Regional Ocean Partnership Act
Bill: S.1894 | Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. (R-MS)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Regional Ocean Partnership Act
This bill allows the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to designate and support Regional Ocean Partnerships between coastal states that share a common ocean or coastal area or border the Great Lakes. It also allows partnerships between coastal states and non-coastal states that share a common watershed or would contribute to the priorities of the partnership.
Specifically, NOAA may designate a partnership as a Regional Ocean Partnership if it (1) is established to coordinate the management of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources among state governments and Indian tribes; (2) focuses on the environmental issues affecting the ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas of the coastal states participating in the partnership; (3) complements existing coastal and ocean management efforts of states and Indian tribes on an interstate scale, focusing on shared regional priorities; (4) does not have a regulatory function; and (5) is not duplicative of an existing Regional Ocean Partnership.
The bill designates the following entities as Regional Ocean Partnerships:
Each partnership must maintain mechanisms for coordination, consultation and engagement with the federal government, Indian tribes, nongovernmental entities, and other federally mandated regional entities.
A partnership may use provided federal funds to award grants and enter into contracts for certain purposes, including to monitor the water quality and living resources of multistate ocean and coastal ecosystems.

To designate Regional Ocean Partnerships of the National Oceanic and 
          Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.

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

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Regional Ocean Partnership 
Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS; PURPOSES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following 
findings:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The ocean and coastal waters of the United 
        States are foundational to the economy, security, global 
        competitiveness, and well-being of the United States and 
        continuously serve the people of the United States and other 
        countries as an important source of food, energy, economic 
        productivity, recreation, beauty, and enjoyment.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Over many years, the resource productivity and 
        water quality of the ocean and coastal areas of the United 
        States have been diminished by pollution, increasing population 
        demands, economic development, and natural and man-made hazard 
        events, both acute and chronic.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Ocean and coastal areas of the United States 
        are managed by State and Federal resource agencies and 
        regulated on an interstate and regional scale by various 
        overlapping Federal authorities, thereby creating a significant 
        need for interstate coordination to enhance regional 
        priorities, including the ecological and economic health of 
        those areas.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Tribal governments have unique expertise and 
        knowledge important for the stewardship of the ocean and 
        coastal waters of the United States.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the United States should seek to support 
        interstate coordination of shared regional priorities relating 
        to the management, conservation, resilience, and restoration of 
        ocean and coastal areas to maximize efficiencies through 
        collaborative regional efforts by Regional Ocean Partnerships, 
        in consultation with Federal and State agencies, Tribal 
        governments, and local authorities;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) such efforts would enhance existing and 
        effective State coastal management efforts based on shared 
        regional priorities; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Regional Ocean Partnerships should consult 
        with Tribal governments and may include representation from 
        Tribal governments.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are as 
follows:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) To complement and expand cooperative voluntary 
        efforts intended to manage and restore ocean and coastal areas 
        spanning across multiple State boundaries.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) To expand Federal support for monitoring, data 
        management, and restoration activities in ocean and coastal 
        areas.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) To commit the United States to a comprehensive 
        cooperative program to achieve improved water quality in, and 
        improvements in the productivity of living resources of, all 
        coastal ecosystems.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) To authorize Regional Ocean Partnerships as 
        intergovernmental coordinators for shared interstate and 
        regional priorities relating to the collaborative management of 
        the large marine ecosystems, thereby reducing duplication of 
        efforts and maximizing opportunities to leverage support in the 
        ocean and coastal regions.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) To empower States to take a lead role in 
        managing oceans and coasts.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) To incorporate Tribal interests in the 
        management of oceans and coasts and provide funding to support 
        Tribal ocean and coastal resiliency activities in coordination 
        with Regional Ocean Partnerships.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) To enable Regional Ocean Partnerships, or 
        designated fiscal management entities of such partnerships, to 
        receive Federal funding to conduct the scientific research, 
        conservation and restoration activities, and priority 
        coordination on shared regional priorities necessary to achieve 
        the purposes described in paragraphs (1) through (6).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. REGIONAL OCEAN PARTNERSHIPS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' 
        means the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Coastal state.--The term ``coastal state'' has 
        the meaning given that term in section 304 of the Coastal Zone 
        Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1453).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has 
        the meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
        5304).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Regional Ocean Partnerships.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--A coastal state may participate 
        in a Regional Ocean Partnership with one or more other coastal 
        states that share a common ocean or coastal area with the 
        coastal state, without regard to whether the coastal states are 
        contiguous.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Application.--The Governor of a coastal state 
        or the Governors of a group of coastal states may apply to the 
        Secretary of Commerce, on behalf of a partnership, for the 
        partnership to receive designation as a Regional Ocean 
        Partnership if the partnership--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) meets the requirements under paragraph 
                (3); and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) submits an application for such 
                designation in such manner, in such form, and 
                containing such information as the Secretary may 
                require.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Requirements.--A partnership is eligible for 
        designation as a Regional Ocean Partnership by the Secretary 
        under paragraph (2) if the partnership--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) is established to coordinate the 
                interstate management of ocean and coastal 
                resources;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) focuses on the environmental issues 
                affecting the ocean and coastal areas of the members 
                participating in the partnership;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) complements existing State coastal and 
                ocean management efforts on an interstate scale, 
                focusing on shared regional priorities;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) does not have a regulatory function; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) is not duplicative of an existing 
                Regional Ocean Partnership designated under paragraph 
                (4), as determined by the Secretary.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Designation of certain entities as regional 
        ocean partnerships.--Notwithstanding paragraph (2) or (3), the 
        following entities are designated as Regional Ocean 
        Partnerships:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) The Gulf of Mexico Alliance, comprised 
                of the States of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, 
                Mississippi, and Texas.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) The Northeast Regional Ocean Council, 
                comprised of the States of Maine, Vermont, New 
                Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode 
                Island.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) The Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on 
                the Ocean, comprised of the States of New York, New 
                Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) The West Coast Ocean Alliance, 
                comprised of the States of California, Oregon, and 
                Washington and the coastal Indian Tribes 
                therein.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Governing Bodies of Regional Ocean Partnerships.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--A Regional Ocean Partnership 
        designated under subsection (b) shall be governed by a 
        governing body.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Membership.--A governing body described in 
        paragraph (1)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) shall be comprised, at a minimum, of 
                voting members from each coastal state participating in 
                the Regional Ocean Partnership, designated by the 
                Governor of the coastal state; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) may include such other members as the 
                partnership considers appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Functions.--A Regional Ocean Partnership designated 
under subsection (b) may perform the following functions:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Promote coordination of the actions of the 
        agencies of coastal states participating in the partnership 
        with the actions of the appropriate officials of Federal 
        agencies and State and Tribal governments in developing 
        strategies--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) to conserve living resources, increase 
                valuable habitats, enhance coastal resilience and ocean 
                management, promote ecological and economic health, and 
                address such other issues related to the shared ocean 
                or coastal area as are determined to be a shared, 
                regional priority by those states; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) to manage regional data portals and 
                develop associated data products for purposes that 
                support the priorities of the partnership.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) In cooperation with appropriate Federal and 
        State agencies, Tribal governments, and local authorities, 
        develop and implement specific action plans to carry out 
        coordination goals.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Coordinate and implement priority plans and 
        projects, and facilitate science, research, modeling, 
        monitoring, data collection, and other activities that support 
        the goals of the partnership through the provision of grants 
        and contracts under subsection (f).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Engage, coordinate, and collaborate with 
        relevant governmental entities and stakeholders to address 
        ocean and coastal related matters that require interagency or 
        intergovernmental solutions.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Implement outreach programs for public 
        information, education, and participation to foster stewardship 
        of the resources of the ocean and coastal areas, as 
        relevant.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Develop and make available, through 
        publications, technical assistance, and other appropriate 
        means, information pertaining to cross-jurisdictional issues 
        being addressed through the coordinated activities of the 
        partnership.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) Serve as a liaison with, and provide 
        information to, international counterparts, as appropriate on 
        priority issues for the partnership.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Consultation and Engagement.--A Regional Ocean 
Partnership designated under subsection (b) shall maintain mechanisms 
for consultation and engagement with the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The Federal Government.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Tribal governments.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Nongovernmental entities, including academic 
        organizations, nonprofit organizations, and 
        businesses.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Grants and Contracts.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--A Regional Ocean Partnership 
        designated under subsection (b) may, in coordination with 
        existing Federal and State management programs, from amounts 
        made available to the partnership by the Administrator or the 
        head of another Federal agency provide grants and enter into 
        contracts for the purposes described in paragraph 
        (2).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Purposes.--The purposes described in this 
        paragraph include any of the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Monitoring the water quality and 
                living resources of multi-State ocean and coastal 
                ecosystems and coastal communities.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Researching and addressing the effects 
                of natural and human-induced environmental changes on--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) ocean and coastal ecosystems; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) coastal 
                        communities.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Developing and executing cooperative 
                strategies that--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) address regional data issues 
                        identified by the partnership; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) will result in more effective 
                        management of common ocean and coastal 
                        areas.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (g) Report Required.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 5 years after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in 
        coordination with the Regional Ocean Partnerships designated 
        under subsection (b), shall submit to Congress a report on the 
        partnerships.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Report requirements.--The report required by 
        paragraph (1) shall include the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) An assessment of the overall status of 
                the work of the Regional Ocean Partnerships designated 
                under subsection (b).</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) An assessment of the effectiveness of 
                the partnerships in supporting regional priorities 
                relating to the management of common ocean and coastal 
                areas.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) An identification of any duplication 
                of efforts between the partnerships and other 
                entities.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) An assessment of the benefits and 
                costs of the partnerships.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) An assessment of the effectiveness of 
                the strategies that the partnerships are supporting or 
                implementing and the extent to which the priority needs 
                of the regions covered by the partnerships are being 
                met through such strategies.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) An assessment of how the efforts of 
                the partnerships support or enhance Federal and State 
                efforts consistent with the purposes of this 
                Act.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) Such recommendations as the 
                Administrator may have for improving--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) efforts of the partnerships to 
                        support the purposes of this Act; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) collective strategies that 
                        support the purposes of this Act in 
                        coordination and consultation with all relevant 
                        Federal, State, and Tribal entities.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (H) The distribution of funds from each 
                partnership for each fiscal year covered by the 
                report.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (h) Availability of Federal Funds.--In addition to amounts 
made available to the Regional Ocean Partnerships designated under 
subsection (b) by the Administrator under this section, the head of any 
other Federal agency may provide grants to, enter into contracts with, 
or otherwise provide funding to such partnerships.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (i) Authorities.--Nothing in this section establishes any 
new legal or regulatory authority of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration or of the Regional Ocean Partnerships 
designated under subsection (b), other than--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the authority of the Administrator to provide 
        amounts to the partnerships; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the authority of the partnerships to provide 
        grants and enter into contracts under subsection (f).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (j) Funding.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Regional ocean partnerships.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration the following amounts to be made 
        available to the Regional Ocean Partnerships designated under 
        subsection (b) or designated fiscal management entities of such 
        partnerships to carry out activities of the partnerships under 
        this Act:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) $10,100,000 for fiscal year 
                2022.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) $10,202,000 for fiscal year 
                2023.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) $10,306,040 for fiscal year 
                2024.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) $10,412,160 for fiscal year 
                2025.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) $10,520,404 for fiscal year 
                2026.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Distribution of amounts.--Amounts made 
        available under paragraph (1) shall be divided evenly among the 
        Regional Ocean Partnerships designated under subsection 
        (b).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Tribal consultation.--There is authorized to 
        be appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 
        2026 for Indian Tribes to be distributed for purposes of 
        participation in or engagement with the Regional Ocean 
        Partnerships.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Derivation.--Funds to carry out the activities 
        under this Act shall be derived from amounts authorized to be 
        appropriated pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (3) that are 
        appropriated after the date of the enactment of this 
        Act.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Regional Ocean Partnership Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS; PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The ocean and coastal waters and the Great Lakes of the 
        United States are foundational to the economy, security, global 
        competitiveness, and well-being of the United States and 
        continuously serve the people of the United States and other 
        countries as an important source of food, energy, economic 
        productivity, recreation, beauty, and enjoyment.
            (2) Over many years, the resource productivity and water 
        quality of the ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas of the 
        United States have been diminished by pollution, increasing 
        population demands, economic development, and natural and man-
        made hazard events, both acute and chronic.
            (3) The ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas of the United 
        States are managed by State and Federal resource agencies and 
        Indian Tribes and regulated on an interstate and regional scale 
        by various overlapping Federal authorities, thereby creating a 
        significant need for interstate coordination to enhance 
        regional priorities, including the ecological and economic 
        health of those areas.
            (4) Indian Tribes have unique expertise and knowledge 
        important for the stewardship of the ocean and coastal waters 
        and the Great Lakes of the United States.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the United States should seek to support interstate 
        coordination of shared regional priorities relating to the 
        management, conservation, resilience, and restoration of ocean, 
        coastal, and Great Lakes areas to maximize efficiencies through 
        collaborative regional efforts by Regional Ocean Partnerships, 
        in coordination with Federal and State agencies, Indian Tribes, 
        and local authorities;
            (2) such efforts would enhance existing and effective 
        ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes management efforts of States 
        and Indian Tribes based on shared regional priorities; and
            (3) Regional Ocean Partnerships should coordinate with 
        Indian Tribes.
    (c) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are as follows:
            (1) To complement and expand cooperative voluntary efforts 
        intended to manage, conserve, and restore ocean, coastal, and 
        Great Lakes areas spanning across multiple State and Indian 
        Tribe jurisdictions.
            (2) To expand Federal support for monitoring, data 
        management, restoration, research, and conservation activities 
        in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas.
            (3) To commit the United States to a comprehensive 
        cooperative program to achieve improved water quality in, and 
        improvements in the productivity of living resources of, 
        oceans, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems.
            (4) To authorize Regional Ocean Partnerships as 
        intergovernmental coordinators for shared regional priorities 
        among States and Indian Tribes relating to the collaborative 
        management of the large marine ecosystems, thereby reducing 
        duplication of efforts and maximizing opportunities to leverage 
        support in the ocean and coastal regions.
            (5) To empower States to take a lead role in managing 
        oceans, coastal, and Great Lakes areas.
            (6) To incorporate rights of Indian Tribes in the 
        management of oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes resources and 
        provide resources to support Indian Tribe participation in and 
        engagement with Regional Ocean Partnerships.
            (7) To enable Regional Ocean Partnerships, or designated 
        fiscal management entities of such partnerships, to receive 
        Federal funding to conduct the scientific research, 
        conservation and restoration activities, and priority 
        coordination on shared regional priorities necessary to achieve 
        the purposes described in paragraphs (1) through (6).

SEC. 3. REGIONAL OCEAN PARTNERSHIPS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.
            (2) Coastal state.--The term ``coastal state'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 304 of the Coastal Zone 
        Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1453).
            (3) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
            (4) Regional ocean partnership.--The term ``Regional Ocean 
        Partnership'' means a Regional Ocean Partnership, a Regional 
        Coastal Partnership, or a Regional Great Lakes Partnership.
    (b) Regional Ocean Partnerships.--
            (1) In general.--A coastal state may participate in a 
        Regional Ocean Partnership with one or more--
                    (A) coastal states that share a common ocean or 
                coastal area with the coastal state, without regard to 
                whether the coastal states are contiguous; and
                    (B) States--
                            (i) with which the coastal state shares a 
                        common watershed; or
                            (ii) that would contribute to the 
                        priorities of the partnership.
            (2) Great lakes.--A partnership consisting of one or more 
        coastal states bordering one or more of the Great Lakes may be 
        known as a ``Regional Coastal Partnership'' or a ``Regional 
        Great Lakes Partnership''.
            (3) Application.--The Governor of a coastal state or the 
        Governors of a group of coastal states may apply to the 
        Secretary of Commerce, on behalf of a partnership, for the 
        partnership to receive designation as a Regional Ocean 
        Partnership if the partnership--
                    (A) meets the requirements under paragraph (4); and
                    (B) submits an application for such designation in 
                such manner, in such form, and containing such 
                information as the Secretary may require.
            (4) Requirements.--A partnership is eligible for 
        designation as a Regional Ocean Partnership by the Secretary 
        under paragraph (3) if the partnership--
                    (A) is established to coordinate the management of 
                ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources among State 
                governments and Indian Tribes;
                    (B) focuses on the environmental issues affecting 
                the ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas of the 
                members participating in the partnership;
                    (C) complements existing coastal and ocean 
                management efforts of States and Indian Tribes on an 
                interstate scale, focusing on shared regional 
                priorities;
                    (D) does not have a regulatory function; and
                    (E) is not duplicative of an existing Regional 
                Ocean Partnership designated under paragraph (5), as 
                determined by the Secretary.
            (5) Designation of certain entities as regional ocean 
        partnerships.--Notwithstanding paragraph (3) or (4), the 
        following entities are designated as Regional Ocean 
        Partnerships:
                    (A) The Gulf of Mexico Alliance, comprised of the 
                States of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and 
                Texas.
                    (B) The Northeast Regional Ocean Council, comprised 
                of the States of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, 
                Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
                    (C) The Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean, 
                comprised of the States of New York, New Jersey, 
                Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.
                    (D) The West Coast Ocean Alliance, comprised of the 
                States of California, Oregon, and Washington and the 
                coastal Indian Tribes therein.
    (c) Governing Bodies of Regional Ocean Partnerships.--
            (1) In general.--A Regional Ocean Partnership designated 
        under subsection (b) shall have a governing body.
            (2) Membership.--A governing body described in paragraph 
        (1)--
                    (A) shall be comprised, at a minimum, of voting 
                members from each coastal state participating in the 
                Regional Ocean Partnership, designated by the Governor 
                of the coastal state; and
                    (B) may include such other members as the 
                partnership considers appropriate.
    (d) Functions.--A Regional Ocean Partnership designated under 
subsection (b) may perform the following functions:
            (1) Promote coordination of the actions of the agencies of 
        coastal states participating in the partnership with the 
        actions of the appropriate officials of Federal agencies, State 
        governments, and Indian Tribes in developing strategies--
                    (A) to conserve living resources, increase valuable 
                habitats, enhance coastal resilience and ocean 
                management, promote ecological and economic health, and 
                address such other issues related to the shared ocean, 
                coastal, or Great Lakes areas as are determined to be a 
                shared, regional priority by those states; and
                    (B) to manage regional data portals and develop 
                associated data products for purposes that support the 
                priorities of the partnership.
            (2) In cooperation with appropriate Federal and State 
        agencies, Indian Tribes, and local authorities, develop and 
        implement specific action plans to carry out coordination 
        goals.
            (3) Coordinate and implement priority plans and projects, 
        and facilitate science, research, modeling, monitoring, data 
        collection, and other activities that support the goals of the 
        partnership through the provision of grants and contracts under 
        subsection (f).
            (4) Engage, coordinate, and collaborate with relevant 
        governmental entities and stakeholders to address ocean and 
        coastal related matters that require interagency or 
        intergovernmental solutions.
            (5) Implement outreach programs for public information, 
        education, and participation to foster stewardship of the 
        resources of the ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas, as 
        relevant.
            (6) Develop and make available, through publications, 
        technical assistance, and other appropriate means, information 
        pertaining to cross-jurisdictional issues being addressed 
        through the coordinated activities of the partnership.
            (7) Serve as a liaison with, and provide information to, 
        international counterparts, as appropriate on priority issues 
        for the partnership.
    (e) Coordination, Consultation, and Engagement.--
            (1) In general.--A Regional Ocean Partnership designated 
        under subsection (b) shall maintain mechanisms for 
        coordination, consultation, and engagement with the following:
                    (A) The Federal Government.
                    (B) Indian Tribes.
                    (C) Nongovernmental entities, including academic 
                organizations, nonprofit organizations, and private 
                sector entities.
                    (D) Other federally mandated regional entities, 
                including the Regional Fishery Management Councils, the 
                regional associations of the National Integrated 
                Coastal and Ocean Observation System, and relevant 
                Marine Fisheries Commissions.
            (2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in paragraph (1)(B) may 
        be construed as affecting any requirement to consult with 
        Indian Tribes under Executive Order 13175 (25 U.S.C. 5301 note; 
        relating to consultation and coordination with Indian tribal 
        governments) or any other applicable law or policy.
    (f) Grants and Contracts.--
            (1) In general.--A Regional Ocean Partnership designated 
        under subsection (b) may, in coordination with existing Federal 
        and State management programs, from amounts made available to 
        the partnership by the Administrator or the head of another 
        Federal agency, provide grants and enter into contracts for the 
        purposes described in paragraph (2).
            (2) Purposes.--The purposes described in this paragraph 
        include any of the following:
                    (A) Monitoring the water quality and living 
                resources of multi-State ocean and coastal ecosystems 
                and coastal communities.
                    (B) Researching and addressing the effects of 
                natural and human-induced environmental changes on--
                            (i) ocean and coastal ecosystems; and
                            (ii) coastal communities.
                    (C) Developing and executing cooperative strategies 
                that--
                            (i) address regional data issues identified 
                        by the partnership; and
                            (ii) will result in more effective 
                        management of common ocean and coastal areas.
    (g) Report Required.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in coordination 
        with the Regional Ocean Partnerships designated under 
        subsection (b), shall submit to Congress a report on the 
        partnerships.
            (2) Report requirements.--The report required by paragraph 
        (1) shall include the following:
                    (A) An assessment of the overall status of the work 
                of the Regional Ocean Partnerships designated under 
                subsection (b).
                    (B) An assessment of the effectiveness of the 
                partnerships in supporting regional priorities relating 
                to the management of common ocean, coastal, and Great 
                Lakes areas.
                    (C) An assessment of the effectiveness of the 
                strategies that the partnerships are supporting or 
                implementing and the extent to which the priority needs 
                of the regions covered by the partnerships are being 
                met through such strategies.
                    (D) An assessment of how the efforts of the 
                partnerships support or enhance Federal and State 
                efforts consistent with the purposes of this Act.
                    (E) Such recommendations as the Administrator may 
                have for improving--
                            (i) efforts of the partnerships to support 
                        the purposes of this Act; and
                            (ii) collective strategies that support the 
                        purposes of this Act in coordination with all 
                        relevant Federal and State entities and Indian 
                        Tribes.
                    (F) The distribution of funds from each partnership 
                for each fiscal year covered by the report.
    (h) Availability of Federal Funds.--In addition to amounts made 
available to the Regional Ocean Partnerships designated under 
subsection (b) by the Administrator under this section, the head of any 
other Federal agency may provide grants to, enter into contracts with, 
or otherwise provide funding to such partnerships.
    (i) Authorities.--Nothing in this section establishes any new legal 
or regulatory authority of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration or of the Regional Ocean Partnerships designated under 
subsection (b), other than--
            (1) the authority of the Administrator to provide amounts 
        to the partnerships; and
            (2) the authority of the partnerships to provide grants and 
        enter into contracts under subsection (f).
    (j) Funding.--
            (1) Regional ocean partnerships.--There are authorized to 
        be appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration the following amounts to be made available to 
        the Regional Ocean Partnerships designated under subsection (b) 
        or designated fiscal management entities of such partnerships 
        to carry out activities of the partnerships under this Act:
                    (A) $10,100,000 for fiscal year 2022.
                    (B) $10,202,000 for fiscal year 2023.
                    (C) $10,306,040 for fiscal year 2024.
                    (D) $10,412,160 for fiscal year 2025.
                    (E) $10,520,404 for fiscal year 2026.
            (2) Distribution of amounts.--Amounts made available under 
        paragraph (1) shall be divided evenly among the Regional Ocean 
        Partnerships designated under subsection (b).
            (3) Indian tribe participation .--There is authorized to be 
        appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 
        2026 for Indian Tribes to be distributed for purposes of 
        participation in or engagement with the Regional Ocean 
        Partnerships.
            (4) Derivation.--Funds to carry out the activities under 
        this Act shall be derived from amounts authorized to be 
        appropriated pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (3) that are 
        appropriated after the date of the enactment of this Act.
                                                       Calendar No. 217

117th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                S. 1894

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