Great Lakes Environmental Sensitivity Index Act of 2020
PL 116-274 (S.1342), enacted 12/31/2020

[116th Congress Public Law 274]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 134 STAT. 3356]]

Public Law 116-274
116th Congress

                                 An Act


 
   To require the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere to update 
    periodically the environmental sensitivity index products of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for each coastal area of 
 the Great Lakes, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Dec. 31, 2020 -  [S. 
                                1342]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Great Lakes 
Environmental Sensitivity Index Act of 2020. 33 USC 883a note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Great Lakes Environmental Sensitivity 
Index Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. UPDATE TO ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY INDEX PRODUCTS OF 
                    NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC 
                    ADMINISTRATION FOR GREAT LAKES.

    (a) Update Required for Environmental Sensitivity Index Products for 
Great Lakes.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere shall commence 
updating the environmental sensitivity index products of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for each coastal area of the 
Great Lakes.
    (b) Periodic Updates for Environmental Sensitivity Index Products 
Generally.--Subject to the availability of appropriations and the 
priorities set forth in subsection (c), the Under Secretary shall--
            (1) periodically update the environmental sensitivity index 
        products of the Administration; and
            (2) <<NOTE: Deadline.>>  endeavor to do so not less 
        frequently than once every 7 years.

    (c) Priorities.--When prioritizing geographic areas to update 
environmental sensitivity index products, the Under Secretary shall 
consider--
            (1) the age of existing environmental sensitivity index 
        products for the areas;
            (2) the occurrence of extreme events, be it natural or man-
        made, which have significantly altered the shoreline or 
        ecosystem since the last update;
            (3) the natural variability of shoreline and coastal 
        environment; and
            (4) the volume of vessel traffic and general vulnerability 
        to spilled pollutants.

    (d) Environmental Sensitivity Index Product Defined.--In this 
section, the term ``environmental sensitivity index product'' means a 
map or similar tool that is utilized to identify sensitive shoreline, 
coastal or offshore, resources prior to an oil spill event

[[Page 134 STAT. 3357]]

in order to set baseline priorities for protection and plan cleanup 
strategies, typically including information relating to shoreline type, 
biological resources, and human use resources.
    (e) Funding.--Funds to carry out the activities under this section 
shall be derived from amounts authorized to be appropriated for the 
Under Secretary that are enacted after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.

    Approved December 31, 2020.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 1342:
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SENATE REPORTS: No. 116-170 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 166 (2020):
            Nov. 16, considered and passed Senate.
            Dec. 3, considered and passed House, amended.
            Dec. 10, Senate concurred in House amendment.

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