Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.7970 | Sponsor: Rep. Pingree, Chellie (D-ME)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act of 2022
This bill directs the Department of Commerce to designate at least seven entities as Ocean Innovation Clusters. Ocean Innovation Clusters are hubs of operation and entrepreneurship for private, public, and academic stakeholders to collaborate on opportunities to promote and enhance the maritime industry.
In designating entities, Commerce shall prioritize entities with a history of supporting cross-sector growth and development of the Blue Economy.
Additionally, Commerce must designate at least one Ocean Innovation Cluster in (1) each of the regions covered by the five regional offices of the National Marine Fisheries Service, (2) the Great Lakes region, and (3) the Gulf of Mexico region.
Commerce may award competitive grants for the establishment, operation, and administration of Ocean Innovation Clusters.

To establish Ocean Innovation Clusters to strengthen the coastal 
      communities and ocean economy of the United States through 
technological research and development, job training, and cross-sector 
                 partnerships, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Ocean Regional Opportunity and 
Innovation Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Blue economy.--The term ``Blue Economy'' means the 
        value and impact of sustainable industries related to the Great 
        Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts on the economy of 
        the United States, including living resources, marine 
        construction, marine transportation, offshore energy 
        development and siting including for renewable energy, offshore 
        mineral production, ship and boat building, tourism, 
        recreation, subsistence, commercial, recreational, and charter 
        fishing, seafood processing, and other fishery-related 
        businesses, kelp and shellfish aquaculture, coastal resilience, 
        and other industries the Secretary of Commerce considers 
        appropriate.
            (2) Director of sea grant.--The term ``Director of Sea 
        Grant'' means the Director of the National Sea Grant College 
        Program appointed under section 204(d)(1) of the National Sea 
        Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1123(d)(1)).
            (3) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
            (4) Native hawaiian organization.--The term ``Native 
        Hawaiian organization'' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 6207 of the Native Hawaiian Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
        7517).
            (5) Ocean innovation center for cross-sector 
        collaboration.--The term ``Ocean Innovation Center for Cross-
        Sector Collaboration'' means a physical space for collaboration 
        developed and managed in accordance with section 3(i).
            (6) Ocean innovation cluster.--The term ``Ocean Innovation 
        Cluster'' means an eligible entity designated by the Secretary 
        of Commerce under section 3.

SEC. 3. OCEAN INNOVATION CLUSTERS.

    (a) Designation.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with 
the Director of Sea Grant, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
Oceans and Atmosphere, and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
Economic Development, shall designate not fewer than 7 eligible 
entities as Ocean Innovation Clusters.
    (b) Eligible Entities.--For purposes of this section, an eligible 
entity is an entity--
            (1) that is composed, in a concentrated geographic region, 
        of 1 or more--
                    (A) business organizations;
                    (B) academic institutions, including minority- and 
                Tribal-serving institutions;
                    (C) not-for-profit organizations;
                    (D) Federal, State, or local governmental entities, 
                agencies, or instrumentalities;
                    (E) Indian Tribes; or
                    (F) Native Hawaiian organizations;
            (2) that is led by a not-for-profit organization; and
            (3) that works to deliver services in the concentrated 
        geographic region where the entity is located, enhance 
        collaboration, promote innovation, and contribute to the 
        equitable and sustainable growth of the Blue Economy across all 
        sectors.
    (c) Priority.--In designating entities as Ocean Innovation Clusters 
under subsection (a), the Secretary of Commerce shall prioritize 
entities with a history of supporting cross-sector growth and 
development of the Blue Economy.
    (d) Geographic Diversity.--The Secretary of Commerce shall 
designate not fewer than 1 Ocean Innovation Cluster under subsection 
(a) in--
            (1) each of the regions covered by the 5 regional offices 
        of the National Marine Fisheries Service;
            (2) the Great Lakes region; and
            (3) the Gulf of Mexico region.
    (e) Considerations.--In designating an eligible entity as an Ocean 
Innovation Cluster under subsection (a), the Secretary of Commerce 
shall consider the following:
            (1) The economic development potential of the coastal 
        community or region in which the entity is located.
            (2) The ability of the entity to incorporate and bring 
        growth and opportunity to broad geographic areas, including 
        urban, rural, and underserved areas.
            (3) Whether the entity serves a diverse, multigenerational, 
        ocean-dependent population consisting of groups with different 
        socioeconomic and educational attainment levels, industries, 
        and Indian Tribes.
            (4) The ability of the entity to cultivate and leverage 
        partnerships with private industry, academia, nongovernmental 
        organizations, Federal, State, and local governments, and 
        Indian Tribes to collaborate on shared outcomes.
            (5) The relative potential for the designation of the 
        entity as an Ocean Innovation Cluster to reverse a decline, or 
        accelerate growth, in ocean sector jobs.
            (6) The ability of the entity to carry out projects that 
        support economic and climate resilience through economic 
        diversification and long-term recovery from natural disasters.
            (7) The extent, rural and underserved nature, and economic 
        underutilization of the coastline and ocean area that projects 
        carried out by the entity could affect.
    (f) Partnership Management.--
            (1) Partnership liaisons.--
                    (A) Designation.--The Director of Sea Grant, the 
                Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
                Atmosphere, and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
                Economic Development shall each designate 1 partnership 
                manager from within their respective agencies to serve 
                as a partnership liaison between each Ocean Innovation 
                Cluster and Sea Grant, the National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration, and the Economic 
                Development Administration, respectively.
                    (B) Function.--Each partnership liaison designated 
                under subparagraph (A) shall ensure that Ocean 
                Innovation Clusters--
                            (i) have direct communication with the 
                        agency of the liaison; and
                            (ii) allow for collaboration and alignment 
                        with Federal objectives in each region 
                        regarding the Blue Economy.
            (2) Interagency coordination.--
                    (A) Secretary of commerce and partnership 
                liaisons.--The Secretary of Commerce shall coordinate 
                with the Director of Sea Grant, the Assistant Secretary 
                of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, the Assistant 
                Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, the 
                Department of Energy, the Maritime Administration of 
                the Department of Transportation, the Environmental 
                Protection Agency, the Bureau of Ocean Energy 
                Management of the Department of the Interior, the 
                Department of Agriculture, the Coast Guard, and such 
                other Federal agencies, including bureaus of the 
                Department of Commerce, as the Secretary of Commerce 
                considers appropriate to increase technical knowledge 
                exchange and opportunities for cross-sector 
                collaboration with those agencies.
                    (B) Secretary of energy.--With respect to matters 
                relating to the nexus of the Blue Economy and the 
                responsibilities and expertise of the Department of 
                Energy, the Secretary of Energy--
                            (i) shall provide advice and 
                        recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce in 
                        order to increase technical knowledge exchange 
                        and opportunities for cross-sector 
                        collaboration; and
                            (ii) may provide such advice and 
                        recommendations without any formal request from 
                        the Department of Commerce.
    (g) Development of Economic Impact Metrics of Ocean Innovation 
Clusters.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, the Director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the 
Department of Commerce, and the heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies shall use and refine the Marine Economy Satellite Account to 
measure the value to and impact of Ocean Innovation Clusters on the 
Blue Economy.
    (h) Areas of Focus.--The Director of Sea Grant, the Assistant 
Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and the Assistant 
Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development shall coordinate with 
each Ocean Innovation Cluster in the following areas of focus:
            (1) Increasing pathways for new entrants into the Blue 
        Economy for individuals and entities.
            (2) Intellectual property management.
            (3) Enhancing the sustainability of seafood supply chains, 
        including with respect to food, transportation, processing, 
        health and beauty products, animal feed, medical biotechnology, 
        bioplastics, biofuels, and other value-added products, to 
        strive for full use of harvested natural resources.
            (4) Providing significant and sustainable economic 
        opportunity through advanced research, cross-sector science, 
        and technology development.
            (5) Contributing new knowledge, processes, technology, and 
        support for stakeholders in the Blue Economy, especially to 
        advance sustainability in specific sectors.
            (6) Working with Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies 
        to clearly communicate laws, regulations, and agency practices 
        affecting industry needs, planning, or growth opportunities.
            (7) Creating investable opportunities through the 
        development of economies of scale to enhance growth 
        opportunities, job creation, sustainability, and expansion for 
        small businesses within the Blue Economy.
            (8) Workforce development and training, business planning, 
        identifying existing and needed technology and economic 
        infrastructure, and coordinated research and development among 
        small businesses, government, and industry.
            (9) Research, development, and implementation of ocean 
        energy, bioprospecting, and other innovative and sustainable 
        ocean resource development endeavors.
    (i) Ocean Innovation Centers for Cross-Sector Collaboration.--
            (1) In general.--In order to foster collaboration and 
        innovation and strengthen regional ocean sector economies while 
        creating employment opportunities, the Director of Sea Grant, 
        the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, 
        and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic 
        Development shall collaborate with cross-sector partners to 
        jointly develop or designate at least 1 physical space for 
        collaboration as an Ocean Innovation Center for Cross-Sector 
        Collaboration within each of the 7 regions with an Ocean 
        Innovation Cluster.
            (2) Management.--An Ocean Innovation Cluster or a group of 
        Ocean Innovation Clusters shall manage the Ocean Innovation 
        Center for Cross-Sector Collaboration of the region in which 
        the Cluster or Clusters is located.
            (3) Functions.--Each Ocean Innovation Center for Cross-
        Sector Collaboration shall--
                    (A) serve as a hub for partners within Ocean 
                Innovation Clusters to work toward the areas of focus 
                in described in subsection (h);
                    (B) support a community of entrepreneurs focused on 
                strengthening vibrant marine-dependent communities and 
                the Blue Economy;
                    (C) create workspaces and laboratories designed to 
                promote collaboration, including through shared meeting 
                rooms, access to technology, common spaces, and 
                offices;
                    (D) strengthen relationships among industry sectors 
                through shared scientific, staffing, and business 
                resources;
                    (E) develop the critical networks with cross-sector 
                partners that entrepreneurs need to grow effectively; 
                and
                    (F) develop the next generation of Blue Economy 
                workers by providing internships, apprenticeships, or 
                training, as appropriate, including for 
                underrepresented and Tribal communities and local trade 
                schools.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR OCEAN INNOVATION CLUSTERS.

    The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
3701 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 29. GRANTS FOR OCEAN INNOVATION CLUSTERS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Director 
of Sea Grant, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere, and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic 
Development, may award grants, on a competitive basis, to Ocean 
Innovation Clusters for the purposes described in subsection (b).
    ``(b) Purposes.--The Secretary may award grants under subsection 
(a) for--
            ``(1) the operation and administration of one or more Ocean 
        Innovation Clusters under the Ocean Regional Opportunity and 
        Innovation Act of 2022, with the goal that Ocean Innovation 
        Clusters will become membership-based, self-sustaining 
        entities; and
            ``(2) one-time capital investments made by one or more 
        Ocean Innovation Clusters necessary--
                    ``(A) to establish one or more Ocean Innovation 
                Centers for Cross-Sector Collaboration; and
                    ``(B) to foster cross-sector collaboration within 
                Ocean Innovation Cluster regions.
    ``(c) Input.--In awarding a grant under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall provide an opportunity for input from the Director of 
Sea Grant, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere, and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic 
Development.
    ``(d) Term of Grants.--
            ``(1) Operation and administration.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term of a grant awarded 
                under subsection (a) for a purpose described in 
                subsection (b)(1) shall be 2 years.
                    ``(B) Renewal.--The Secretary may renew a grant 
                described in subparagraph (A) for additional periods of 
                such duration as the Secretary determines to be 
                appropriate and necessary for the Ocean Innovation 
                Cluster that received the grant to provide regional 
                economic benefits.
            ``(2) Capital investment.--The term of a grant awarded 
        under subsection (a) for a purpose described in subsection 
        (b)(2) shall be for a period determined to be appropriate by 
        the Secretary.
    ``(e) Grants for Infrastructure.--Any grant awarded under 
subsection (a) to support the construction of facilities, upgrades to 
existing facilities, or site connectivity infrastructure shall be 
awarded pursuant to section 201 of the Public Works and Economic 
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141) and subject to the provisions 
of such Act, except that subsection (b) of such section and sections 
204 and 301 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3144, 3161) shall not apply.
    ``(f) Limitations on Grant Amounts.--
            ``(1) Operation and administration.--A grant awarded under 
        subsection (a) for a purpose described in subsection (b)(1) may 
        not exceed $10,000,000.
            ``(2) Capital investment.--A grant awarded under subsection 
        (a) for a purpose described in subsection (b)(2) may not exceed 
        $10,000,000.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to award grants under subsection (a) 
$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028.
    ``(h) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Director of sea grant.--The term `Director of Sea 
        Grant' means the Director of the National Sea Grant College 
        Program appointed under section 204(d)(1) of the National Sea 
        Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1123(d)(1)).
            ``(2) Ocean innovation cluster; ocean innovation center for 
        cross-sector collaboration.--The terms `Ocean Innovation 
        Cluster' and `Ocean Innovation Center for Cross-Sector 
        Collaboration' have the meanings given those terms in section 2 
        of the Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act of 
        2022.''.
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