Hydrographic Services Improvement Act Amendments of 2008
PL 110-386 (S.1582), enacted 10/10/2008

122 STAT. 4106 
PUBLIC LAW 110–386—OCT. 10, 2008 
Public Law 110–386 
110th Congress 
An Act 
To reauthorize and amend the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION. 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hydrographic Services Improve-
ment Act Amendments of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 303 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act 
of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892) is amended by striking paragraphs (3), 
(4), and (5) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(3) HYDROGRAPHIC DATA.—The term ‘hydrographic data’ 
means information that— 
‘‘(A) is acquired through— 
‘‘(i) hydrographic, bathymetric, photogrammetric, 
lidar, radar, remote sensing, or shoreline and other 
ocean- and coastal-related surveying; 
‘‘(ii) geodetic, geospatial, or geomagnetic measure-
ments; 
‘‘(iii) tide, water level, and current observations; 
or 
‘‘(iv) other methods; and 
‘‘(B) is used in providing hydrographic services. 
‘‘(4) HYDROGRAPHIC
SERVICES.—The term ‘hydrographic 
services’ means— 
‘‘(A) the management, maintenance, interpretation, cer-
tification, and dissemination of bathymetric, hydrographic, 
shoreline, geodetic, geospatial, geomagnetic, and tide, water 
level, and current information, including the production 
of nautical charts, nautical information databases, and 
other products derived from hydrographic data; 
‘‘(B) the development of nautical information systems; 
and 
‘‘(C) related activities. 
‘‘(5) COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY ACT.—The term ‘Coast 
and Geodetic Survey Act’ means the Act entitled ‘An Act to 
define the functions and duties of the Coast and Geodetic 
Survey, and for other purposes’, approved August 6, 1947 (33 
U.S.C. 883a et seq.).’’. 
Hydrographic 
Services 
Improvement 
Act Amendments 
of 2008. 
33 USC 851 note. 
Oct. 10, 2008 
[S. 1582] 
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122 STAT. 4107 
PUBLIC LAW 110–386—OCT. 10, 2008 
SEC. 3. FUNCTIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATOR. 
Section 303 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act 
of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892a) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘the Act of 1947,’’ in subsection (a) and 
inserting ‘‘the Coast and Geodetic Survey Act, promote safe, 
efficient and environmentally sound marine transportation, and 
otherwise fulfill the purposes of this Act,’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘data;’’ in subsection (a)(1) and inserting 
‘‘data and provide hydrographic services;’’ and 
(3) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(b) AUTHORITIES.—To fulfill the data gathering and dissemina-
tion duties of the Administration under the Coast and Geodetic 
Survey Act, promote safe, efficient, and environmentally sound 
marine transportation, and otherwise fulfill the purposes of this 
Act, subject to the availability of appropriations, the Adminis-
trator— 
‘‘(1) may procure, lease, evaluate, test, develop, and operate 
vessels, equipment, and technologies necessary to ensure safe 
navigation and maintain operational expertise in hydrographic 
data acquisition and hydrographic services; 
‘‘(2) shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, 
design, install, maintain, and operate real-time hydrographic 
monitoring systems to enhance navigation safety and efficiency; 
and 
‘‘(3) where appropriate and to the extent that it does not 
detract from the promotion of safe and efficient navigation, 
may acquire hydrographic data and provide hydrographic serv-
ices to support the conservation and management of coastal 
and ocean resources; 
‘‘(4) where appropriate, may acquire hydrographic data and 
provide hydrographic services to save and protect life and prop-
erty and support the resumption of commerce in response to 
emergencies, natural and man-made disasters, and homeland 
security and maritime domain awareness needs, including 
obtaining mission assignments (as defined in section 641 of 
the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 
(6 U.S.C. 741)); 
‘‘(5) may create, support, and maintain such joint centers 
with other Federal agencies and other entities as the Adminis-
trator deems appropriate or necessary to carry out the purposes 
of this Act; and 
‘‘(6) notwithstanding the existence of such joint centers, 
shall award contracts for the acquisition of hydrographic data 
in accordance with subchapter VI of chapter 10 of title 40, 
United States Code.’’. 
SEC. 4. HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES REVIEW PANEL. 
Section 305(c)(1)(A) of the Hydrographic Services Improvement 
Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892c(c)(1)(A)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(A) The panel shall consist of 15 voting members who shall be 
appointed by the Administrator. The Co-directors of the Center 
for Coastal and Ocean Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center and 
no more than 2 employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration appointed by the Administrator shall serve as non-
voting members of the panel. The voting members of the panel 
shall be individuals who, by reason of knowledge, experience, or 
training, are especially qualified in 1 or more of the disciplines 
Establishment. 
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122 STAT. 4108 
PUBLIC LAW 110–386—OCT. 10, 2008 
and fields relating to hydrographic data and hydrographic services, 
marine transportation, port administration, vessel pilotage, coastal 
and fishery management, and other disciplines as determined 
appropriate by the Administrator.’’. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 306 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act 
of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892d) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 306. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator 
the following: 
‘‘(1) To carry out nautical mapping and charting functions 
under sections 304 and 305, except for conducting hydrographic 
surveys— 
‘‘(A) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
‘‘(B) $56,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(C) $57,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 
‘‘(D) $58,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
‘‘(2) To contract for hydrographic surveys under section 
304(b)(1), including the leasing or time chartering of vessels— 
‘‘(A) $32,130,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
‘‘(B) $32,760,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(C) $33,390,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 
‘‘(D) $34,020,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
‘‘(3) To operate hydrographic survey vessels owned by the 
United States and operated by the Administration— 
‘‘(A) $25,900,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
‘‘(B) $26,400,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(C) $26,900,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 
‘‘(D) $27,400,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
‘‘(4) To carry out geodetic functions under this title— 
‘‘(A) $32,640,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
‘‘(B) $33,280,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(C) $33,920,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 
‘‘(D) $34,560,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
‘‘(5) To carry out tide and current measurement functions 
under this title— 
‘‘(A) $27,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
‘‘(B) $27,500,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(C) $28,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 
‘‘(D) $28,500,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
‘‘(6) To acquire a replacement hydrographic survey vessel 
capable of staying at sea continuously for at least 30 days 
$75,000,000.’’. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZED NOAA CORPS STRENGTH. 
Section 215 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002 (33 U.S.C. 3005) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 215. NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED COMMISSIONED OFFICERS. 
‘‘Effective October 1, 2009, the total number of authorized 
commissioned officers on the lineal list of the commissioned corps 
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall be 
increased from 321 to 379 if— 
‘‘(1) the Secretary has submitted to the Congress— 
Effective date. 
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122 STAT. 4109 
PUBLIC LAW 110–386—OCT. 10, 2008 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1582: 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 110–218 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 154 (2008): 
Sept. 26, considered and passed Senate. 
Sept. 29, considered and passed House. 
‘‘(A) the Administration’s ship recapitalization plan for 
fiscal years 2010 through 2024; 
‘‘(B) the Administration’s aircraft remodernization 
plan; and 
‘‘(C) supporting workforce management plans; 
‘‘(2) appropriated funding is available; and 
‘‘(3) the Secretary has justified organizational needs for 
the commissioned corps for each such fiscal year.’’ 
Approved October 10, 2008. 
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