(2) AGENCIES DESCRIBED.—The agencies de-
scribed in this paragraph are the following: 
(A) The Department of Agriculture. 
(B) The Environmental Protection Agency. 
(C) The Army Corps of Engineers. 
(D) The Department in which the Coast 
Guard is operating. 
(E) The Department of Defense. 
(F) Any other agency the Administrator 
considers appropriate. 
(3) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
subsection shall preclude an applicant or a prospec-
tive applicant from contacting Federal agencies di-
rectly. 
(c) ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS.—To the extent al-
lowable under the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), any environmental analysis 
or environmental impact statement required under that 
Act for offshore aquaculture activities proposed to be car-
ried out under a demonstration project under section 202 
shall be conducted through a single, consolidated environ-
mental review and the Administration, through the Office 
of Aquaculture established by section 101, shall serve as 
the lead Federal agency. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Oct 15, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00033
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5746.IH
H5746
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(d) COORDINATION OF PERMIT REVIEWS.—To the 
extent practicable under this Act and all other applicable 
laws, including regulations, Federal agencies with permit-
ting requirements applicable to offshore aquaculture ac-
tivities proposed to be carried out under a demonstration 
project under section 202 shall coordinate their review 
processes in order to provide a timely response to an appli-
cant not later than 180 days after the submission of the 
application. 
SEC. 204. REPORTING BY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM PARTICI-
PANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date on which a demonstration project for which a permit 
is issued under section 202 commences, and annually 
thereafter until the demonstration project terminates, the 
owner or operator of the demonstration project shall sub-
mit to the Administrator the following: 
(1) Production data. 
(2) Information on interactions with wild spe-
cies, mitigation measures taken, and the results of 
such interactions and measures. 
(3) Information on technology and operational 
practices used to measure and monitor— 
(A) effluent; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Oct 15, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00034
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5746.IH
H5746
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(B) integrity of cage materials and other 
gear; and 
(C) health of the cultivated species. 
(4) Information on environmental and eco-
system impacts. 
(5) Data necessary for the Ocean Studies 
Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engi-
neering, and Medicine to complete the study de-
scribed in section 401. 
(6) Owner, operator, and employee demographic 
data and other relevant data as determined appro-
priate by the Administrator for purposes of assess-
ing— 
(A) the direct benefits of the demonstra-
tion project to fishery stakeholders; and 
(B) the economic and social benefits of the 
demonstration project for nearby coastal com-
munities. 
(7) Information on navigation and safety im-
pacts to existing ocean users. 
(8) Such additional information as the Adminis-
trator requires to fulfill the goals and objective of 
the assessment program established under section 
201. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Oct 15, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00035
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5746.IH
H5746
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Administrator 
shall, upon request, provide technical assistance to owners 
and operators of demonstration projects for which permits 
are issued under section 202 to comply with the reporting 
requirements of this section. 
(c) EMERGENCY REPORTING.—The Administrator 
shall establish an emergency reporting process for each 
owner or operator of a demonstration project for which 
a permit is issued under section 202 to immediately report 
suspected or known interactions between project facilities 
or vessels and protected wild species. 
SEC. 205. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION; SAVINGS PROVISIONS. 
(a) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Any requirement in 
this title to identify or consider an impact or effect on 
human health or the environment shall be construed as 
including a requirement to make such identification or 
consideration while taking into account— 
(1) the cumulative impact of such impact or ef-
fect in the context of all sources of emissions, dis-
charges, or releases from any source, past, present, 
or in the reasonably foreseeable future, on the af-
fected environment and population; 
(2) any characteristics of such environment and 
population that may heighten vulnerability to envi-
ronmental pollution and related health risks; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Oct 15, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00036
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5746.IH
H5746
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(3) any action or practice that, even if appear-
ing neutral, has the effect of subjecting individuals 
to discrimination on the basis of race, color, or na-
tional origin. 
(b) STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.—A permit for a 
demonstration project issued under section 202 shall not 
supersede or substitute for any other authorization re-
quired under Federal or State law. 
(c) APPLICABILITY.—This title does not apply with 
respect to applications for a permit in process on the date 
of the enactment of this Act or permits that are in effect 
on that date. 
TITLE III—WORKFORCE DEVEL-
OPMENT, 
FINANCING, 
AND 
OTHER SUPPORT 
SEC. 301. GENERAL SUPPORT FOR INDUSTRY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall support 
the development of offshore aquaculture consistent with 
this Act and other applicable Federal law. 
(b) MARKETING AND PROMOTION GRANTS.—The Ad-
ministrator, in consultation with private sector aqua-
culture stakeholders, shall establish and administer a 
grant program to support the sale and public perception 
of cultured species domestically and internationally. 
(c) WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Oct 15, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00037
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5746.IH
H5746
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, in con-
sultation with private sector operators of offshore 
aquaculture facilities, academic institutions, and the 
national sea grant college program, shall establish 
and administer a grant program to support the edu-
cation and training of individuals with the skills 
needed to manage and operate offshore aquaculture 
facilities. 
(2) 
AQUACULTURE
CENTERS
OF
EXCEL-
LENCE.—The Administrator may carry out para-
graph (1) through the program established under 
section 302(b)(1). 
(d) REGIONAL
NETWORKS.—The Administrator, 
through each regional fisheries office of the Administra-
tion, shall organize a network of— 
(1) regional experts and Federal agency con-
tacts, in coordination with relevant organizations, in-
cluding the national sea grant college program, the 
Regional Aquaculture Centers of the Department of 
Agriculture, institutions of higher education, and the 
Cooperative Extension System of the Department of 
Agriculture, to provide technical expertise and exten-
sion services for offshore aquaculture and informa-
tion on Federal permit requirements for offshore 
aquaculture; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Oct 15, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00038
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5746.IH
H5746
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(2) individuals and businesses interested in 
aquaculture operations and products to facilitate 
professional development, marketing, mentoring op-
portunities, and agency outreach and education on 
aquaculture. 
(e) AQUACULTURE DATABASE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall es-
tablish and maintain an aquaculture database within 
the Office of Aquaculture established by section 101. 
(2) INCLUSIONS.—The database required by 
paragraph (1) shall include information on research, 
technologies, monitoring techniques, best practices, 
and advisory board recommendations relating to 
aquaculture and offshore aquaculture. 
(3) SAFEGUARDING
OF
INFORMATION.—The 
Administrator shall make the database required by 
paragraph (1) available in a manner that safeguards 
personally identifiable information and confidential 
business information. 
(4) PATENTS.—The inclusion of information in 
the database required by paragraph (1) shall not be 
considered to be publication for purposes of sub-
section (a) or (b) of section 102 of title 35, United 
States Code. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Oct 15, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00039
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5746.IH
H5746
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(f) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR OPERA-
TORS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, through 
the Office of Aquaculture established by section 101 
and the regional aquaculture coordinators described 
in such section, shall organize a program in each re-
gional fisheries office of the Administration to pro-
vide technical assistance to operators of offshore 
aquaculture facilities. 
(2) TAILORING.—The programs required by 
paragraph (1) shall be tailored to meet the unique 
needs of each region. 
(3) CONSULTATIONS.—Under each program re-
quired by paragraph (1), the regional aquaculture 
coordinators described in section 101 may conduct 
consultations with the operator of each offshore 
aquaculture facility in the region concerned on a 
regular basis— 
(A) to assess the status of the operator’s 
business; and 
(B) if appropriate, to identify available re-
sources to support the operator, such as re-
gional experts, university extension agents, and 
grant opportunities. 
(g) CAPITAL MARKETS.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Oct 15, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00040
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5746.IH
H5746
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(1) PROVISION OF INFORMATION.—In order to 
enhance access to capital markets, the Administrator 
shall provide financial institutions and investment 
firms with objective, science-based information on 
offshore aquaculture and the Federal regulatory re-
gime for offshore aquaculture. 
(2) ECONOMIC ANALYSIS.—The Administrator 
shall provide economic analysis to answer queries re-
garding the value of offshore aquaculture assets to 
secure financing, such as equipment, governmental 
permits, inventory, and intellectual property. 
(3) COLLABORATION.—In order to achieve the 
goals of this subsection, the Administrator is encour-
aged to collaborate with the Secretary of Agri-
culture, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the re-
gional networks established under subsection (d). 
SEC. 302. AQUACULTURE CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED
INSTITUTION.—The term ‘‘cov-
ered institution’’ means— 
(A) a minority-serving institution; 
(B) a Native Hawaiian-serving institution; 
(C) an Alaska Native-serving institution; 
(D) a historically Black college or univer-
sity; or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Oct 15, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00041
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5746.IH
H5746
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(E) a Tribal college or university. 
(2) HISTORICALLY
BLACK
COLLEGE
OR
UNI-
VERSITY.—The term ‘‘historically Black college or 
university’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘part B 
institution’’ in section 322 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061). 
(3) 
MINORITY-SERVING
INSTITUTION.—The 
term ‘‘minority-serving institution’’ means an eligi-
ble institution described in paragraph (2), (4), (5), 
(6), or (7) of section 371(a) of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)). 
(4) TRIBAL
COLLEGE
OR
UNIVERSITY.—The 
term ‘‘Tribal college or university’’ means a Tribal 
College or University (as defined in section 316(b) 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1059c(b))) that is chartered by the governing body 
of the applicable Indian Tribe or by the Federal 
Government. 
(b) AQUACULTURE CURRICULUM GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator, in consultation with private sector aqua-
culture stakeholders, academic institutions, and the 
national sea grant college program, shall establish a 
program to award grants to covered institutions to 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Oct 15, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00042
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5746.IH
H5746
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
ered entity to respond quickly when property in 
an existing or potential working waterfront area 
or public access area, as identified in the ap-
proved working waterfronts plan of the eligible 
covered entity, if any, comes under threat of 
conversion to incompatible uses or becomes 
available for purchase. 
‘‘(E) As applicable, the impact of the ap-
proved working waterfronts plan of the eligible 
covered entity, if any, on the coastal ecosystem 
and working waterfronts of the eligible covered 
entity and the users of the coastal ecosystem of 
the eligible covered entity. 
‘‘(6) OTHER TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL AS-
SISTANCE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Upon the request of 
an eligible covered entity that is awarded a 
grant under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
provide to such eligible covered entity technical 
assistance— 
‘‘(i) to identify and obtain sources of 
Federal technical or financial assistance 
other than that provided under this sub-
section to develop a working waterfronts 
plan for approval under subsection (b) or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Oct 15, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00049
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5746.IH
H5746
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB