[Senate Report 109-102]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
109th Congress Report
SENATE
1st Session 109-102
_______________________________________________________________________
Calendar No. 161
OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING INTEGRATION ACT
__________
R E P O R T
of the
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
on
S. 364
DATE deg.July 13, 2005.--Ordered to be printed
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
one hundred ninth congress
first session
TED STEVENS, Alaska, Chairman
DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii, Co-Chairman
JOHN McCAIN, Arizona JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West
CONRAD BURNS, Montana Virginia
TRENT LOTT, Mississippi JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine BARBARA BOXER, California
GORDON H. SMITH, Oregon BILL NELSON, Florida
JOHN ENSIGN, Nevada MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
GEORGE ALLEN, Virginia FRANK LAUTENBERG, New Jersey
JOHN E. SUNUNU, New Hampshire E. BENJAMIN NELSON, Nebraska
JIM DeMINT, South Carolina MARK PRYOR, Arkansas
DAVID VITTER, Louisiana
Lisa Sutherland, Staff Director
Christine Drager Kurth, Deputy Staff Director
David Russell, Chief Counsel
Margaret Cummisky, Democratic Staff Director and Chief Counsel
Samuel Whitehorn, Democratic Deputy Staff Director and General Counsel
Calendar No. 161
109th Congress Report
SENATE
1st Session 109-102
======================================================================
OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING INTEGRATION ACT
_______
July 13, 2005.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Stevens, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 364]
The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to
which was referred the bill (S. 364), ``A Bill to establish a
program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration to integrate Federal ocean and coastal mapping
activities,'' having considered the same, reports favorably
thereon with amendments and recommends that the bill
joint resolution deg. (as amended) do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
S. 364, as reported, would establish within the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) a comprehensive
Federal ocean and coastal mapping program for the U.S.
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that will support better
conservation and management of marine resources, improve
decisions in the siting of ocean observing platforms, advance
coastal and ocean science and the development of ocean
exploration technology, and support vessel safety.
BACKGROUND AND NEEDS
The jurisdiction of the U.S. extends 200 miles beyond its
coastline and includes the U.S. Territorial Sea and EEZ. Nearly
ninety percent of this area remains unmapped by modern
technologies. Improved mapping technology is necessary for a
number of reasons. The U.S. marine transportation system is
expected to grow exponentially over the next twenty years and a
backlog of required surveys is developing. According to NOAA's
Office of Coast Survey, approximately 35,000 square nautical
miles of navigationally significant U.S. waters have been
designated as critical areas requiring updated information on
depth and obstructions. Improved mapping of these waters will
help to minimize maritime accidents, as well as help support
the national security missions of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast
Guard. The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy estimates that there
are potentially $1.3 trillion in resources in the form of oil,
minerals, and sedentary species which could be available under
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea provisions
concerning extensions of the continental shelf. Improved data
and maps of the resources available on the continental shelf
could support the United States in asserting jurisdictional
claims to this submarine area upon its accession to the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Currently at least ten Federal agencies (including NOAA,
the Environmental Protection Agency, the Minerals Management
Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast
Guard, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Science
Foundation, the U.S. Navy, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, and the U.S. Geological Survey), in addition to coastal
State and local agencies, academic institutions, and private
companies, share the expensive and time-consuming
responsibility of mapping, charting, and assessing living and
non-living resources in U.S. waters. This creates a significant
amount of overlap where different parties perform repeated
surveys of the same area for different purposes. It also
prevents the integration of these surveys since they differ
from each other in terms of scale, resolution, projection, and
reference frames. To complicate matters further, the coastal
zone has the unique issue of the land-sea interface, or
shoreline position, which requires seamless joining of onshore
topographic maps with offshore bathymetric maps.
The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy recommends that many of
the existing Federal mapping activities be consolidated and
coordinated to increase efficiency and help ensure that all
necessary surveys are conducted. The Commission recommends that
NOAA, which already has the responsibility of collecting
hydrographic and bathymetric data and creating navigational
charts for safe and efficient maritime commerce, be the lead
agency in U.S. ocean and coastal mapping and charting efforts.
In addition to the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, the
National Research Council (NRC) released a study in 2004
entitled A Geospatial Framework for the Coastal Zone which
details the national needs for coastal mapping and charting.
The report was requested by NOAA, the U.S. Geological Survey,
and the Environmental Protection Agency. The NRC identified the
same problems with the nation's ocean and coastal mapping
efforts as did the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, and it
stated that coordination and communication among Federal
agencies and integration of mapping efforts is needed.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS
S. 364, the Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act,
would direct NOAA to coordinate a comprehensive Federal ocean
and coastal mapping program that enhances conservation and
management of ocean and coastal resources, and to conduct the
following activities: identify and coordinate Federal
shoreline, ocean, and coastal mapping activities; build
expertise in mapping technologies; set standards and protocols
for testing and transferring new technologies to the private
sector; and archive and distribute data and specific data
products for the benefit of multiple users. Ocean and coastal
mapping activities covered under the bill would include the
suite of existing Federal activities: mapping, data processing,
management, and archiving. Mapping activities are intended to
include the areas and resources of the outer continental shelf
and inshore areas--extending from coastal State waters to the
territorial sea and the EEZ, as well as to areas of the outer
continental shelf beyond the EEZ.
The bill would also establish an Interagency Committee on
Ocean and Coastal Mapping composed of high-ranking officials in
Federal agencies engaged in ocean and coastal mapping
activities, with the NOAA representative acting as chair of the
committee. This committee would be required to meet on a
quarterly basis, and to submit a report to Congress within 18
months after enactment of this bill, and biannually thereafter,
detailing Federal ocean and coastal mapping plans, efforts, and
needs. Together with this committee, the Administrator of NOAA
would be required to submit a plan to Congress setting forth an
Integrated Mapping Initiative. This plan would be due six
months from the date of enactment of this bill.
The bill provides authorization levels of $20 million for
FY2006, $26 million for FY2007, $32 million for FY2008, $38
million for FY2009, and $45 million annually for FY2010 through
FY2013 for NOAA to carry out the purposes of this Act. In
addition, the heads of Department of Defense, Department of
Interior, Department of Homeland Security, the Environmental
Protection Agency, and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration may make available up to $10 million per fiscal
year for interagency mapping activities from amounts authorized
to be appropriated for such agencies.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
On February 10, 2005, Senator Inouye introduced S. 364, the
Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act of 2004, a bill to
establish within NOAA a comprehensive Federal coastal and ocean
seafloor mapping program. The bill, cosponsored by Senators
Stevens, Lott, Snowe, Cantwell, Kerry, and Lautenberg, was
referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation.
On April 14, 2005, the Committee considered this bill,
along with an amendment offered by Senator Vitter that makes
technical changes to the bill as introduced and adds new
language to increase the emphasis on private sector contracting
opportunities. At the Executive Session, the Commerce Committee
approved the Vitter amendment by voice vote and ordered S. 364
to be reported favorably as amended.
ESTIMATED COSTS
In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget
Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, April 22, 2005.
Hon. Ted Stevens,
Chairman, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 364, the Ocean and
Coastal Mapping Integration act.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
Sincerely,
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director.
Enclosure.
S. 364--Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act
Summary: S. 364 would direct the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish an integrated
mapping program encompassing the Great Lakes, coastal state
waters, territorial sea, exclusive economic zone and
continental shelf of the United States. The bill also would
establish an interagency committee to coordinate federal
mapping of ocean and coastal areas, require an integrated
mapping plan to identify and describe all mapping programs, and
authorize up to three joint centers for ocean and coastal
mapping to be located at colleges or universities. For these
purposes, the bill would authorize the appropriation of a total
of $296 million over the 2006-2013 period.
Assuming appropriation of the amounts authorized by the
bill, CBO estimates that the federal government would spend $7
million in fiscal year 2006 and $116 million over the 2006-2010
period to implement the legislation. The remaining $180 million
authorized would be spent after 2010, including $135 million
authorized to be appropriated between 2011 and 2013. Enacting
S. 364 would not affect revenues or direct spending.
This legislation contains no intergovernmental or private-
sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
(UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal
governments.
Estimated cost to the Federal Government: S. 364 would
authorize the appropriation of between $20 million and $45
million a year for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2013 for
the new ocean and coastal mapping initiative. Of these amounts,
between $10 million and $15 million a year would be available
for research and other mapping programs to be carried out at
the new ocean and coastal mapping centers.
The estimated budgetary impact of S. 364 is shown in the
following table. The costs of this legislation fall within
budget function 300 (natural resources and environment). For
this estimate, CBO assumes that the full amounts authorized by
the bill will be appropriated for each year and that outlays
will follow historical spending patterns for similar NOAA
programs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, in millions of
dollars--
---------------------------------------
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Authorization Level \1\......... 20 26 32 38 45
Estimated Outlays............... 7 15 25 32 37
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Additional amounts, totaling $135 million, would be authorized for
appropriation over the 2011-2013 period.
Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 364
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or
tribal governments.
Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Deborah Reis; Impact
on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Sarah Puro; and Impact
on the Private Sector: Craig Cammarata.
Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT
In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the
legislation, as reported:
Number of persons covered
The reported bill would direct NOAA to coordinate a
comprehensive Federal ocean and coastal mapping program that
enhances conservation and management of ocean and coastal
resources. It does not authorize any new regulations and
therefore will not subject any individuals or businesses to new
regulations.
Economic impact
The bill provides authorization levels of $20 million for
FY2006, $26 million for FY2007, $32 million for FY2008, $38
million for FY2009, and $45 million annually for FY2010 through
FY2013 for NOAA to carry out the purposes of this Act. These
funding levels are not expected to have an inflationary impact
on the nation's economy.
Privacy
This legislation would not have any adverse impact on the
personal privacy of the individuals that will be impacted by
this legislation.
Paperwork
The reported bill would not increase paperwork requirements
for the private sector. Those non-governmental partners that
are interested in working with the Interagency Committee on
Ocean and Coastal Mapping established in section 3 would likely
increase their communications, data management, and technical
expertise capacity related to ocean mapping.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section. 1. Short title
Section 1 names the bill as the ``Ocean and Coastal Mapping
Integration Act''.
Section 2. Integrated ocean and coastal mapping program
Section 2 would require NOAA to establish a program to
develop a comprehensive ocean and coastal mapping program, in
conjunction with the Interagency Committee described in section
3. The goals of this program are to ``enhance conservation and
management of marine resources, improve decision-making
regarding research priorities and the siting of research and
other platforms, and advance coastal and ocean science.'' The
program would identify existing Federal mapping projects and
encourage cooperative operational and training programs among
them and with the private sector. The program would also
encourage the use and development of new mapping techniques and
would create standards for the transfer of new information and
technology to the public.
Section 3. Interagency Committee on Coastal and Ocean Mapping
Section 3 would establish an Interagency Committee on
Coastal and Ocean Mapping (Mapping Committee), consisting of
representatives from the following 11 Federal agencies involved
in ocean mapping: NOAA (whose representative would serve as
chair), Chief of Naval Operations, U.S. Geological Survey,
Minerals Management Service, National Science Foundation,
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, EPA, Federal Emergency Management
Agency, and NASA. The Mapping Committee would coordinate ocean
mapping activities within and between the respective agencies,
other government agencies, user groups, and representatives of
the private sector.
Section 4. NOAA integrated mapping initiative
Section 4 would require NOAA and the Mapping Committee to
develop a plan within 6 months for an integrated coastal and
ocean mapping initiative, which would identify and describe
mapping activities across the Federal Government, establish
mapping priorities, encourage new technologies, identify
resource needs, and identify a centralized mechanism for
storing and processing mapping data. It would also authorize
NOAA to establish 3 joint hydrographic centers for researching,
developing, processing, and otherwise advancing ocean mapping
capabilities. Additionally, it would direct NOAA to prepare a
report developing a strategy for expanding contracting with
private entities.
Section 5. Interagency program reporting
Section 5 would require, within 18 months and bi-annually
thereafter, that the Mapping Committee issue regular reports
describing the progress made in implementing the provisions of
this act. The reports would include: new additions of data,
priority areas needing coverage and a plan to map them, various
status reports on workings of the mapping program, and a
description of efforts to increase private sector contracting.
Section 6. Authorization of appropriations
Section 6 would authorize the following appropriations to
NOAA, in addition to those appropriations authorized in section
306 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998
(U.S.C. 892d): $20,000,000 for FY 2006, $26,000,000 for FY
2007, $32,000,000 for FY 2008, $38,000,000 for FY 2009, and
$45,000,000 for each year of FY 2010-2013. Of the amounts
authorized for NOAA, the following amounts would be required
for use in maintaining and operating the Joint Ocean and
Coastal Mapping Centers outlined in Section 4: $10,000,000 for
FY 2006; $11,000,000 for FY 2007; $12,000,000 for FY 2008;
$13,000,000 for FY 2009; and $15,000,000 for each year of FY
2010-2013. The provision also authorizes the Department of
Defense, Department of the Interior, Department of Homeland
Security, EPA, and NASA to utilize up to $10,000,000 of their
authorized funds annually for this initiative.
Section 7. Definitions
Section 7 provides definitions for terms used in this bill.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee states that the
bill as reported would make no change to existing law.