171 
(1) The name and location of each entity receiv-
ing a grant. 
(2) Amount of each grant. 
(3) The name and location of the seaport in 
which the activities took place. 
(4) A description of the activities carried out 
with the grant funds. 
(5) An estimate of the impact of the project to 
reduce threats or enhance habitat of marine mam-
mals. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator for car-
rying out this section, $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2022 through 2026, to remain available until expended. 
SEC. 705. NEAR REAL-TIME MONITORING AND MITIGATION 
PROGRAM FOR LARGE WHALES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PROGRAM.—The Admin-
istrator shall design and deploy a Near Real-Time Large 
Whale Monitoring and Mitigation Program in order to cur-
tail the risk to large whales of vessel collisions, entanglement 
in commercial fishing gear, and to minimize other impacts, 
including but not limited to underwater noise from develop-
ment activities. Such program shall be capable of detecting 
and alerting ocean users and enforcement agencies of the 
location of large whales on a near real-time basis, inform-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:29 Dec 30, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00171
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3764.RH
H3764
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
172 
ing sector-specific mitigation protocols that can effectively 
reduce take of large whales, and continually integrating im-
proved technology. The program shall be informed by the 
technologies, monitoring methods, and mitigation protocols 
developed pursuant to the pilot program required in sub-
section (b). 
(b) PILOT PROJECT.—In carrying out subsection (a), 
the Administrator shall first establish a pilot monitoring 
and mitigation project for North Atlantic right whales for 
the purposes of informing a cost-effective, efficient and re-
sults-oriented near real-time monitoring and mitigation 
program for large whales. 
(1) PILOT PROJECT REQUIREMENTS.—In design-
ing and deploying the monitoring system, the Admin-
istrator shall, using best available scientific informa-
tion, identify and ensure coverage of— 
(A) core foraging habitats of North Atlantic 
right whales, including but not limited to— 
(i) the ‘‘South of the Islands’’ core for-
aging habitat; 
(ii) the ‘‘Cape Cod Bay Area’’ core for-
aging habitat; 
(iii) the ‘‘Great South Channel’’ core 
foraging habitat; and 
(iv) the Gulf of Maine; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:29 Dec 30, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00172
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3764.RH
H3764
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
173 
(B) important feeding, breeding, calving, 
rearing, or migratory habitats of North Atlantic 
right whales that co-occur with areas of high risk 
of mortality, injury, or harassment of such 
whales from vessel strikes, disturbance from de-
velopment activities, and entanglement in com-
mercial fishing gear. 
(2) PILOT PROJECT MONITORING COMPONENTS.— 
Within 3 years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Administrator, in consultation with relevant 
Federal agencies, Tribal governments, and with input 
from affected stakeholders, shall design and deploy a 
real-time monitoring system for North Atlantic right 
whales that includes near real-time monitoring meth-
ods, technologies, and protocols that— 
(A) comprise sufficient detection power, 
spatial coverage and survey effort to detect and 
localize North Atlantic right whales within core 
foraging habitats; 
(B) are capable of detecting North Atlantic 
right whales visually, including during periods 
of poor visibility and darkness, and acoustically; 
(C) take advantage of dynamic habitat suit-
ability models that help to discern the likelihood 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:29 Dec 30, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00173
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3764.RH
H3764
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
174 
of North Atlantic right whale occurrence in core 
foraging habitat at any given time; 
(D) coordinate with the Integrated Ocean 
Observing System to leverage monitoring assets; 
(E) integrate new near real-time moni-
toring methods and technologies as they become 
available; 
(F) accurately verify and rapidly commu-
nicate detection data; and 
(G) allow for ocean users to contribute data 
that is verified to be collected using comparable 
near real-time monitoring methods and tech-
nologies. 
(3) PILOT PROGRAM MITIGATION PROTOCOLS.— 
The Secretary shall, in consultation with the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security, Secretary of Defense, 
Secretary of Transportation, and Secretary of the In-
terior, and with input from affected stakeholders, de-
velop and deploy mitigation protocols that make use 
of the near real-time monitoring system to direct sec-
tor-specific mitigation measures that avoid and sig-
nificantly reduce risk of disturbance, injury, and 
mortality to North Atlantic right whales. 
(4) PILOT PROGRAM ACCESS TO DATA.—The Ad-
ministrator shall provide access to data generated by 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:29 Dec 30, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00174
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3764.RH
H3764
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
175 
the monitoring system for purposes of scientific re-
search and evaluation, and public awareness and edu-
cation, through the NOAA Right Whale Sighting Ad-
visory System and WhaleMap. or other successive 
public web portals. 
(5) PILOT PROGRAM REPORTING.— 
(A) Not later than two years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall submit to the Committee on Natural Re-
sources of the House of Representatives, and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate, and make available to the 
public, an interim report that assesses the bene-
fits and efficacy of the North Atlantic right 
whale near real-time monitoring and mitigation 
pilot program. The report shall include— 
(i) a description of the monitoring 
methods and technology in use or planned 
for deployment; 
(ii) analyses of the efficacy of the meth-
ods and technology in use or planned for de-
ployment in detecting North Atlantic right 
whales both individually and in combina-
tion; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:29 Dec 30, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00175
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3764.RH
H3764
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS