H. R. 7776—1695 
(6) near miss incidents documented by a vessel traffic 
service center (as such terms are defined in sections 70001(m) 
of title 46, United States Code). 
(d) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 5 years, 
the Commandant shall provide to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives a briefing on the status of ongoing and planned 
efforts to improve the effectiveness and oversight of the program 
established under subsection (a) and vessel response plan 
approvals. 
(2) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The Commandant shall publish 
the briefing required under paragraph (1) on a publicly acces-
sible website of the Coast Guard. 
SEC. 11316. ADDITIONAL EXCEPTIONS TO REGULATIONS FOR TOWING 
VESSELS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall review existing Coast 
Guard policies with respect to exceptions to the applicability of 
subchapter M of chapter I of title 46, Code of Federal Regulations 
(or successor regulations), for— 
(1) an oil spill response vessel, or a vessel of opportunity, 
while such vessel is— 
(A) towing boom for oil spill response; or 
(B) participating in an oil response exercise; and 
(2) a fishing vessel while that vessel is operating as a 
vessel of opportunity. 
(b) POLICY.—Not later than 180 days after the conclusion of 
the review required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall revise 
or issue any necessary policy to clarify the applicability of sub-
chapter M of chapter I of title 46, Code of Federal Regulations 
(or successor regulations) to the vessels described in subsection 
(a). Such a policy shall ensure safe and effective operation of such 
vessels. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) FISHING
VESSEL; OIL
SPILL
RESPONSE
VESSEL.—The 
terms ‘‘fishing vessel’’ and ‘‘oil spill response vessel’’ have the 
meanings given such terms in section 2101 of title 46, United 
States Code. 
(2) VESSEL OF OPPORTUNITY.—The term ‘‘vessel of oppor-
tunity’’ means a vessel engaged in spill response activities 
that is normally and substantially involved in activities other 
than spill response and not a vessel carrying oil as a primary 
cargo. 
SEC. 11317. PORT COORDINATION COUNCIL FOR POINT SPENCER. 
Section 541 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2016 
(Public Law 114–120) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2) by striking ‘‘BSNC’’ and inserting 
the following: ‘‘BSNC (to serve as Council Chair). 
‘‘(3) The Denali Commission. 
‘‘(4) An oil spill removal organization that serves the area 
in which such Port is located. 
‘‘(5) A salvage and marine firefighting organization that 
serves the area in which such Port is located.’’; and
H. R. 7776—1696 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (B) by striking the semicolon 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘; and’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘at Point Spencer in support of the activities for which 
Congress finds a compelling need in section 531 of 
this subtitle.’’; and 
(iii) by striking subparagraph (D); and 
(B) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) Facilitate coordination among members of the Council 
on the development and use of the land and coastline of Point 
Spencer, as such development and use relate to activities of 
the Council at the Port of Point Spencer.’’. 
Subtitle C—Environmental Compliance 
SEC. 11318. PROVIDING REQUIREMENTS FOR VESSELS ANCHORED IN 
ESTABLISHED ANCHORAGE GROUNDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 700 of title 46, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 70007. Anchorage grounds 
‘‘(a) ANCHORAGE GROUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of the department in 
which the Coast Guard is operating shall define and establish 
anchorage grounds in the navigable waters of the United States 
for vessels operating in such waters. 
‘‘(2) RELEVANT FACTORS FOR ESTABLISHMENT.—In carrying 
out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall take into account all 
relevant factors concerning navigational safety, protection of 
the marine environment, proximity to undersea pipelines and 
cables, safe and efficient use of Marine Transportation System, 
and national security. 
‘‘(b) VESSEL REQUIREMENTS.—Vessels, of certain sizes or type 
determined by the Secretary, shall— 
‘‘(1) set and maintain an anchor alarm for the duration 
of an anchorage; 
‘‘(2) comply with any directions or orders issued by the 
Captain of the Port; and 
‘‘(3) comply with any applicable anchorage regulations. 
‘‘(c) PROHIBITIONS.—A vessel may not— 
‘‘(1) anchor in any Federal navigation channel unless 
authorized or directed to by the Captain of the Port; 
‘‘(2) anchor in near proximity, within distances determined 
by the Coast Guard, to an undersea pipeline or cable, unless 
authorized or directed to by the Captain of the Port; and 
‘‘(3) anchor or remain anchored in an anchorage ground 
during any period in which the Captain of the Port orders 
closure of the anchorage ground due to inclement weather, 
navigational hazard, a threat to the environment, or other 
safety or security concern. 
‘‘(d) SAFETY EXCEPTION.—Nothing in this section shall be con-
strued to prevent a vessel from taking actions necessary to maintain 
the safety of the vessel or to prevent the loss of life or property.’’.
H. R. 7776—1697 
(b) REGULATORY REVIEW.— 
(1) REVIEW REQUIRED.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall review 
existing policies, final agency actions, regulations, or other rules 
relating to anchorage promulgated under section 70006 of title 
46, United States Code and— 
(A) identify any such regulations or rules that may 
need modification or repeal— 
(i) in the interest of marine safety, security, and 
environmental concerns, taking into account undersea 
pipelines, cables, or other infrastructure; or 
(ii) to implement the amendments made by this 
section; and 
(B) complete a cost-benefit analysis for any modifica-
tion or repeal identified under paragraph (1). 
(2) BRIEFING.—Upon completion of the review under para-
graph (1), but not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall provide a briefing to the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
the House of Representatives that summarizes such review. 
(c) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section shall limit any 
authority available, as of the date of enactment of this Act, to 
the captain of a port with respect to safety measures or any other 
authority as necessary for the safety of vessels located in anchorage 
grounds in the navigable waters of the United States. 
(d) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for chapter 700 of 
title 46, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 70006 the following: 
‘‘70007. Anchorage grounds.’’. 
(e) APPLICABILITY OF REGULATIONS.—The amendments made 
by subsection (a) may not be construed to alter any existing rules, 
regulations, or final agency actions issued under section 70006 
of title 46, United States Code, as in effect on the day before 
the date of enactment of this Act, until all regulations required 
under subsection (b) take effect. 
SEC. 11319. STUDY ON IMPACTS ON SHIPPING AND COMMERCIAL, 
TRIBAL, 
AND 
RECREATIONAL 
FISHERIES 
FROM 
DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY ON WEST 
COAST. 
(a) STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary, the Secretary of the Interior, and the 
Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, shall 
seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academies 
of Science, Engineering, and Medicine under which the National 
Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine shall carry out 
a study to— 
(1) identify, document, and analyze— 
(A) historic and current, as of the date of the study, 
Tribal, commercial, and recreational fishing grounds, as 
well as areas where fish stocks are likely to shift in the 
future in all covered waters; 
(B) usual and accustomed fishing areas in all covered 
waters;
H. R. 7776—1698 
(C) historic, current, and potential future shipping 
lanes, based on projected growth in shipping traffic in 
all covered waters; 
(D) current and expected Coast Guard operations rel-
evant to commercial fishing activities, including search and 
rescue, radar, navigation, communications, and safety 
within and near renewable energy sites; and 
(E) key types of data needed to properly site renewable 
energy sites on the West Coast, with regard to assessing 
and mitigating conflicts; 
(2) analyze— 
(A) methods used to manage fishing, shipping, and 
other maritime activities; and 
(B) potential future interactions between such activities 
and the placement of renewable energy infrastructure and 
the associated construction, maintenance, and operation 
of such infrastructure, including potential benefits and 
methods of mitigating adverse impacts; and 
(3) review the current decision-making process for offshore 
wind in covered waters, and outline recommendations for 
governmental consideration of all impacted coastal commu-
nities, particularly Tribal governments and fisheries commu-
nities, in the decision-making process for offshore wind in cov-
ered waters, including recommendations for— 
(A) ensuring the appropriate governmental consider-
ation of potential benefits of offshore wind in covered 
waters; and 
(B) risk reduction and mitigation of adverse impacts 
on Coast Guard operations relevant to commercial fishing 
activities. 
(b) SUBMISSION.—Not later than 1 year after commencing the 
study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) submit the study to the Committees on Commerce, 
Science, 
and 
Transportation, 
and 
Energy 
and 
Natural 
Resources of the Senate and the Committees on Transportation 
and Infrastructure, Natural Resources, and Energy and Com-
merce of the House of Representatives, including the review 
and outline provided under subsection (a)(3); and 
(2) make the study publicly available. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED WATERS.—The term ‘‘covered waters’’ means 
Federal or State waters off of the Canadian border and out 
to the furthest extent of the exclusive economic zone along 
the West Coast of the United States. 
(2) EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE.—The term ‘‘exclusive eco-
nomic zone’’ has the meaning given such term in section 107 
of title 46, United States Code. 
SEC. 11320. USE OF DEVICES BROADCASTING ON AIS FOR PURPOSES 
OF MARKING FISHING GEAR. 
The Secretary shall, within the Eleventh Coast Guard District, 
Thirteenth Coast Guard District, Fourteenth Coast Guard District, 
and Seventeenth Coast Guard District, suspend enforcement of 
individuals using automatic identification systems devices to mark 
fishing equipment during the period beginning on the date of enact-
ment of this Act and ending on the earlier of—