S. 1391

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To amend the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 to require the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to collaborate with State and local governments and Indian Tribes on vulnerability assessments related to ocean acidification, research planning, and similar activities, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES · April 9, 2025 · Sponsor: Ms. Murkowski · Committee: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Table of contents

• S. 1391
  • SEC. 1. Short title
  • SEC. 2. Definitions
  • SEC. 3. Improvement of collaboration on ocean acidification
  • SEC. 4. Technical corrections

SEC. 1. Short title

• This Act may be cited as the Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2025.

SEC. 2. Definitions

• Section 12403 of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 () is amended— 33 U.S.C. 3702
  • by striking paragraph (4);
  • by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), and (5) as paragraphs (4), (5), and (6) respectively;
  • by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
  • in paragraph (4), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by inserting before ; and
  • by adding at the end the following:

SEC. 3. Improvement of collaboration on ocean acidification

• (a) Ongoing input mechanism
  • Section 12404(c)(2) of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 () is amended— 33 U.S.C. 3703(c)(2)
    • in subparagraph (B), by striking and inserting a semicolon;
    • in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and
      • maintain or establish an ongoing mechanism (such as a liaison or other contact of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, standing meetings, or an online platform) to engage affected industry members, coastal stakeholders, community acidification networks, fishery management councils and commissions, Indigenous knowledge groups, non-Federal resource managers, and scientific experts not employed by the Federal Government to provide input on research, data, and monitoring that is necessary to support on-the-ground management, decision making, and adaptation related to ocean acidification and coastal acidification and the impacts of ocean acidification and coastal acidification.
    • by adding at the end the following:
• (b) Advisory Board membership
  • Section 12404(c)(3) of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 () is amended— 33 U.S.C. 3703(c)(3)
    • by redesignating subparagraphs (G) through (Q) as subparagraphs (H) through (R), respectively;
      • Two representatives from Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, Tribal organizations, and Tribal consortia affected by ocean acidification and coastal acidification.
    • by inserting after subparagraph (F) the following:
    • in subparagraph (H), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by striking Sixand inserting Four.
• (c) Appointment of Advisory Board members
  • Section 12404(c)(4)(C) of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 () is amended by striking State and localand inserting State, local, and Indigenous. 33 U.S.C. 3703(c)(4)(C)
• (d) Engagement and coordination with Indian Tribes
  • Paragraph (9) of section 12404(c) of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 () is amended to read as follows: 33 U.S.C. 3703(c)
    • (9) Engagement and coordination with Indian Tribes
      • (A) Policy required
        • Not later than one year after the date on which the Advisory Board is established, the Advisory Board shall develop and commence maintaining a policy for engagement and coordination with Indian Tribes affected by ocean acidification and coastal acidification.
      • (B) Consultation
        • In developing the policy under subparagraph (A), the Advisory Board shall consult with Indian Tribes affected by ocean acidification and coastal acidification.
• (e) Collaboration on vulnerability assessments, research planning, and similar activities
  • Section 12404(e)(4)(A) of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 () is amended— 33 U.S.C. 3703(e)(4)(A)
    • by redesignating clauses (ix) and (x) as clauses (x) and (xi), respectively; and
      • (ix) identifies the efforts of the Secretary to collaborate with State and local governments, Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations on community vulnerability assessments, research planning, and similar activities, pursuant to section 12406(e);
    • by inserting after clause (viii) the following:
• (f) Contents of strategic research plan
  • Section 12405(b) of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 () is amended— 33 U.S.C. 3704(b)
    • in paragraph (10), by striking section 12404(c)(4)and inserting section 12404(e)(4); and
    • in paragraph (11), by striking potentially affected industry members, coastal stakeholders, fishery management councils and commissions, Tribal governments, non-Federal resource managers, and scientific expertsand inserting affected industry members, coastal stakeholders, community acidification networks, fishery management councils and commissions, Indigenous knowledge groups, non-Federal resource managers, and scientific experts not employed by the Federal Government.
• (g) Improving collaboration on NOAA ocean acidification activities
  • Section 12406 of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 () is amended— 33 U.S.C. 3705
    • in subsection (a)—
      • in paragraph (1)—
        • (i) in subparagraph (C), by striking maximizeand inserting take into consideration;
        • (ii) in subparagraph (D), by adding a semicolon at the end; and
        • (iii) in subparagraph (F), by striking Tribal governmentsand inserting Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations; and
      • in paragraph (4), by striking industry members, coastal stakeholders, fishery management councils and commissions, non-Federal resource managers, community acidification networks, indigenous knowledge groups, and scientific expertsand inserting affected industry members, coastal stakeholders, community acidification networks, fishery management councils and commissions, Indigenous knowledge groups, non-Federal resource managers, and scientific experts not employed by the Federal Government;
    • in subsection (c)—
      • in paragraph (1), by striking State, local, and Tribal governmentsand inserting State and local governments, Indian Tribes,; and
      • in paragraph (2)—
        • (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking and inserting a semicolon;
        • (ii) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C);
        • (iii) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
          • on ocean acidification and coastal acidification research, data, and monitoring from affected industry members, coastal stakeholders, community acidification networks, fishery management councils and commissions, Indigenous knowledge groups, non-Federal resource managers, and scientific experts not employed by the Federal Government; or
        • (iv) in subparagraph (C), as redesignated by clause (ii), by striking State governments, local governments, Tribal governmentsand inserting State and local governments, Indian Tribes;
    • in subsection (d)(1)(C), by striking Tribes or Tribal governmentsand inserting Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, Tribal organizations, and Tribal consortia; and
      • (e) Better collaboration on vulnerability assessments, research planning, and similar activities
        • (1) In general
          • In carrying out the program under subsection (a), and in support of vulnerability assessments transmitted under section 12404(e)(4) and recommendations included in the strategic research plan described in section 12405(b)(10), the Secretary shall build upon existing activities and collaborate with State and local governments and Indian Tribes that are conducting or have completed vulnerability assessments, research planning, climate action plans, or other similar activities related to ocean acidification and coastal acidification and the impacts of ocean acidification and coastal acidification on coastal communities, for the purpose of—
            • supporting collaborative interagency relationships and information sharing at the State, local, and Tribal levels; and
            • assisting State and local governments and Indian Tribes in—
              • (i) improving existing systems and programs to better address ocean acidification and coastal acidification; and
              • (ii) identifying whether such activities can be used as a model for other communities.
        • (2) Native Hawaiian organizations, Tribal organizations, and Tribal consortia
          • In carrying out the program under subsection (a), and in support of vulnerability assessments transmitted under section 12404(e)(4) and recommendations included in the strategic research plan described in section 12405(b)(10), the Secretary may build upon existing activities and collaborate with Native Hawaiian organizations, Tribal organizations, and Tribal consortia that are conducting or have completed vulnerability assessments, research planning, climate action plans, or other similar activities related to ocean acidification and coastal acidification and the impacts of ocean acidification and coastal acidification on coastal communities.
        • (3) Priority
          • In carrying out paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary shall prioritize underserved populations and entities in the use of resources of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
    • by adding at the end the following:

SEC. 4. Technical corrections

• The Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 () is amended— 33 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.
  • in section 12402 ()— 33 U.S.C. 3701
    • in paragraph (1), by striking development coordination and implementationand inserting development, coordination, and implementation; and
    • in paragraph (4), by striking research adaptation strategies and mitigating the impactsand inserting research on adaptation strategies and mitigation of the impacts;
  • in section 12404 ()— 33 U.S.C. 3703
    • in subsection (b)(5), by striking and inserting a period;
    • in subsection (c)(2)(A)—
      • (i) in clause (i), by striking subsection (d)(2)and inserting subsection (e)(2); and
      • (ii) in clause (ii), by striking subsection (d)(3)and inserting subsection (e)(3);
    • in subsection (d)(3), by striking this sectionand inserting this subsection; and
    • in subsection (e)—
      • (i) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking interagencyand inserting the; and
      • (ii) in paragraph (3), by striking years until 2031 thereafterand inserting years thereafter until 2031; and
  • in section 12406(d)(2) (), by striking The Secretary to,and inserting The Secretary, to. 33 U.S.C. 3705(d)(2)