A bill to establish a black carbon and other aerosols research program in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that supports observations, monitoring, modeling, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Black Carbon and Other Aerosols 
Research Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to develop a monitoring and research plan--
                    (A) to identify natural and anthropogenic sources 
                of black carbon and other aerosols and to monitor their 
                atmospheric and deposited concentrations on both a 
                temporal and a spatial scale;
                    (B) to measure, monitor, model, and assess black 
                carbon and other aerosols in regard to their 
                atmospheric concentrations and deposited forms--
                            (i) to establish how these substances 
                        impact regional- and global-scale climate 
                        change and air quality;
                            (ii) to determine their regional impacts, 
                        with a focus on the polar regions and other 
                        snow and ice covered areas; and
                            (iii) to estimate, in the United States and 
                        globally, spatial and temporal black carbon and 
                        other aerosol concentrations, and deposition 
                        trends in collaboration with the National 
                        Institute of Standards and Technology and other 
                        appropriate partners; and
                    (C) to develop models to assist policy makers and 
                to increase understanding of--
                            (i) the transport and transformation of 
                        black carbon and other aerosols to improve 
                        knowledge of their distributions and climate-
                        forcing properties; and
                            (ii) the individual and combined roles of 
                        black carbon and other aerosols on regional and 
                        global climate change on both a temporal and a 
                        spatial scale; and
            (2) to establish a black carbon and other aerosols 
        monitoring and research program within the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.
            (2) Black carbon.--The term ``black carbon'' means the 
        strongly light absorbing aerosol that--
                    (A) is composed of fine particles containing carbon 
                produced by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, 
                biofuel, and biomass and other activities;
                    (B) exists in both atmospheric and deposited forms; 
                and
                    (C) is sometimes associated with impaired air 
                quality and climate change.
            (3) Other aerosols.--The term ``other aerosols'' means the 
        components of atmospheric aerosols, fine particles suspended in 
        air, that contribute to climate-forcing and climate change, 
        including inorganic, organic, dust, and carbonaceous 
        substances, either separately or in combination.

SEC. 4. BLACK CARBON AND OTHER AEROSOLS MONITORING AND RESEARCH PLAN.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator shall develop an observation, 
monitoring, modeling, and research plan for black carbon and other 
aerosols that includes--
            (1) analysis of gaps in scientific methods and research 
        on--
                    (A) black carbon and other aerosols; and
                    (B) the effect of black carbon, both singly and in 
                combination with other factors, on climate change and 
                air quality on both a regional and a global scale;
            (2) identification of priorities for Federal research on 
        black carbon and other aerosols necessary to understand their 
        role in climate change and air quality on both a regional and a 
        global scale;
            (3) a framework for modeling--
                    (A) the temporal and spatial effects of black 
                carbon and other aerosols on climate, both singly and 
                in combination, on regional and global scales and 
                processes;
                    (B) the transportation and transformation of black 
                carbon and other aerosols to gain insight into their 
                distribution and climate-forcing properties; and
                    (C) the influence of black carbon on clouds and 
                cloud particles to understand and quantify their role 
                in large-scale circulation and the hydrologic cycle;
            (4) appropriate methods that--
                    (A) identify sources of black carbon and other 
                aerosols, both anthropogenic and naturally occurring, 
                and
                    (B) measure, monitor, and increase understanding of 
                the atmospheric concentrations and properties as well 
                as the deposited forms,
        on both a temporal and a spatial scale;
            (5) a comparative evaluation of the global and regional 
        climate-forcing properties of black carbon and other aerosols 
        and their effect on regional and global climate change and the 
        loss of Arctic sea ice; and
            (6) observation systems, needs, and assets necessary to 
        develop and implement a black carbon and other aerosols 
        monitoring and research program within the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration.
    (b) Advisory Panel.--The Administrator shall establish a Black 
Carbon and Other Aerosols Advisory Panel to assist in the development 
and implementation of the plan.
    (c) Report.--No later than 270 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator shall submit a report to the Senate 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of 
Representatives Committee on Science and Technology describing the plan 
required by subsection (a).

SEC. 5. BLACK CARBON AND OTHER AEROSOLS RESEARCH AND MONITORING 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator shall establish and maintain a 
black carbon and other aerosols monitoring and research program that 
combines observations, research, monitoring, modeling, and other 
activities within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
consistent with the plan required by section 4(a), that includes--
            (1) coordinated monitoring and research activities to 
        improve understanding of the sources, atmospheric 
        concentrations, deposited forms, and interactions among black 
        carbon and other aerosols that influence their contribution to 
        climate change processes on both a regional and a global scale;
            (2) strategic modeling activities that improve 
        understanding of--
                    (A) the transportation and transformation of 
                aerosols, to improve knowledge of their distributions 
                and climate-forcing properties; and
                    (B) the separate and combined roles of black carbon 
                and other aerosols in regional and global climate 
                change and air quality, on regional, global and 
                temporal scales, to improve understanding of these 
                substances and their roles in climate change;
            (3) educational opportunities that--
                    (A) encourage an interdisciplinary and 
                international approach to exploring the associated 
                sources and impacts of black carbon and other aerosols; 
                and
                    (B) increase interactions between the measurement 
                and modeling communities in order to optimize use of 
                available data;
            (4) public outreach activities that improve understanding 
        of the current scientific knowledge of black carbon and other 
        aerosols and their impact on climate change;
            (5) coordination of black carbon and other aerosols 
        monitoring research with the National Institute of Standards 
        and Technology and other appropriate international and national 
        government agencies, private entities, and others; and
            (6) an assessment of the role black carbon and other 
        aerosols have in regional and global climate change and air 
        quality.
    (b) Grant Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator shall establish a grant 
        program to provide grants for critical research and projects 
        that improve the ability to measure, monitor, model, and assess 
        black carbon and other aerosols with respect to their 
        atmospheric concentrations and deposited forms, including 
        research that supports means of reducing the impacts of black 
        carbon and other aerosols on climate.
            (2) Consultation with panel.--The Administrator shall 
        consult with the Black Carbon and Other Aerosols Advisory 
        Panel, and shall work cooperatively with the National Institute 
        of Standards and Technology and other Federal agencies, to 
        establish criteria for such research and projects.
            (3) Participation by federal agencies.--Federal agencies 
        may collaborate with, and participate in, such research and 
        projects to the extent requested by the grant recipient.
            (4) Award process.--Grants under this subsection shall be 
        awarded extramurally through a competitive peer-reviewed, 
        merit-based process that may be conducted jointly with other 
        Federal agencies working on black carbon and aerosols and their 
        role in and relationship to climate change.
    (c) Coordination With Other Agencies.--The Administrator shall 
coordinate development of the plan under section 4 and the monitoring 
and research program under subsection (a) of this section with the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology and other relevant 
Federal agencies.
    (d) Additional Authority.--In conducting the program, the 
Administrator may execute and perform such contracts, leases, grants, 
or cooperative agreements as may be necessary to carry out the purposes 
of this Act on such terms as the Administrator considers appropriate.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator for 
each of fiscal years 2010 through 2015--
            (1) $10,000,000 for grants under section 5(b); and
            (2) $10,000,000 for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration to carry out the other provisions of this Act.

Summary: Black Carbon and Other Aerosols Research Act of 2009 - Directs the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to: (1) develop an observation, monitoring, modeling, and research plan for black carbon and other aerosols that contribute to climate-forcing and climate change, which shall analyze research gaps, identify federal research priorities, include a framework for modeling effects on climate, identify sources, monitor atmospheric concentrations, and provide for assets necessary to develop a monitoring and research program; and (2) establish a Black Carbon and Other Aerosols Advisory Panel to assist in development and implementation of such plan.

Directs the Administrator to establish a black carbon and other aerosols monitoring and research program that combines observations, research, monitoring, modeling, and other activities within NOAA, consistent with such plan, and that includes: (1) coordinated monitoring and research activities to improve understanding of specified factors that influence the contribution of such substances to climate change processes; (2) strategic modeling activities to improve understanding of the transportation and transformation of such substances, their distributions and climate-forcing properties, and their roles in climate change and air quality; (3) educational opportunities that encourage an interdisciplinary and international approach to exploring such substances' associated sources and impacts; (4) public outreach activities; and (5) coordination of monitoring research with various agencies and entities.

Directs the Administrator to establish a program to provide grants for critical research and projects that improve the ability to measure, monitor, model, and assess such substances with respect to atmospheric concentrations and deposited forms, including research that supports means of reducing their impacts on climate.