‘‘(C) 
that 
determines 
the 
appropriate 
amount of monitoring and measuring necessary 
to get a scientifically robust accounting on the 
size of the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone; and 
‘‘(D) that examines several potential solu-
tions based on information provided by the up-
dated assessment in paragraph (1).’’. 
SEC. 8. CHESAPEAKE BAY DEAD ZONE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Act is amended by inserting 
after section 606, as redesignated by section 5(2) of this Act, 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 607. CHESAPEAKE BAY DEAD ZONE. 
‘‘(a) ASSESSMENT PLAN.—Not later than 12 months 
after the date of enactment of the Harmful Algal Bloom and 
Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2011, 
the Task Force, in accordance with the authority under sec-
tion 603, shall complete and submit to the Congress and 
the President an integrated assessment of hypoxia in the 
Chesapeake Bay that examines the status of and gaps with-
in current research, monitoring, prevention, response, and 
control activities by— 
‘‘(1) Federal agencies; 
‘‘(2) State agencies; 
‘‘(3) regional research consortia; 
‘‘(4) academia; 
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‘‘(5) private industry; and 
‘‘(6) nongovernmental organizations. 
‘‘(b) RESEARCH PLAN.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of the Harmful Algal Bloom 
and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act 
of 2011, the Task Force shall develop and submit to 
the Congress a plan, based on the integrated assess-
ment submitted under subsection (a), for reducing, 
mitigating, and controlling hypoxia in the Chesa-
peake Bay. 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—In developing such plan, 
the Task Force shall— 
‘‘(A) consult with State and local govern-
ments and representatives from academic, agri-
cultural, industry, and other stakeholder groups; 
‘‘(B) ensure that the plan does not duplicate 
activities conducted by other Federal or State 
agencies; 
‘‘(C) include incentive-based partnership 
approaches; 
‘‘(D) include an economic cost-benefit anal-
ysis of the measures for reducing, mitigating, 
and controlling hypoxia events; 
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‘‘(E) utilize existing research, assessments, 
reports, and program activities; 
‘‘(F) publish a summary of the proposed 
plan in the Federal Register 90 days prior to the 
submission to the Congress of the completed plan; 
and 
‘‘(G) provide progress reports every 2 years 
after the submission to the Congress of the com-
pleted plan on the activities leading toward at-
tainment of the goals set forth in the plan. 
‘‘(3) CONTENTS.—The plan shall— 
‘‘(A) address the monitoring needs identi-
fied in the integrated assessment submitted 
under subsection (a) and develop a timeline and 
budgetary requirements for deployment of future 
assets; 
‘‘(B) detail procedures for the development 
and verification of Chesapeake Bay hypoxia 
models, including making available to the pub-
lic— 
‘‘(i) all assumptions built into the 
models; and 
‘‘(ii) data quality methods used to en-
sure the best available data is utilized; and 
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‘‘(C) describe efforts to improve the assess-
ment of the impacts of hypoxia by— 
‘‘(i) characterizing current and past 
biological conditions in ecosystems affected 
by hypoxia; and 
‘‘(ii) quantifying effects, including eco-
nomic effects, at the population and com-
munity level.’’. 
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—Section 608, as redesignated by 
section 5(1) of this Act, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 608. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘(a) UNDER SECRETARY.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Under Secretary to carry out this Act 
$18,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2015, of 
which, for each fiscal year— 
‘‘(1) $1,000,000 may be used for the development 
of the comprehensive research plan and action strat-
egy under section 605 and the assessment and reports 
required by sections 606 and 607; 
‘‘(2) $4,000,000 may be used for the research and 
assessment activities related to marine and freshwater 
harmful algal blooms at research laboratories of 
NOAA; 
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‘‘(3) $4,000,000 may be used to carry out the 
Ecology 
of 
Harmful 
Algal 
Blooms 
Program 
(ECOHAB); 
‘‘(4) $1,500,000 may be used to carry out the 
Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal 
Blooms Program (MERHAB); 
‘‘(5) $2,000,000 may be used to carry out re-
search and assessment for the Northern Gulf of Mexico 
ecosystem and hypoxia activities; 
‘‘(6) $1,500,000 may be used to carry out coastal 
hypoxia research activities; 
‘‘(7) $1,500,000 may be used to carry out pre-
vention, control, and mitigation activities; 
‘‘(8) $500,000 may be used to carry out event re-
sponse activities; and 
‘‘(9) $500,000 may be used to carry out infra-
structure activities. 
‘‘(b) ADMINISTRATOR.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Administrator $2,700,000 for 
each of the fiscal years 2012 through 2015 to carry 
out the activities authorized under this Act. 
‘‘(2) 
NONDUPLICATION.—The 
Administrator 
shall ensure that activities carried out using the 
amounts authorized under paragraph (1) do not du-
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plicate research and development activities related to 
harmful algal blooms and hypoxia conducted by Fed-
eral agencies represented on the Task Force, States, 
tribes, and nongovernmental organizations concerned 
with marine and freshwater aquatic issues.’’. 
(b) EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.—The Under 
Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere shall en-
sure that a substantial portion of funds appropriated pur-
suant to section 608 of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hy-
poxia Research and Control Act of 1998 that are used for 
research purposes are allocated to extramural research ac-
tivities. 
SEC. 10. CLERICAL AMENDMENTS. 
(a) TABLE OF CONTENTS AMENDMENT.—The table of 
contents in section 2 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act 
of 1998 is amended by striking the items relating to sections 
602 through 606 and inserting the following: 
‘‘Sec. 602. Definitions. 
‘‘Sec. 603. Assessments. 
‘‘Sec. 604. National harmful algal bloom and hypoxia program. 
‘‘Sec. 605. Comprehensive research plan and action strategy. 
‘‘Sec. 606. Northern Gulf of Mexico hypoxia. 
‘‘Sec. 607. Chesapeake Bay dead zone. 
‘‘Sec. 608. Authorization of appropriations. 
‘‘Sec. 609. Protection of States’ rights.’’. 
(b) REFERENCES.—Section 609, as redesignated by 
section 5(1) of this Act, is amended by striking ‘‘Clean 
Water Act or’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘Federal 
Water Pollution Control Act or the’’. 
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Union Calendar No. 271 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 2484 
[Report No. 112–333, Part I] 
A BILL 
To reauthorize the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hy-
poxia Research and Control Act of 1998 to in-
clude a comprehensive and integrated strategy to 
address harmful algal blooms and hypoxia, to 
provide for the development and implementation 
of a comprehensive research plan and action 
strategy to reduce harmful algal blooms and hy-
poxia, and for other purposes. 
FEBRUARY 9, 2012 
The Committee on Natural Resources discharged; com-
mitted to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
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