Sec. 4. Mississippi River Corridor research centers and science plan

651 words·~3 min read·/bill/117/hr/4202/ih/section-4

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The Secretary of the Interior shall coordinate with the MRRRI Director to establish a network of 4 Mississippi River Corridor Research Centers within the United States Geological Survey. The network of research centers established under paragraph

(1)shall consist of— a National Mississippi River Corridor Research Center located at an office of the United States Geological Survey; and 3 regional research centers, each of which shall be based out of a host university, as follows: An Upper Mississippi River Research Center located in the region from the headwaters of the Mississippi River to the confluence with the Missouri River. A Middle Mississippi River Research Center located in the region downriver from the confluence of the Missouri River to the confluence of the Ohio River. A Lower Mississippi River Research Center located in the region downriver from the confluence of the Ohio River to the Gulf of Mexico. The functions of the research centers established under this subsection shall be to— conduct scientific research on the MRRRI focus areas described in section 124(c)(2) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (as added by this Act); consult with and advise relevant Federal agencies on— the improvement of programs that monitor water quality in the Mississippi River Corridor and the health of the river habitat or the establishment of such programs, where necessary; the impact of projects and activities carried out under the MRRRI; and any additional goals, priorities, metrics, and research objectives proposed as part of the science plan described in subsection (b)(2); and consult, and to the extent practicable, collaborate with relevant Federal agencies and non-Federal stakeholders regarding research, monitoring, and other efforts to promote the restoration and resiliency of the Mississippi River Corridor. The Secretary of the Interior shall ensure that research and other activities carried out under this subsection are carried out in coordination with other Federal research and monitoring activities related to efforts to promote the restoration and resiliency of the Mississippi River Corridor. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the United States Geological Survey shall host a Mississippi River science forum with relevant Federal agencies, Mississippi River States, Tribal governments, Tribal organizations, academia, and other non-Federal stakeholders to— share current science and identify data gaps and areas of concern related to the ecological health of the Mississippi River Corridor; and determine the resources that are necessary to— address any data gaps and areas of concern identified under clause (i); and develop an integrated science plan under paragraph (2). Not later than 270 days after the Director of the United States Geological Survey hosts the Mississippi River science forum under subparagraph (A), the Director shall submit a report on the findings from such forum to— the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; the MRRRI Director; the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate. Not later than 2 years after the conclusion of the Mississippi River science forum required by paragraph (1), the Director of the United States Geological Survey shall develop a science plan that establishes priorities, metrics, and research proposals for the MRRRI. Upon completion of the science plan developed under this paragraph, the Director of the United States Geological Survey shall make such plan available on a public website and submit such plan to the MRRRI Director to inform the implementation of the actionable goals and action plans developed for the MRRRI under section 124(d) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (as added by this Act). Not less than once every 5 years, the Director of the United States Geological Survey shall coordinate with the MRRRI Director and the research centers established under subsection

(a)to review and update the science plan developed under this subsection.