S93-119

What This Bill Does

Updates the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act so the federal program covers marine, estuarine, Great Lakes, and freshwater systems. It adds the Department of Energy to the task force, requires harmful algal bloom action strategies at least every five years with regional chapters, expands assessment of ecological, cultural, subsistence, food safety, food security, and economic impacts, and strengthens consultation with States, Indian Tribes, local governments, fisheries, agriculture, fertilizer industries, academic institutions, and NGOs. It assigns NOAA marine/coastal/Great Lakes response and forecasting duties, assigns EPA freshwater research and forecasting duties, creates a national harmful algal bloom observing network, establishes a NOAA/EPA incubator for control technologies, and broadens support for events of national significance.

Who Benefits and How

Coastal communities, Great Lakes communities, public water systems, drinking water utilities, fisheries, aquaculture businesses, recreational water users, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, subsistence communities, low-income communities, rural communities, research universities, environmental technology companies, and State water-quality agencies benefit from better monitoring, forecasts, toxin data, response coordination, grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, and technology funding. The incubator prioritizes technologies that protect public health, fish and wildlife habitat, biodiversity, cultural resources, and disadvantaged communities.

Who Bears the Burden and How

NOAA, EPA, the Integrated Ocean Observing System Program Office, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, regional observing associations, DOE, State water agencies, local governments, and tribal governments take on more coordination, data, forecasting, consultation, reporting, grant, and technology-assessment work. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of reauthorized and expanded programs. Agriculture and fertilizer industries may face more scrutiny as consultation partners where nutrient runoff contributes to blooms.

Key Provisions

• Adds DOE to the interagency harmful algal bloom and hypoxia task force.
• Requires five-year harmful algal bloom action strategies with regional chapters and research priorities.
• Expands assessments to freshwater systems, Great Lakes, estuaries, cultural impacts, subsistence use, food safety, and economic costs.
• Directs NOAA to operate marine, coastal, and Great Lakes response, observing, forecasting, modeling, and data-dissemination programs.
• Directs EPA to operate freshwater harmful algal bloom research, monitoring, observing, and forecasting programs.
• Establishes a national harmful algal bloom observing network using IOOS regional associations and the Water Quality Portal.
• Establishes an incubator program for biological, chemical, or physical technologies that prevent, mitigate, or control blooms.
• Expands event-of-national-significance assistance for States, Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, local governments, and other entities.