Sec. 5. Restoration of and protections for existing coastal blue carbon ecosystems
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The Administrator shall— lead the Interagency Working Group in implementing the strategic plan under section 3(f)(2); coordinate monitoring and research efforts among Federal agencies in cooperation with State, Tribal, and local governments, international partners, and nongovernmental organizations; assess the feasibility and potential of— establishing a national goal of conserving at least 30 percent of the ocean and coastal blue carbon ecosystems within the territory of the United States by 2030, including the effects of climate change and sea level rise on such goal; and as appropriate, setting targets for restoration of degraded coastal blue carbon ecosystems; in coordination with the Interagency Working Group, and as informed by the report under section 3(f)(1), identify— national protection and restoration priorities for coastal blue carbon ecosystems that would produce the highest rate of carbon sequestration and greatest ecosystem benefits, such as flood protection, soil and beach retention, erosion reduction, biodiversity, water purification, and nutrient cycling, in the context of other environmental stressors and climate change; and ways to improve coordination and to prevent unnecessary duplication of effort among Federal agencies and departments with respect to research on coastal blue carbon ecosystems through existing and new coastal management networks; and in coordination with State, Tribal, and local governments and coastal stakeholders, develop integrated pilot programs to restore degraded coastal blue carbon ecosystems in accordance with subsection (b).
In carrying out subsection (a)(5), the Administrator shall establish one or more integrated pilot programs that— develop— best management practices, including design criteria and performance functions for restoration of coastal blue carbon ecosystems; nature-based adaptation strategies; restoration areas that intersect with built environments as green-gray infrastructure projects; and management practices for landward progression or migration of coastal blue carbon ecosystems; and identify potential barriers to restoration efforts.
The Administrator shall ensure that pilot programs under paragraph
(1)cover geographically and ecologically diverse locations with— significant ecological, economic, and social benefits, such as flood protection, soil and beach retention, erosion reduction, biodiversity, water purification, and nutrient cycling to reduce hypoxic conditions; and maximum potential for greenhouse gas emission reduction. The Administrator shall establish a procedure for reviewing applications for pilot programs under paragraph (1). The Administrator shall ensure, through consultation with the Interagency Working Group, that the goals and metrics for pilot programs under paragraph
(1)are communicated to the appropriate State, Tribal, and local governments, and to the general public. The Administrator shall coordinate with relevant Federal agencies and departments specified under section 3(c) to prevent unnecessary duplication of effort among such agencies and departments with respect to restoration programs.