NEAR Act of 2019

IIB 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 988 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JUNE 10, 2019 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation AN ACT To provide for a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examining the im- pact of ocean acidification and other stressors in estua- rine environments. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:23 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H988.RFS H988 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 HR 988 RFS SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Estuaries and 2 Acidification Research Act of 2019’’ or the ‘‘NEAR Act 3 of 2019’’. 4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 5 Congress finds the following: 6 (1) Ocean acidification impacts human health, 7 natural resources, and the environmental, economic, 8 and recreational uses of the coastline. 9 (2) The current understanding of ocean acidifi- 10 cation impacts on estuarine ecosystems is inadequate 11 to fully prepare and manage for changing environ- 12 mental conditions in nearshore locations. 13 (3) While pH can be measured with high preci- 14 sion and accuracy in open ocean environments, more 15 understanding of the carbonate system in estuarine 16 ecosystems is needed for precise and accurate meas- 17 urements and observations. 18 (4) The interaction of multiple stressors, includ- 19 ing salinity, pH, temperature, sea level rise, and nu- 20 trient input, within estuarine ecosystems is inad- 21 equately understood for managing the health, eco- 22 nomic, recreational, and environmental impacts driv- 23 en by these interactions. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:23 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H988.RFS H988 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 HR 988 RFS (5) A better understanding is needed of how 1 anthropogenic influences in coastal environments af- 2 fect estuarine ecosystems. 3 (6) More integration and coordination is needed 4 among regional, national, and global environmental 5 observations in estuarine environments, supporting 6 prior investments in related topics such as nutrient 7 loading, hypoxia, ocean acidification, and harmful 8 algae bloom research and observational systems. 9 SEC. 3. STUDY EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF OCEAN ACIDIFI- 10 CATION AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL 11 STRESSORS ON ESTUARINE ENVIRONMENTS. 12 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the 13 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce 14 shall make appropriate arrangements with the National 15 Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (re- 16 ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘National Academies’’) under 17 which the National Academies shall conduct a study 18 that— 19 (1) examines the existing science of ocean acidi- 20 fication in estuarine environments; 21 (2) examines the challenges to studying ocean 22 acidification and ocean acidification’s interactions 23 with other environment stressors in estuarine envi- 24 ronments; 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:23 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H988.RFS H988 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 4 HR 988 RFS (3) provides recommendations for improving fu- 1 ture research with respect to ocean acidification in 2 estuarine environments; and 3 (4) identifies pathways for applying science in 4 management and mitigation decisions relating to 5 ocean acidification in estuarine environments. 6 (b) CONTENTS OF STUDY.—The study described 7 under subsection (a) shall include— 8 (1) the behavior of the carbonate system within 9 estuarine environments; 10 (2) the interactions of the carbonate system 11 with other biotic and abiotic characteristics of estua- 12 rine ecosystems; 13 (3) how environmental and anthropogenic 14 changes or disturbances could affect abiotic and bi- 15 otic processes within estuaries; 16 (4) how estuarine biotic and abiotic processes 17 will be affected under predicted environmental 18 changes; 19 (5) the current state of data collection, inter- 20 pretation, storage, and retrieval and observational 21 infrastructure of abiotic and biotic parameters in es- 22 tuarine ecosystems; 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:23 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H988.RFS H988 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 5 HR 988 RFS (6) the gaps that exist in understanding the 1 socio-economic and health impacts of ocean acidifica- 2 tion in estuaries; 3 (7) future directions for scientific research; and 4 (8) pathways for applying science in manage- 5 ment and mitigation decisions. 6 (c) REPORT.—In entering into an arrangement under 7 subsection (a), the Secretary shall request that the Na- 8 tional Academies transmit to Congress a report on the re- 9 sults of the study not later than 24 months after the date 10 of enactment of this Act. 11 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 12 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 13 $1 million. 14 Passed the House of Representatives June 5, 2019. Attest: CHERYL L. JOHNSON, Clerk. VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:23 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H988.RFS H988 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS