I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1277 
To provide for ocean acidification collaborative research grant opportunities. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 4, 2015 
Mrs. CAPPS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To provide for ocean acidification collaborative research grant 
opportunities. 
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 ‘‘Ocean Acidification 
Research Partnerships Act’’. 
SEC. 
2. 
OCEAN 
ACIDIFICATION 
COLLABORATIVE 
RE-
SEARCH GRANTS. 
The Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Moni-
toring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) is amended 
by inserting after section 12406 the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:45 Mar 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1277.IH
H1277
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘SEC. 12406A. OCEAN ACIDIFICATION COLLABORATIVE RE-
SEARCH GRANTS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ACADEMIC COMMUNITY.—The term ‘aca-
demic community’ includes faculty and other rep-
resentatives of institutions of higher education and 
other schools, researchers, scientists, and natural re-
source managers. 
‘‘(2) SEAFOOD INDUSTRY.—The term ‘seafood 
industry’ includes shellfish growers, shellfish har-
vesters, commercial fishermen, recreational fisher-
men, other members of the seafood harvesting or 
supply chain, and organizations representing any of 
such groups. 
‘‘(b) GRANTS.—The Secretary shall provide grants 
for collaborative research projects on ocean acidification 
developed and conducted through partnerships between 
the seafood industry and the academic community. 
‘‘(c) CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL.—The Secretary may 
not provide a grant for a project under this section unless 
the project is— 
‘‘(1) consistent with the themes identified under 
the strategic research plan developed by the Sub-
committee under section 12405; and 
‘‘(2) designed to— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:45 Mar 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1277.IH
H1277
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(A) develop and support partnerships, 
communications, and shared understanding be-
tween the seafood industry and the academic 
community; 
‘‘(B) include the seafood industry in re-
search on ocean acidification; 
‘‘(C) deliver research, monitoring, or adap-
tation results which will benefit both the sea-
food industry and the academic community; 
‘‘(D) incorporate into the research agenda 
the expertise of both the seafood industry, in-
cluding their unique understanding of the nat-
ural environment, and the academic community; 
‘‘(E) promote better understanding of sea-
food industry research questions and priorities 
within the academic community; 
‘‘(F) promote wider understanding of 
ocean acidification among the academic commu-
nity, the seafood industry, and other stake-
holders as appropriate; and 
‘‘(G) include appropriately balanced sup-
port from both the seafood industry and the 
academic community. 
‘‘(d) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall prioritize fund-
ing under this section to projects which— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:45 Mar 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1277.IH
H1277
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(1) address ecosystems and communities vul-
nerable to the impacts of ocean acidification; 
‘‘(2) demonstrate support from local stake-
holders, such as representatives of States or other 
governmental jurisdictions, community organiza-
tions, tribes, or educational institutions, as appro-
priate, located within the region in which the project 
will be undertaken; or 
‘‘(3) utilize seafood industry assets as research 
and monitoring platforms. 
‘‘(e) IMPLEMENTATION
GUIDELINES.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Secretary, in collaboration with the Subcommittee, 
shall issue implementation guidelines under this section, 
including criteria and priorities for grants. Those guide-
lines shall be developed in consultation, as appropriate, 
with— 
‘‘(1) State, regional, and local decisionmakers 
with ocean acidification experience; 
‘‘(2) the seafood industry and other marine-de-
pendent industries; 
‘‘(3) formal and informal educators, including 
both those within academia and those who are not; 
‘‘(4) tribes; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:45 Mar 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1277.IH
H1277
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(5) nongovernmental organizations involved in 
ocean acidification research, prevention, or adapta-
tion; and 
‘‘(6) any other appropriate community stake-
holders. 
‘‘(f) CONTENTS OF PROPOSALS.—Each proposal for 
a grant under this section shall include— 
‘‘(1) a description of the qualifications of the 
individuals or entities who will conduct the project; 
‘‘(2) a plan for ensuring full participation and 
engagement of both industry and academic commu-
nity participants, including a description of how each 
partner will contribute expertise to the project in 
terms of design, execution, and interpretation of re-
sults; 
‘‘(3) a plan for the dissemination of the results 
of the research project, which may include— 
‘‘(A) educational programs; 
‘‘(B) presentations to members of the sea-
food industry, the academic community, and 
community stakeholders; 
‘‘(C) scientific publication; and 
‘‘(D) delivery to appropriate representa-
tives of States or other government jurisdictions 
who would use the information; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:45 Mar 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1277.IH
H1277
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(4) a description of how the project is con-
sistent with the program elements described in sec-
tion 12405(c); and 
‘‘(5) any other information the Secretary con-
siders necessary for evaluating the eligibility of the 
project for funding under this section. 
‘‘(g) ALTERNATIVE PARTICIPANTS.—The Secretary 
may make a grant under this section to a partnership in 
which a marine-dependent industry is substituted for the 
seafood industry if the proposed project serves the pur-
poses of this section. In such a case, the participation and 
interests of that marine-dependent industry shall be sub-
stituted for those of the seafood industry in applying the 
requirements of this section. 
‘‘(h) PROJECT REPORTING.—Each grantee under 
this section shall provide periodic reports as required by 
the Secretary. Each such report shall include all informa-
tion required by the Secretary for evaluating the progress 
and success of the project. 
‘‘(i) MATCHING REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the total amount of Federal funding for 
a collaborative research project supported under this 
section may not exceed 85 percent of the total cost 
of such project. For purposes of this paragraph, the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:45 Mar 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1277.IH
H1277
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
non-Federal share of project costs may be provided 
by in-kind contributions and other noncash support. 
‘‘(2) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive all or 
part of the matching requirement under paragraph 
(1) if the Secretary determines that no reasonable 
means are available through which applicants can 
meet the matching requirement and the probable 
benefit of such project outweighs the public interest 
in such matching requirement. 
‘‘(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for car-
rying out this section $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal 
years 2016 through 2020.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:45 Mar 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H1277.IH
H1277
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS