HR 1856 RFS 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Harmful Algal Bloom 
and Hypoxia Research Amendments Act of 2004’’. 
SEC. 2. RETENTION OF TASK FORCE. 
Section 603 of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hy-
poxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 1451 
note) is amended by striking subsection (e). 
SEC. 3. SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENTS AND RESEARCH, DEM-
ONSTRATION, AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER 
PLANS. 
Such section 603 is further amended—
(1) in subsection (a) by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘In developing the assessments and plans described in 
subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f), the Task Force shall 
work with appropriate State, Indian tribe, and local gov-
ernments to ensure that the assessments and plans fulfill 
the requirements of subsections (b)(2), (c)(2), (d)(2), 
(e)(2), and (f)(2). Additionally, the Task Force shall con-
sult with appropriate industry (including agriculture and 
fertilizer industry), academic institutions, and non-govern-
mental organizations throughout the development of the 
assessments and plans.’’; and 
(2) by striking subsections (b) and (c) and in-
serting the following:
HR 1856 RFS 
‘‘(b) SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENTS OF HARMFUL ALGAL 
BLOOMS.—(1) Not less than once every 5 years the Task 
Force shall complete and submit to Congress a scientific 
assessment of harmful algal blooms in United States 
coastal waters. The first such assessment shall be com-
pleted not later than 24 months after the date of enact-
ment of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research 
Amendments Act of 2004 and should consider only marine 
harmful algal blooms. All subsequent assessments shall ex-
amine both marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms, 
including those in the Great Lakes and upper reaches of 
estuaries. 
‘‘(2) The assessments under this subsection shall—
‘‘(A) examine the causes and ecological con-
sequences, and economic costs, of harmful algal 
blooms; 
‘‘(B) describe the potential ecological and eco-
nomic costs and benefits of possible actions for pre-
venting, controlling, and mitigating harmful algal 
blooms; 
‘‘(C) evaluate progress made by, and the needs 
of, Federal research programs on the causes, charac-
teristics, and impacts of harmful algal blooms; and 
‘‘(D) identify ways to improve coordination and 
to prevent unnecessary duplication of effort among
HR 1856 RFS 
Federal agencies and departments with respect to 
research on harmful algal blooms. 
‘‘(c) SCIENTIFIC
ASSESSMENT
OF
FRESHWATER 
HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS.—(1) Not later than 24 
months after the date of enactment of the Harmful Algal 
Bloom and Hypoxia Research Amendments Act of 2004 
the Task Force shall complete and submit to Congress a 
scientific assessment of current knowledge about harmful 
algal blooms in freshwater locations such as the Great 
Lakes and upper reaches of estuaries, including a research 
plan for coordinating Federal efforts to better understand 
freshwater harmful algal blooms. 
‘‘(2) The freshwater harmful algal bloom scientific 
assessment shall—
‘‘(A) examine the causes and ecological con-
sequences, and the economic costs, of harmful algal 
blooms with significant effects on freshwater loca-
tions, including estimations of the frequency and oc-
currence of significant events; 
‘‘(B) establish priorities and guidelines for a 
competitive, peer-reviewed, merit-based interagency 
research program, as part of the Ecology and 
Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB) 
project, to better understand the causes, characteris-
HR 1856 RFS 
tics, and impacts of harmful algal blooms in fresh-
water locations; and 
‘‘(C) identify ways to improve coordination and 
to prevent unnecessary duplication of effort among 
Federal agencies and departments with respect to 
research on harmful algal blooms in freshwater loca-
tions. 
‘‘(d) NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, DEVELOP-
MENT, DEMONSTRATION, AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER 
PLAN INTO REDUCING IMPACTS FROM HARMFUL ALGAL 
BLOOMS.—(1) Not later than 12 months after the date 
of enactment of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia 
Research Amendments Act of 2004, the Task Force shall 
develop and submit to Congress a plan providing for a 
comprehensive and coordinated national research program 
to develop and demonstrate prevention, control, and miti-
gation methods to reduce the impacts of harmful algal 
blooms on coastal ecosystems (including the Great Lakes), 
public health, and the economy. 
‘‘(2) The plan shall—
‘‘(A) establish priorities and guidelines for a 
competitive, peer-reviewed, merit-based interagency 
research, development, demonstration, and tech-
nology transfer program on methods for the preven-
HR 1856 RFS 
tion, control, and mitigation of harmful algal 
blooms; 
‘‘(B) identify ways to improve coordination and 
to prevent unnecessary duplication of effort among 
Federal agencies and departments with respect to 
the actions described in paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(C) include to the maximum extent practicable 
diverse institutions, including Historically Black Col-
leges and Universities and those serving large pro-
portions of Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pa-
cific Americans, and other underrepresented popu-
lations. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary of Commerce, in conjunction with 
other appropriate Federal agencies, shall establish a re-
search, development, demonstration, and technology trans-
fer program that meets the priorities and guidelines estab-
lished under paragraph (2)(A). The Secretary shall en-
sure, through consultation with Sea Grant Programs, that 
the results and findings of the program are communicated 
to State, Indian tribe, and local governments, and to the 
general public. 
‘‘(e) SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENTS OF HYPOXIA.—(1) 
Not less than once every 5 years the Task Force shall 
complete and submit to Congress a scientific assessment 
of hypoxia in United States coastal waters including the