Regional Ocean Partnership Act

3/8/2023, 8:12 PM

Regional Ocean Partnership Act

This bill allows the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to designate and support Regional Ocean Partnerships between coastal states that share a common ocean or coastal area or border the Great Lakes. It also allows partnerships between coastal states and non-coastal states that share a common watershed or would contribute to the priorities of the partnership.

Specifically, NOAA may designate a partnership as a Regional Ocean Partnership if it (1) is established to coordinate the management of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources among state governments and Indian tribes; (2) focuses on the environmental issues affecting the ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas of the coastal states participating in the partnership; (3) complements existing coastal and ocean management efforts of states and Indian tribes on an interstate scale, focusing on shared regional priorities; (4) does not have a regulatory function; and (5) is not duplicative of an existing Regional Ocean Partnership.

The bill designates the following entities as Regional Ocean Partnerships:

  • the Gulf of Mexico Alliance,
  • the Northeast Regional Ocean Council,
  • the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean, and
  • the West Coast Ocean Alliance.

Each partnership must maintain mechanisms for coordination, consultation and engagement with the federal government, Indian tribes, nongovernmental entities, and other federally mandated regional entities.

A partnership may use provided federal funds to award grants and enter into contracts for certain purposes, including to monitor the water quality and living resources of multistate ocean and coastal ecosystems.

Congress
117

Number
S - 1894

Introduced on
2021-05-27

# Amendments
0

Sponsors
+5

Cosponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

12/17/2021

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
House to Vote
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

Regional Ocean Partnership Act

This bill allows the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to designate and support Regional Ocean Partnerships between coastal states that share a common ocean or coastal area or border the Great Lakes. It also allows partnerships between coastal states and non-coastal states that share a common watershed or would contribute to the priorities of the partnership.

Specifically, NOAA may designate a partnership as a Regional Ocean Partnership if it (1) is established to coordinate the management of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources among state governments and Indian tribes; (2) focuses on the environmental issues affecting the ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas of the coastal states participating in the partnership; (3) complements existing coastal and ocean management efforts of states and Indian tribes on an interstate scale, focusing on shared regional priorities; (4) does not have a regulatory function; and (5) is not duplicative of an existing Regional Ocean Partnership.

The bill designates the following entities as Regional Ocean Partnerships:

  • the Gulf of Mexico Alliance,
  • the Northeast Regional Ocean Council,
  • the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean, and
  • the West Coast Ocean Alliance.

Each partnership must maintain mechanisms for coordination, consultation and engagement with the federal government, Indian tribes, nongovernmental entities, and other federally mandated regional entities.

A partnership may use provided federal funds to award grants and enter into contracts for certain purposes, including to monitor the water quality and living resources of multistate ocean and coastal ecosystems.

Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedA bill to designate Regional Ocean Partnerships of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.

Policy Areas
Public Lands and Natural Resources

Potential Impact
Alabama
Aquatic ecology
Atlantic Ocean
California
Congressional oversight
Connecticut
Delaware
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental education
Environmental health
Florida
Government studies and investigations
Gulf of Mexico
Indian lands and resources rights
Intergovernmental relations
Louisiana
Maine
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Maryland
Massachusetts
Mississippi
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York State
Oregon
Pacific Ocean
Regional and metropolitan planning
Research administration and funding
Rhode Island
State and local government operations
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
Washington State
Water quality
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Comments

Recent Activity

Latest Summary10/31/2022

Regional Ocean Partnership Act

This bill allows the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to designate and support Regional Ocean Partnerships between coastal states that share a common ocean or coastal area or bor...


Latest Action2/15/2022
By Senator Cantwell from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report. Report No. 117-78.