Arctic Ocean Research and Science Policy Review Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1562
Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2009-08-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Air quality
Alaska
Animal protection and human-animal relationships
Arctic Ocean
Arctic and polar regions
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Ecology
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Government studies and investigations
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Oil and gas
Research administration and funding
Science, Technology, Communications
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-03
text: 
Arctic Ocean Research and Science Policy Review Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to request the National Research Council to conduct a study on the existing research and research advisory entities of the United States Arctic Ocean (the U.S. zone of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas north of Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska). Requires such study to: (1) review the breadth, relationship, and overlap of existing research programs and research advisory entities engaged in U.S. Arctic Ocean research; (2) assess the gaps in such research and in the coordination, integration, and synthesis of research activities and data; (3) assess existing scientific information and identify additional information necessary, including local and traditional knowledge, to ensure adequate federal agency environmental reviews; (4) recommend a comprehensive strategy to develop priorities for, and coordination, integration, and synthesis of, U.S. Arctic Ocean research and to coordinate and integrate such research with pan-Arctic research; and (5) provide a comprehensive, 10- to 20-year long-range U.S. Arctic Ocean research and monitoring plan.

action_date: 2010-05-24
text: 

Title I: Arctic Ocean Research
 - Arctic Ocean Research and Science Policy Review Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to request the National Research Council to conduct a study on the existing research and research advisory entities of the United States Arctic Ocean (the U.S. zone of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas north of Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, and adjacent marine environments). Requires such study to: (1) review the breadth, relationship, and overlap of existing research programs and research advisory entities engaged in U.S. Arctic Ocean research; (2) assess the gaps in such research and in the coordination, integration, and synthesis of research activities and data; (3) assess existing scientific information and identify additional information necessary, including local and traditional knowledge, to improve the scientific basis for federal agency environmental reviews; (4) provide for a comprehensive plan for 10- to 20-year long-range U.S. Arctic Ocean research and monitoring, with applied emphasis on climate impacts, and for coordination, integration, and synthesis of research and monitoring carried out on U.S. Arctic Ocean and coastal areas. 
 
Requires the Secretary to evaluate such study and develop a long-term strategy to implement its recommendations. Requires such strategy to ensure that the study's recommendations are integrated into existing agency research and science advisory programs. Requires: (1) the Secretary to report to Congress on such study; and (2) such study to include a description of the study's findings, the Council's recommendations to improve the coordination, integration, and synthesis of current Arctic ocean and coastal research activities and research data, and a prioritized and scalable research plan for the U.S. Arctic Ocean that is arranged thematically and includes budget estimates for research under such plan. Requires the Secretary to submit to Congress interim reports on the progress made to carry out the study once every 180 days until such report is submitted.
 
Authorizes appropriations for FY2010.
 

Title II: Black Carbon
 - Black Carbon and Other Aerosols Research Act of 2009 - Directs the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop an observation, monitoring, modeling, and research plan for black carbon and other aerosols in support of the United States Global Change Research Program that includes: (1) analysis of gaps in scientific methods and research on such substances and the effect of black carbon on climate and air quality; (2) identification of priorities for federal research on such substances to understand their role on climate and air quality; (3) a framework for the temporal and spatial effects of such substances on climate, the transportation and transformation of such substances, and the influence of black carbon on clouds and cloud particles; (4) methods that identify sources, measure, monitor, and increase understanding of the atmospheric concentrations and properties as well as the deposited forms; (5) a comparative evaluation of the climate-forcing properties of such substances and their effects on climate and the loss of Arctic sea ice; and (6) observation systems, needs, and assets necessary to develop and implement a black carbon and other aerosols monitoring and research program within NOAA.
 
Requires the Administrator to: (1) establish a Black Carbon and Other Aerosols Advisory Panel to assist in development and implementation of such plan; and (2) report to specified congressional committees on such plan.
 
Directs the Administrator to establish a black carbon and other aerosols monitoring and research program that combines observations, research, monitoring, modeling, and other activities within NOAA consistent with such plan and in support of the United States Global Change Research Program. Requires such program to include: (1) coordinated monitoring and research activities to improve understanding of specified factors that influence the contribution of such substances to climate processes; (2) strategic modeling activities to improve understanding of the transportation and transformation of aerosols, their distributions and climate-forcing properties, and their roles in climate change and air quality; (3) educational opportunities that encourage an interdisciplinary and international approach to exploring such substances' associated sources and impacts and that increase interactions between the measurement and modeling communities to optimize use of available data; (4) public outreach activities that improve understanding of the scientific knowledge of such substances and their impact on climate; (5) coordination of monitoring research with various agencies and entities; and (6) an assessment of such substances' role in climate and air quality.
 
Directs the Administrator to establish a program to provide grants for critical research and projects that improve the ability to measure, monitor, model, and assess such substances with respect to atmospheric concentrations and deposited forms, including research that supports means of reducing their impacts on climate.
 
Authorizes appropriations for FY2010-FY2015.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-05-24
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 401.
action_date: 2010-05-24
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-193.
action_date: 2010-05-24
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-193.
action_date: 2009-12-17
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2009-08-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2009-08-03
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8685-8687)
action_date: 2009-08-03
text: Introduced in Senate