Regional Ocean Partnership Act

Bill: 117-s-1894
Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
Introduced: 2021-05-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Alabama
Aquatic ecology
Atlantic Ocean
California
Congressional oversight
Connecticut
Delaware
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental education
Environmental health
Florida
Government studies and investigations
Gulf of Mexico
Indian lands and resources rights
Intergovernmental relations
Louisiana
Maine
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Maryland
Massachusetts
Mississippi
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York State
Oregon
Pacific Ocean
Regional and metropolitan planning
Research administration and funding
Rhode Island
State and local government operations
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
Washington State
Water quality
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2021-05-27
text: 

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.
 
Specifically, NOAA may designate a partnership as a Regional Ocean Partnership if it (1) is established to coordinate the interstate management of ocean and coastal resources; (2) focuses on the environmental issues affecting the ocean and coastal areas of the coastal states participating in the partnership; (3) complements existing state coastal and ocean management efforts 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:
 
 
the Gulf of Mexico Alliance,
 
the Northeast Regional Ocean Council,
 
the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean, and
 
the West Coast Ocean Alliance.
 
 
Each partnership must maintain mechanisms for consultation and engagement with the federal government, tribal governments, and nongovernmental entities, such as academic organizations.
 
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.

action_date: 2021-12-17
text: 

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:
 
 
the Gulf of Mexico Alliance,
 
the Northeast Regional Ocean Council,
 
the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean, and
 
the West Coast Ocean Alliance.
 
 
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. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2022-02-15
text: By Senator Cantwell from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report. Report No. 117-78.
action_date: 2022-02-15
text: By Senator Cantwell from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report. Report No. 117-78.
action_date: 2021-12-17
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 217.
action_date: 2021-12-17
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2021-12-17
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2021-06-16
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2021-05-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2021-05-27
text: Introduced in Senate