Climate Change Adaptation Act

Bill: 110-s-2355
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2007-11-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Climate change and greenhouse gases
Coastal zone
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Commerce
Disaster insurance
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Executive reorganization
Finance and Financial Sector
Floods
Government Operations and Politics
Grants-in-aid
Great Lakes
Hydrology
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine ecology
Marine pollution
Ocean
Ocean currents
Oceanography
Sea level
Strategic planning
Water Resources Development

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-14
text: 
Climate Change Adaptation Act - Amends the National Climate Program Act to: (1) eliminate the National Climate Program Office and the Climate Program Policy Board; (2) revise the elements of the National Climate Program to require a strategic plan to address the impacts of climate change in the United States and establish a National Climate Service within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); (3) require the President to provide to Congress a five-year national strategic plan to address the impacts of climate change in the United States; (4) require the Secretary of Commerce to conduct regional assessments of coastal and ocean vulnerability to climate change and submit to Congress a national coastal and ocean adaptation plan; (5) require the Secretary to provide technical planning assistance and products to assist coastal states and local governments in developing and implementing coastal and ocean adaptation or mitigation strategies and plans; and (6) require the Secretary to provide grants to coastal states for developing and implementing coastal and ocean adaptation plans.

action_date: 2008-06-05
text: 
Climate Change Adaptation Act - Amends the National Climate Program Act to revise congressional findings and add a definition of &quot;coastal state.&quot;

 Revises the elements of the National Climate Program to require a strategic planning process to address the impacts of climate change in the United States and establish a National Climate Service within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

 Requires the President to provide to Congress a five-year national strategic plan to address the impacts of climate change in the United States, define the Program roles of federal officers and agencies, and provide for coordination. Sets forth the minimum contents of the strategic plan, including requirements concerning: (1) climate change impacts on federally managed resources; (2) cooperation and partnership with state and local governments, nongovernmental entities, and international entities; (3) development of agency-specific plans; and (4) identification of necessary authorities and data.

Requires the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) coordinate and support regional assessments of coastal and ocean vulnerability, including living marine resources, to climate change; (2) submit to Congress a national coastal and ocean adaptation plan composed of regional plans that recommend targets and strategies to address coastal and ocean impacts associated with climate change, ocean acidification, and sea level rise; (3) provide technical planning assistance and products to assist coastal states and local governments in developing and implementing coastal and ocean adaptation or mitigation strategies and plans.

Amends the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to require the Secretary to provide grants to coastal states with federally approved coastal zone management programs for developing and implementing coastal and ocean adaptation plans. Requires such plans to be approved by the Secretary and consistent with the coastal and ocean adaptation plan to be developed pursuant to this Act and with the state's coastal management program and hazard mitigation plans.

Authorizes appropriations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 769.
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye with amendments and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 110-347.
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye with amendments and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 110-347.
action_date: 2007-12-04
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2007-11-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S14402-14403)
action_date: 2007-11-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S14401-14402)
action_date: 2007-11-14
text: Introduced in Senate