NEAR Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.2533 | Sponsor: Rep. Posey, Bill (R-FL)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
National Estuaries and Acidification Research Act of 2021 or the NEAR Act of 2021
This bill directs the Department of Commerce to arrange for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study that

To provide for a study by the National Academies of Sciences, 
 Engineering, and Medicine examining the impact of ocean acidification 
             and other stressors in estuarine environments.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Estuaries and Acidification 
Research Act of 2021'' or the ``NEAR Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Ocean acidification impacts human health, natural 
        resources, and the environmental, economic, and recreational 
        uses of the coastline.
            (2) The current understanding of ocean acidification 
        impacts on estuarine ecosystems is inadequate to fully prepare 
        and manage for changing environmental conditions in nearshore 
        locations.
            (3) While pH can be measured with high precision and 
        accuracy in open ocean environments, more understanding of the 
        carbonate system in estuarine ecosystems is needed for precise 
        and accurate measurements and observations.
            (4) The interaction of multiple stressors, including 
        salinity, pH, temperature, sea level rise, and nutrient input, 
        within estuarine ecosystems is inadequately understood for 
        managing the health, economic, recreational, and environmental 
        impacts driven by these interactions.
            (5) A better understanding is needed of how anthropogenic 
        influences in coastal environments affect estuarine ecosystems.
            (6) More integration and coordination is needed among 
        regional, national, and global environmental observations in 
        estuarine environments, supporting prior investments in related 
        topics such as nutrient loading, hypoxia, ocean acidification, 
        and harmful algae bloom research and observational systems.

SEC. 3. STUDY EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION AND OTHER 
              ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS ON ESTUARINE ENVIRONMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall make appropriate 
arrangements with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 
Medicine (referred to in this Act as the ``National Academies'') under 
which the National Academies shall conduct a study that--
            (1) examines the existing science of ocean acidification in 
        estuarine environments;
            (2) examines the challenges to studying ocean acidification 
        and ocean acidification's interactions with other environment 
        stressors in estuarine environments;
            (3) provides recommendations for improving future research 
        with respect to ocean acidification in estuarine environments; 
        and
            (4) identifies pathways for applying science in management 
        and mitigation decisions relating to ocean acidification in 
        estuarine environments.
    (b) Contents of Study.--The study described under subsection (a) 
shall include--
            (1) the behavior of the carbonate system within estuarine 
        environments;
            (2) the interactions of the carbonate system with other 
        biotic and abiotic characteristics of estuarine ecosystems;
            (3) how environmental and anthropogenic changes or 
        disturbances could affect abiotic and biotic processes within 
        estuaries;
            (4) how estuarine biotic and abiotic processes will be 
        affected under predicted environmental changes;
            (5) the current state of data collection, interpretation, 
        storage, and retrieval and observational infrastructure of 
        abiotic and biotic parameters in estuarine ecosystems;
            (6) the gaps that exist in understanding the socio-economic 
        and health impacts of ocean acidification in estuaries;
            (7) future directions for scientific research; and
            (8) pathways for applying science in management and 
        mitigation decisions.
    (c) Report.--In entering into an arrangement under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall request that the National Academies transmit to 
Congress a report on the results of the study not later than 24 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000.

            Passed the House of Representatives May 18, 2021.

            Attest:

                                             CHERYL L. JOHNSON,

                                                                 Clerk.