Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research Amendments Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-1856
Sponsor: Rep. Ehlers, Vernon J. [R-MI-3]
Introduced: 2003-04-29 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Algal blooms
Aquatic ecology
Asian American ethnic groups
Authorization
Black colleges
Coastal zone
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost effectiveness
Department of Commerce
Ecological research
Economic impact statements
Economic research
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Environmental assessment
Environmental education
Environmental monitoring
Estuaries
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to research
Federal aid to water pollution control
Federal-Indian relations
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Freshwater resources conservation
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Great Lakes
Higher education
Hispanic Americans
Indian education
Laboratories
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine ecology
Marine resources conservation
Minorities
Minority education
Oceanographic research
Oxygen
Pollution measurement
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Science, Technology, Communications
Scientific instruments and apparatus
Technology transfer
Water Resources Development

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-29
text: Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research Amendments Act of 2003 - Amends the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (Harmful Algal Act) to repeal the President's authority to disestablish the Interagency Task Force (thus retaining it).
Requires the Task Force to: (1) work with the appropriate State, Indian tribe, and local governments to ensure that the assessment and research plans fulfill the requirements of the Harmful Algal Act; and (2) complete and submit to specified congressional committees not less than once every five years scientific assessments of harmful algal blooms and of hypoxia. Specifies amended assessment requirements.
Requires the Task Force to: (1) make a specified scientific assessment of freshwater algal blooms; and (2) develop and submit to specified congressional committees a research plan providing for a comprehensive and coordinated national research program to develop prevention, control, and mitigation methods to reduce the impacts of harmful algal blooms on coastal ecosystems, public health, and the economy. Specifies research program requirements.
Requires the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the Task Force and appropriate State, Indian tribe, and local governments, to provide for local and regional scientific assessments of hypoxia or harmful algal blooms, as requested by State, Indian tribe, and local governments. Specifies assessment requirements.
action_date: 2003-10-24
text: 
Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research Amendments Act of 2003 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (HABHRCA) to repeal the President's authority to disestablish the Interagency Task Force (thus retaining the Task Force).
 
(Sec. 3) Directs the Task Force to complete by specified deadlines, and submit to specified congressional committees, scientific assessments of: (1) harmful algal blooms (HABs) (first on marine HABs and subsequently on both marine and freshwater HABs, including those in the Great Lakes and upper reaches of estuaries); (2) current knowledge of freshwater HABs and coordination of related Federal research; and (3) hypoxia in U.S. coastal waters, including the Great Lakes. 
Directs the Task Force to develop, and submit to specified congressional committees, a research plan for a comprehensive and coordinated national research program to develop prevention, control, and mitigation methods to reduce the impacts of HABs on coastal ecosystems, public health, and the economy. Requires such plan to include to the maximum extent practicable diverse institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and those serving large proportions of Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, and other underrepresented populations. 
Directs the Secretary of Commerce (the Secretary) to: (1) establish a research program that meets the priorities and guidelines established under the Task Force's research plan; (2) ensure that research program results are communicated to State, Indian tribe, and local governments, and to the general public; and (3) do so under the Coastal Ocean Science Program (COSP) under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (NOAA92) and in conjunction with other appropriate Federal agencies. 
Requires the Task Force to work with the appropriate State, Indian tribe, and local governments to ensure that the assessments and research plan fulfill requirements of this Act. 
Requires the Secretary to provide for local and regional scientific assessments of hypoxia or HABs. Directs the Secretary to do so in coordination with the Task Force and appropriate State, Indian tribe, and local governments and at the request of such governments. 
(Sec. 4) Directs the President, in conjunction with State Governors, to develop a prediction and response plan to protect the environment and public health from impacts of HABs. Requires such plan to review HAB prediction techniques and identify innovative HAB response measures. 
(Sec. 5) Authorizes appropriations, under HABHRCA, for FY 2004 through 2006 to the Secretary for research, education, and monitoring activities related to the prevention, reduction, and control of HABs and hypoxia. 
Requires that specified amounts of such HABHRCA funds be used for: (1) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research and assessment activities, including procurement of necessary research equipment, at research laboratories of the National Ocean Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service; (2) the Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB) project under COSP, with a specified portion for research on freshwater HABs; (3) the HABHRCA national research program to develop methods to reduce impacts of HABs; (4) the Monitoring and Event Response for HABs project under COSP; (5) activities related to research and monitoring on hypoxia through COSP; and (6) the HABHRCA local and regional scientific assessments of hypoxia or HABs. 
(Sec. 6) Amends the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (NOAA92) to revise COSP requirements. Requires COSP to: (1) support Great Lakes, estuarine, and coastal ocean research and assessment through competitive, peer-reviewed, and merit-based research programs; and (2) augment and integrate existing research capabilities of NOAA, other Federal agencies, and the academic community. Authorizes appropriations for COSP for FY 2004 through 2006.
action_date: 2004-07-07
text: 
Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research Amendments Act of 2004 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (HABHRCA) to repeal the President's authority to disestablish the Interagency Task Force (thus retaining the Task Force).
 
(Sec. 3) Directs the Task Force to complete by specified deadlines, and submit to Congress, scientific assessments of: (1) harmful algal blooms (HABs) (first on marine HABs and subsequently on both marine and freshwater HABs, including those in the Great Lakes and upper reaches of estuaries); (2) current knowledge of freshwater HABs and coordination of related Federal research; and (3) hypoxia in U.S. coastal waters, including the Great Lakes. 
Directs the Task Force to develop, and submit to Congress, a plan for a comprehensive and coordinated national research program to develop and demonstrate prevention, control, and mitigation methods to reduce the impacts of HABs on coastal ecosystems (including the Great Lakes), public health, and the economy. Requires such plan to include to the maximum extent practicable diverse institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and those serving large proportions of Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, and other underrepresented populations. 
Directs the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) establish a research, development, demonstration, and technology transfer program that meets the priorities and guidelines established under the Task Force's research plan; (2) ensure that research program results are communicated to State, Indian tribe, and local governments, and to the general public; and (3) do so in conjunction with other appropriate Federal agencies. 
Requires the Task Force to work with the appropriate State, Indian tribe, and local governments to ensure that the assessments and research plan fulfill requirements of this Act. 
Requires the Secretary to provide for local and regional scientific assessments of hypoxia or HABs. Directs the Secretary to do so in coordination with the Task Force and appropriate State, Indian tribe, and local governments and at the request of such governments. 
 
(Sec. 4) Authorizes appropriations for FY 2005 through 2007 to the Secretary for research, education, monitoring, demonstration, and technology transfer activities related to the prevention, reduction, and control of HABs and hypoxia. 
Requires that specified amounts of such funds be used for: (1) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research and assessment activities, including procurement of necessary research equipment, at research laboratories of the National Ocean Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service; (2) the Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB) project, with a specified portion for research on freshwater HABs; (3) the HABHRCA national research program to develop methods to reduce impacts of HABs; (4) the Monitoring and Event Response for HABs (MERHAB) project; (5) activities related to research and monitoring on hypoxia; and (6) the HABHRCA local and regional scientific assessments of hypoxia or HABs. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-08
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2004-07-07
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2004-07-07
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5215-5216)
action_date: 2004-07-07
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5215-5216)
action_date: 2004-07-07
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1856.
action_date: 2004-07-07
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5215-5218)
action_date: 2004-07-07
text: Mr. Ehlers moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 264.
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Committee on Transportation discharged.
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Committee on Transportation discharged.
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Committee on Resources discharged.
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Committee on Resources discharged.
action_date: 2004-02-26
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2004-01-31
text: House Committee on Resources Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than April 2, 2004.
action_date: 2004-01-31
text: House Committee on Transportation Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than April 2, 2004.
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: House Committee on Resources Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Jan. 31, 2004.
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: House Committee on Transportation Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Jan. 31, 2004.
action_date: 2003-11-07
text: Referred sequentially to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for a period ending not later than Nov. 21, 2003 for consideration of such provisions of the bill and amendment as fall within the jurisdiction of that committee pursuant to clause 1(q), rule X.
action_date: 2003-11-07
text: House Committee on Resources Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Nov. 21, 2003.
action_date: 2003-10-31
text: House Committee on Resources Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Nov. 7, 2003.
action_date: 2003-10-24
text: House Committee on Resources Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Oct. 31, 2003.
action_date: 2003-10-24
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science. H. Rept. 108-326, Part I.
action_date: 2003-10-24
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science. H. Rept. 108-326, Part I.
action_date: 2003-07-22
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2003-07-22
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2003-05-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards.
action_date: 2003-05-02
text: Executive Comment Requested from Commerce.
action_date: 2003-05-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans.
action_date: 2003-04-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E806-807)
action_date: 2003-04-29
text: Referred to the Committee on Science, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-04-29
text: Referred to the Committee on Science, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-04-29
text: Referred to the Committee on Science, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-04-29
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-29
text: Introduced in House