‘‘(A) shall have knowledge and experience in re-
search or resource management efforts in the Chesa-
peake Bay; and 
‘‘(B) shall be responsible for the administration 
and operation of the office and the implementation of 
this section.’’; and 
(C) by striking paragraph (3); 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Sec-
retary of Commerce’’ and inserting ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’; 
(B) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘with and represent’’ 
after ‘‘coordinate’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘, the Chesapeake Bay 
Regional Sea Grant Programs, and the 
Chesapeake Bay units of the National Estu-
arine Research Reserve System,’’ and in-
serting ‘‘for the Chesapeake Bay Program 
and that relate to the Chesapeake Bay wa-
tershed in furtherance of such Administra-
tion’s coastal resource stewardship mis-
sion,’’; 
(iii) in subparagraph (A)— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(I) in clauses (vi) and (vii), by 
striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; and 
(II) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(viii) coastal hazards and climate 
change; and 
‘‘(ix) education; and’’; and 
(iv) in subparagraph (B)— 
(I) in clause (iii), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(II) in clause (iv), by inserting 
‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; and 
(III) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(v) 
integrated 
ecosystem 
assess-
ments;’’; 
(C) in paragraph (4)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘Environmental Protec-
tion Agency’’ and inserting ‘‘Chesapeake 
Executive Council’’; and 
(ii) by inserting before the semicolon at 
the end the following: ‘‘as appropriate to 
further the purposes of this section’’; 
(D) by striking paragraphs (5) and (7); 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(E) by redesignating paragraph (6) as 
paragraph (5); and 
(F) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) perform any functions necessary to support 
the programs referred to in paragraph (3).’’; 
(3) by striking subsections (c), (d), and (e); and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, through 
the Director, shall implement the program activities 
authorized by this section to support the activity of 
the Chesapeake Executive Council and to further the 
purposes of this section. 
‘‘(2) ENSURING
SCIENTIFIC
AND
TECHNICAL 
MERIT.—The Director shall— 
‘‘(A) establish and use an effective and 
transparent mechanism to ensure that projects 
funded under this section have undergone appro-
priate peer review; and 
‘‘(B) provide other appropriate means to 
determine that such projects have acceptable sci-
entific and technical merit for the purpose of 
achieving maximum use of available funds and 
resources to benefit the Chesapeake Bay area. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(3) CONSULTATION WITH CHESAPEAKE EXECU-
TIVE COUNCIL.—The Director shall, in the implemen-
tation of the program activities authorized under this 
section, consult with the Chesapeake Executive Coun-
cil, to ensure that the activities of the Office are con-
sistent with the purposes and priorities of the Chesa-
peake Bay Agreement and plans developed pursuant 
to the such agreement. 
‘‘(4) INTEGRATED COASTAL OBSERVATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator, 
through the Director, may collaborate with sci-
entific and academic institutions, State and 
Federal agencies, non-governmental organiza-
tions, and other constituents in the Chesapeake 
Bay watershed, to support an integrated observa-
tions system for the Chesapeake Bay consistent 
with the purposes of the Integrated Coastal and 
Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (33 
U.S.C. 3601 et seq.). 
‘‘(B) SPECIFIC
REQUIREMENTS.—To sup-
port the system referred to in subparagraph (A) 
and provide a complete set of environmental in-
formation for the Chesapeake Bay, the Director 
shall— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(i) coordinate monitoring with Fed-
eral and State agencies in the tidal portions 
of the Chesapeake Bay to understand im-
pacts of water quality on living marine re-
sources; 
‘‘(ii) identify new data collection needs 
and deploy new technologies, as appro-
priate; 
‘‘(iii) collect and analyze the scientific 
information necessary for the management 
of living marine resources and the marine 
habitat associated with such resources; and 
‘‘(iv) organize the information de-
scribed in clause (iii) into products that are 
useful to policy makers, resource managers, 
scientists, and the public. 
‘‘(C) CHESAPEAKE BAY INTERPRETIVE BUOY 
SYSTEM.—To further the development and imple-
mentation of the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive 
Buoy System and associated monitoring assets to 
improve weather and ecological forecasts, mon-
itor habitat conditions for living marine re-
sources, the Director may— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(i) support the establishment and im-
plementation of the Captain John Smith 
Chesapeake National Historic Trail; 
‘‘(ii) delineate key waypoints along the 
trail and provide appropriate real-time 
data and information for trail users; 
‘‘(iii) interpret data and information 
for use by educators and students to inspire 
stewardship of Chesapeake Bay; and 
‘‘(iv) incorporate the observational 
data from the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive 
Buoy System into the Integrated Ocean Ob-
serving System regional network of observ-
atories. 
‘‘(5) CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED EDUCATION 
AND TRAINING PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator, 
through the Director, may establish a Chesapeake 
Bay watershed education and training program. 
The program shall— 
‘‘(i) continue and expand the Chesa-
peake Bay watershed education programs 
offered by the Office immediately before the 
enactment of the Chesapeake Bay Science, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
Education, and Ecosystem Enhancement 
Act of 2021; 
‘‘(ii) improve the understanding of ele-
mentary and secondary school students and 
teachers of the living resources of the eco-
system of the Chesapeake Bay; 
‘‘(iii) provide education and career 
pathway internships; and 
‘‘(iv) meet the educational goals of the 
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. 
‘‘(B) GRANT PROGRAM.—The Director may 
award grants for the purposes of this paragraph. 
Grants awarded under this subparagraph may 
be used to support education and training 
projects that enhance understanding and assess-
ment of a specific environmental problem in the 
Chesapeake Bay watershed or a goal of the 
Chesapeake Bay Program, or protect or restore 
living resources of the Chesapeake Bay water-
shed, including projects that— 
‘‘(i) provide classroom education, in-
cluding the development and use of distance 
learning and other innovative technologies, 
related to the Chesapeake Bay watershed; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(ii) provide meaningful watershed 
educational experiences in the Chesapeake 
Bay watershed; 
‘‘(iii) provide professional development 
for teachers related to the Chesapeake Bay 
watershed and the dissemination of perti-
nent education materials oriented to vary-
ing grade levels; 
‘‘(iv) demonstrate or disseminate envi-
ronmental educational tools and materials 
related to the Chesapeake Bay watershed; 
‘‘(v) demonstrate field methods, prac-
tices, and techniques including assessment 
of environmental and ecological conditions 
and analysis of environmental problems; 
and 
‘‘(vi) build the capacity of school dis-
tricts and their partners to deliver high 
quality environmental education programs. 
‘‘(C) COORDINATION.—The Director shall 
implement the education and training program 
in coordination with the heads of other Federal 
agencies, as the Director determines appropriate. 
‘‘(6) COASTAL AND LIVING RESOURCES MANAGE-
MENT AND HABITAT PROGRAM.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator, 
through the Director, may establish a Chesapeake 
Bay Coastal Living Resources Management and 
Habitat Program to support coordinated man-
agement, protection, characterization, and res-
toration of priority Chesapeake Bay habitats 
and living resources, including oysters, blue 
crabs, submerged aquatic vegetation, and eco-
nomically and ecologically important fish species 
such as striped bass and menhaden. 
‘‘(B) ACTIVITIES.—Under the Chesapeake 
Bay Coastal Living Resources Management and 
Habitat Program, the Director may carry out or 
enter into grants, contracts, and cooperative 
agreements and provide technical assistance to 
support— 
‘‘(i) native oyster research and restora-
tion; 
‘‘(ii) fish and shellfish aquaculture that 
is carried out in accordance with a valid 
Federal or State permit; 
‘‘(iii) 
establishment 
of 
submerged 
aquatic vegetation restoration programs; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(iv) the development of programs that 
restore, protect, and build the resilience of 
critical coastal habitats and communities; 
‘‘(v) habitat mapping, characteriza-
tion, and assessment techniques necessary to 
identify, assess, and monitor Chesapeake 
Bay conditions and restoration actions; 
‘‘(vi) application and transfer of ap-
plied scientific research and ecosystem man-
agement tools to fisheries and habitat man-
agers; 
‘‘(vii) collection, synthesis, and sharing 
of information to inform and influence 
coastal and living resource management 
issues; 
‘‘(viii) ecologically and economically 
important fish and shellfish research; and 
‘‘(ix) other activities that the director 
determines are appropriate to carry out the 
purposes of such program. 
‘‘(d) DELEGATION.— 
‘‘(1) AUTHORITY.—The Administrator shall dele-
gate to the Director such authority as may be nec-
essary to carry out this section. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(2) STAFF.—The Administrator shall delegate 
to the Director appropriate staff representing exper-
tise that covers the breadth of the duties of the Office. 
‘‘(e) REPORTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, through 
the Director, shall submit a biennial report to the 
Congress and the Secretary of Commerce on the ac-
tivities of the Office and on progress made in pro-
tecting and restoring the living resources and habitat 
of the Chesapeake Bay. 
‘‘(2) ACTION PLAN.—Each such report shall in-
clude an action plan for the 2-year period following 
submission of the report, consisting of— 
‘‘(A) a list of recommended research, moni-
toring, and data collection activities necessary to 
continue implementation of the strategy under 
subsection (b)(2); and 
‘‘(B) recommendations to integrate National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration activi-
ties with the activities of the partners in the 
Chesapeake Bay Program to meet the commit-
ments of the Chesapeake Bay Agreement and 
subsequent agreements. 
‘‘(f) AGREEMENTS.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, through 
the Director, may enter into and perform such con-
tracts, leases, grants, or cooperative agreements as 
may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this 
Act. 
‘‘(2) USE OF OTHER RESOURCES.—For purposes 
related to the understanding, protection, and restora-
tion of Chesapeake Bay, the Director may use, with 
consent and with or without reimbursement, the land, 
services, equipment, personnel, and facilities of any 
Department, agency, or instrumentality of the United 
States, or of any State, local government, Indian 
Tribe, or of any political subdivision thereof. 
‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defi-
nitions apply: 
‘‘(1) 
ADMINISTRATOR.—The 
term 
‘Adminis-
trator’ means the Administrator of the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration. 
‘‘(2) CHESAPEAKE
BAY
AGREEMENT; CHESA-
PEAKE BAY ECOSYSTEM; CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM; 
CHESAPEAKE
EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL.—The 
terms 
‘Chesapeake Bay Agreement’, ‘Chesapeake Bay eco-
system’, ‘Chesapeake Bay Program’, and ‘Chesapeake 
Executive Council’ have the meanings given those 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
terms in section 117(a) of the Federal Water Pollu-
tion Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1267(a)). 
‘‘(3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘Director’ means the 
Director of the Office. 
‘‘(4) OFFICE.—The term ‘Office’ means the 
Chesapeake Bay Office established under this section. 
‘‘(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out 
this section— 
‘‘(1) $17,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; 
‘‘(2) $18,700,000 for fiscal year 2023; 
‘‘(3) $20,570,000 for fiscal year 2024; and 
‘‘(4) $22,627,000 for fiscal year 2025.’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
Union Calendar No. 414 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3540 
[Report No. 117–573] 
A BILL 
To reauthorize the Chesapeake Bay Office of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion, and for other purposes. 
NOVEMBER 16, 2022 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Nov 17, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00018
Fmt 6651
Sfmt 6651
E:\BILLS\H3540.RH
H3540
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB