Sec. 106. Interagency working group

654 words·~3 min read·/bill/116/s/5056/is/section-106

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

The Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology of the National Science and Technology Council shall establish an interagency working group to be known as the Interagency Working Group on Coastal and Marine Blue Carbon . The interagency working group shall— oversee the development of and updates to a national map, including United States Territories, of coastal and marine blue carbon ecosystems, including habitat types, with a regional focus in analysis that is usable for local level protection planning and restoration; use such map to inform the Administrator of the creation by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency of the annual Inventory of United States Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks; establish national coastal and marine blue carbon ecosystem restoration priorities, including an assessment of current Federal funding being used for restoration and conservation efforts; assess the biophysical, social, statutory, regulatory, and economic impediments to coastal and marine blue carbon ecosystem protection and restoration; study the effects of climate change and environmental and human stressors on carbon sequestration rates; identify priority blue carbon ecosystems for protection; develop a national strategy for foundational science necessary to study, synthesize, and evaluate the effects of climate change and environmental and human stressors on sequestration rates and capabilities of marine blue carbon and coastal blue carbon ecosystems protection; develop an assessment of current legal authorities to protect and restore blue carbon ecosystems and make recommendations for additional authorities if current authorities are determined to be insufficient; and ensure the continuity, use, and interoperability of data assets through the Coastal Carbon Data Clearinghouse of the Smithsonian Institution.

The interagency working group shall be comprised of representatives of the following: The Administrator. The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. The Director of the National Science Foundation. The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Director of the United States Geological Survey. The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The Director of the National Park Service. The Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. The Chief of Engineers of the Army Corps of Engineers. The Secretary of Agriculture. The Secretary of Defense. The Secretary of Transportation. The Secretary of State. The Secretary of Energy. The Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development. The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality. The interagency working group shall be chaired by the Administrator.

The interagency working group shall create a strategic plan for Federal investments in basic research, development, demonstration, long-term monitoring and stewardship, and deployment of coastal blue carbon ecosystem and marine blue carbon projects for the 5-year period beginning on the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act. The plan shall include— an assessment of the use of existing Federal programs to protect, restore, enhance, and preserve coastal blue carbon ecosystems; an analysis of potential sea level rise migration corridors for blue carbon ecosystems; an analysis of anticipated fish and wildlife uses of blue carbon ecosystems; and identification of priority strategies and investments for preserving, restoring, and enhancing the resilience and carbon sequestration potential of such blue carbon ecosystems.

The interagency working group shall— submit the strategic plan under paragraph

(1)to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives on a date that is not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act; and submit a revised version of such plan to such committees every 5 years thereafter. Not less than 90 days before the strategic plan, or any revision thereof, is submitted under paragraph (2), the interagency working group shall publish such plan or revision in the Federal Register and solicit public comments on such plan or revision for a period of not less than 60 days.