta-
tion with Federal and State agencies, Tribal govern-
ments, and local authorities; and 
(2) such efforts would enhance existing and ef-
fective State coastal management efforts based on 
shared regional priorities. 
(c) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are as fol-
lows: 
(1) To complement and expand cooperative vol-
untary efforts intended to manage and restore ocean 
and coastal areas spanning across multiple State 
boundaries. 
(2) To expand Federal support for monitoring, 
data management, and restoration activities in ocean 
and coastal areas. 
(3) To commit the United States to a com-
prehensive cooperative program to achieve improved 
water quality in, and improvements in the produc-
tivity of living resources of, all coastal ecosystems. 
(4) To authorize Regional Ocean Partnerships 
as intergovernmental coordinators for shared inter-
state and regional priorities relating to the collabo-
rative management of the large marine ecosystems, 
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thereby reducing duplication of efforts and maxi-
mizing opportunities to leverage support in the 
ocean and coastal regions. 
(5) To enable Regional Ocean Partnerships, or 
designated fiscal management entities of such part-
nerships, to receive Federal funding to conduct the 
scientific research, conservation and restoration ac-
tivities, and priority coordination on shared regional 
priorities necessary to achieve the purposes described 
in paragraphs (1) through (4). 
SEC. 3. REGIONAL OCEAN PARTNERSHIPS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
(2) COASTAL STATE.—The term ‘‘coastal state’’ 
has the meaning given that term in section 304 of 
the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 
U.S.C. 1453). 
(3) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 
means an Indian tribe, as defined in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
(b) REGIONAL OCEAN PARTNERSHIPS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—A coastal state may partici-
pate in a Regional Ocean Partnership with one or 
more other coastal states that share a common 
ocean or coastal area with the coastal state, without 
regard to whether the coastal states are contiguous. 
(2) APPLICATION.—The Governor of a coastal 
state or the Governors of a group of coastal states 
may apply to the Secretary of Commerce, on behalf 
of a partnership, for the partnership to receive des-
ignation as a Regional Ocean Partnership if the 
partnership— 
(A) meets the requirements under para-
graph (3); and 
(B) submits an application for such des-
ignation in such manner, in such form, and 
containing such information as the Secretary 
may require. 
(3) REQUIREMENTS.—A partnership is eligible 
for designation as a Regional Ocean Partnership by 
the Secretary under paragraph (2) if the partner-
ship— 
(A) is established to coordinate the inter-
state management of coastal resources; 
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(B) focuses on the environmental issues af-
fecting the ocean and coastal areas of the mem-
bers participating in the partnership; 
(C) complements existing State coastal and 
ocean management efforts on an interstate 
scale, focusing on shared regional priorities; 
(D) does not have a regulatory function; 
and 
(E) is not duplicative of an existing Re-
gional Ocean Partnership designated under 
paragraph (4), as determined by the Secretary. 
(4) DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN ENTITIES AS RE-
GIONAL
OCEAN
PARTNERSHIPS.—Notwithstanding 
paragraph (2) or (3), the following entities are des-
ignated as Regional Ocean Partnerships: 
(A) The Gulf of Mexico Alliance, comprised 
of the States of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, 
Mississippi, and Texas. 
(B) The Northeast Regional Ocean Coun-
cil, comprised of the States of Maine, Vermont, 
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, 
and Rhode Island. 
(C) The Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on 
the Ocean, comprised of the States of New 
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York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and 
Virginia. 
(D) The West Coast Ocean Alliance, com-
prised of the States of California, Oregon, and 
Washington and the coastal Indian Tribes 
therein. 
(c) GOVERNING BODIES OF REGIONAL OCEAN PART-
NERSHIPS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A Regional Ocean Partner-
ship designated under subsection (b) shall be gov-
erned by a governing body. 
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—A governing body described 
in paragraph (1)— 
(A) shall be comprised, at a minimum, of 
voting members from each coastal state partici-
pating in the Regional Ocean Partnership, des-
ignated by the Governor of the coastal state; 
and 
(B) may include such other members as 
the partnership considers appropriate. 
(d) FUNCTIONS.—A Regional Ocean Partnership des-
ignated under subsection (b) may perform the following 
functions: 
(1) Promote coordination of the actions of the 
agencies of coastal states participating in the part-
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nership with the actions of the appropriate officials 
of Federal agencies and State and Tribal govern-
ments in developing strategies— 
(A) to conserve living resources, increase 
valuable habitats, enhance coastal resilience, 
and address such other issues related to the 
shared ocean or coastal area as are determined 
to be a shared, regional priority by those states; 
and 
(B) to manage regional data portals and 
develop associated data products for purposes 
that support the priorities of the partnership. 
(2) In cooperation with appropriate Federal and 
State agencies, Tribal governments, and local au-
thorities, develop and implement specific action 
plans to carry out coordination goals. 
(3) Coordinate and implement priority plans 
and projects, and facilitate science, research, mod-
eling, monitoring, data collection, and other activi-
ties that support the goals of the partnership 
through the provision of grants and contracts under 
subsection (e). 
(4) Engage, coordinate, and collaborate with 
relevant governmental entities and stakeholders to 
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address ocean and coastal related matters that re-
quire interagency or intergovernmental solutions. 
(5) Implement outreach programs for public in-
formation, education, and participation to foster 
stewardship of the resources of the ocean and coast-
al areas, as relevant. 
(6) Develop and make available, through publi-
cations, technical assistance, and other appropriate 
means, information pertaining to cross-jurisdictional 
issues being addressed through the coordinated ac-
tivities of the partnership. 
(7) Serve as a liaison with, and provide infor-
mation to, international counterparts, as appropriate 
on priority issues for the partnership. 
(e) GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A Regional Ocean Partner-
ship designated under subsection (b) may, in coordi-
nation with existing Federal and State management 
programs, from amounts made available to the part-
nership by the Administrator or the head of another 
Federal agency— 
(A) provide grants to eligible persons de-
scribed in paragraph (2) for the purposes de-
scribed in paragraph (3); and 
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(B) enter into contracts with such persons 
for such purposes. 
(2) ELIGIBLE PERSONS.—The eligible persons 
described in this paragraph are the following: 
(A) Indian Tribes. 
(B) State and local governments. 
(C) Nongovernmental organizations. 
(D) Institutions of higher education. 
(E) Individuals. 
(F) Private entities. 
(3) PURPOSES.—The purposes described in this 
paragraph include any of the following: 
(A) Monitoring the water quality and living 
resources of multi-State ocean and coastal eco-
systems and to coastal communities. 
(B) Researching and addressing the effects 
of natural and human-induced environmental 
changes to— 
(i) ocean and coastal ecosystems; and 
(ii) coastal communities. 
(C) Developing and executing cooperative 
strategies that— 
(i) address regional data issues identi-
fied by the partnership; and 
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(ii) will result in more effective man-
agement of common ocean and coastal 
areas. 
(f) REPORTS AND ASSESSMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 5 years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 5 
years thereafter until 2040, the Administrator, in 
coordination with the Regional Ocean Partnerships 
designated under subsection (b), shall— 
(A) assess the effectiveness of the partner-
ships in supporting regional priorities relating 
to the management of common ocean and coast-
al areas; and 
(B) submit to Congress a report on that 
assessment. 
(2) REPORT REQUIREMENTS.—The report re-
quired under paragraph (1)(B) shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(A) An assessment of the overall status of 
the work of the Regional Ocean Partnerships 
designated under subsection (b). 
(B) An assessment of the effectiveness of 
the strategies that the Regional Ocean Partner-
ships are supporting or implementing and the 
extent to which the priority needs of the regions 
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covered by such partnerships are being met 
through such strategies. 
(C) Such recommendations as the Admin-
istrator may have for the improvement of ef-
forts of the Regional Ocean Partnerships to 
support the purposes of this Act. 
(D) An assessment of how the efforts of 
the Regional Ocean Partnerships support or en-
hance Federal and State efforts in line with the 
purposes of this Act. 
(E) Recommendations for improvements to 
the collective strategies that support the pur-
poses of this Act in coordination and consulta-
tion with all relevant Federal, State, and Tribal 
entities. 
(g) AVAILABILITY OF FEDERAL FUNDS.—In addition 
to amounts made available to Regional Ocean Partner-
ships designated under subsection (b) by the Adminis-
trator under this section, the head of any other Federal 
agency may provide grants to, enter into contracts with, 
or otherwise provide funding to such partnerships. 
(h) AUTHORITIES.—Nothing in this section estab-
lishes any new legal or regulatory authority of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or of the 
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Regional Ocean Partnerships designated under subsection 
(b), other than— 
(1) the authority of the Administrator to pro-
vide amounts to the partnerships; and 
(2) the authority of the partnerships to provide 
grants and enter into contracts under subsection (e). 
(i) FUNDING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Of amounts authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration, the Administrator may make 
the following amounts available to Regional Ocean 
Partnerships designated under subsection (b) or des-
ignated fiscal management entities of such partner-
ships to carry out activities of the partnerships 
under this Act: 
(A) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2021. 
(B) $10,100,000 for fiscal year 2022. 
(C) $10,202,000 for fiscal year 2023. 
(D) $10,306,040 for fiscal year 2024. 
(E) $10,412,160 for fiscal year 2025. 
(F) $10,520,404 for fiscal year 2026. 
(2) DISTRIBUTION
OF
AMOUNTS.—Amounts 
made available under paragraph (1) shall be divided 
evenly among the Regional Ocean Partnerships des-
ignated under subsection (b). 
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