Coastal Resilience Research and Education Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 5102 To designate public colleges and universities that provide research, data, and recommendations on physical and biological science, social science, economic analysis, policy analysis, risk analysis, monitoring, predicting, and planning for sea-level rise and associated coastal flooding and shore- line erosion as National Centers of Excellence in Coastal Resilience Research and Education, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NOVEMBER 14, 2019 Mr. PANETTA (for himself, Mr. WALTZ, Mr. ROUDA, Mr. PALAZZO, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. SUOZZI, Ms. ESHOO, and Mr. RICHMOND) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Re- sources, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To designate public colleges and universities that provide research, data, and recommendations on physical and biological science, social science, economic analysis, policy analysis, risk analysis, monitoring, predicting, and plan- ning for sea-level rise and associated coastal flooding and shoreline erosion as National Centers of Excellence in Coastal Resilience Research and Education, and for other purposes. VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:58 Nov 25, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H5102.IH H5102 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 5102 IH Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Coastal Resilience Re- 4 search and Education Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. NATIONAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN COASTAL 6 RESILIENCE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION. 7 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Na- 8 tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall des- 9 ignate public institutions of higher education as National 10 Centers of Excellence in Coastal Resilience Research and 11 Education (in this section referred to as ‘‘National Cen- 12 ters of Excellence’’). The Administrator shall make the 13 first such designation by not later than 180 days after 14 the date of enactment of this Act. 15 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of such designation 16 are the following: 17 (1) To recognize institutions of higher edu- 18 cation that have exhibited national leadership in re- 19 search and education in coastal climate change ad- 20 aptation and mitigation. 21 (2) To identify such National Centers of Excel- 22 lence as sources of expert advice and guidance for 23 Federal agencies engaged in research and education 24 related to coastal climate change resilience. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:58 Nov 25, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5102.IH H5102 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 5102 IH (3) To formalize and enhance existing collabo- 1 rations and partnerships between public institutions 2 of higher education and Federal agencies, with the 3 goal of ensuring information and recommendations 4 are communicated effectively between such entities. 5 (c) CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.—The Adminis- 6 trator shall designate as a National Center of Excellence 7 only a public institution of higher education that— 8 (1) has demonstrated proven expertise in the 9 physical, engineering, and environmental sciences, 10 particularly research and education focused on the 11 impacts of sea-level rise, coastal flooding, or shore- 12 line erosion; 13 (2) has demonstrated a commitment to under- 14 standing the socioeconomic impacts of climate 15 change; 16 (3) is located in a State that frequently experi- 17 ences coastal flooding or shoreline erosion in connec- 18 tion with sea-level rise, severe coastal storms, or sea- 19 water intrusion into groundwater supplies; 20 (4) has previously partnered with, or is receiv- 21 ing funds from, Federal agencies for research on 22 coastal flooding or shoreline erosion issues; 23 (5) has collaborated with State agencies or 24 State legislators as technical and scientific advisory 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:58 Nov 25, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5102.IH H5102 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 5102 IH entities with respect to coastal flooding or shoreline 1 erosion; 2 (6) can demonstrate institutional collaboration 3 in coastal flooding or shoreline erosion research and 4 education with other public institutions of higher 5 education, including minority-serving institutions, 6 within the same State; and 7 (7) can demonstrate a history of convening 8 local, State, or Federal entities to develop plans for 9 coastal flooding or shoreline erosion. 10 SEC. 3. INFORMATION COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION; 11 REVIEWS AND ADDITIONAL DESIGNS. 12 (a) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Administrator shall an- 13 nually submit to Congress and the President a report de- 14 scribing the activities, partnership and collaborations, 15 Federal policy recommendations, previous and continuing 16 budgets, and findings of, and any other applicable infor- 17 mation from, the National Centers of Excellence, and 18 make such reports available to the public in an easily ac- 19 cessible format on the website of the National Oceanic and 20 Atmospheric Administration. 21 (b) REVIEW OF REPORTS FROM NATIONAL CENTERS 22 OF EXCELLENCE.—The Administrator shall review re- 23 ports from National Centers of Excellence to ensure that 24 recommendations and guidance of such Centers regarding 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:58 Nov 25, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5102.IH H5102 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 5102 IH sea-level rise, coastal flooding, shoreline erosion, and re- 1 lated issues are communicated to relevant Federal agen- 2 cies. 3 (c) REVIEW OF NATIONAL CENTERS OF EXCEL- 4 LENCE AND POTENTIAL DESIGNEES.—The Administrator 5 shall periodically review each National Center of Excel- 6 lence and potential new designees as such Centers, to— 7 (1) ensure that each National Center of Excel- 8 lence continues to meet the criteria for designation 9 under this Act; and 10 (2) designate additional National Centers of 11 Excellence in accordance with this Act. 12 (d) REVOCATION.—If the Secretary determines under 13 subsection (c) that a National Center for Excellence does 14 not meet the criteria for such designation, the Secretary 15 shall revoke such designation by such process as the Sec- 16 retary determines appropriate. 17 SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL AUTHORITIES. 18 In carrying out this Act, the Administrator may 19 use— 20 (1) the National Oceanographic Partnership 21 Program established by section 8931 of title 10, 22 United States Code, as a venue for collaboration and 23 coordination to leverage partnerships between public 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:58 Nov 25, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5102.IH H5102 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 5102 IH institutions of higher education and Federal agen- 1 cies; 2 (2) the Coastlines and People initiative under 3 the National Science Foundation as a tool to use on- 4 going interdisciplinary research; and 5 (3) the National Sea Grant College Program as 6 a resource to help foster collaboration between public 7 institutions of higher education and Federal agen- 8 cies. 9 SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 10 In this Act: 11 (1) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 12 term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 13 meaning given such term in section 101 of the High- 14 er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 15 (2) MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTION.—The 16 term ‘‘minority-serving institution’’ means an insti- 17 tution of higher education eligible to receive funds 18 under section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 19 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)). 20 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:58 Nov 25, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H5102.IH H5102 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS