,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cici ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #bf1 #bjbf,mr4 ,warner 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,kaine1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 and ,ms4 ,alsobrooks7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to reauthorize the ,chesapeake ,bay ,office of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short ,title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,chesapeake ,watershed ,advancement for ,training1 ,education1 ,restoration1 and ,science ,act or the ,chesapeake ,,waters ,act4 #b4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that the ,chesapeake ,bay ,office of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration should be the primary representative of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration in the ,chesapeake ,bay watershed4 #c4 ,reauthorization of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration ,chesapeake ,bay ,office ,section #cjg of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration ,authorization ,act of #aiib 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #aeaa;d7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking 7in this section referred to as the ,office72 7,b7 by amending paragraph 7#b7 to read as follows3 7#b7 ,the ,office shall be headed by a ,director1 who-- 7,a7 shall have knowledge and experience in research or resource management efforts in the ,chesapeake ,bay2 and 7,b7 shall be responsible for the administration and operation of the ,office and the implementation of this section4 2 and 7,c7 by striking paragraph 7#c72 7#b7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking ,secretary of ,commerce and inserting ,administrator2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#c7-- 7i7 by inserting with and represent after coordinate2 7ii7 by striking 1 the ,chesapeake ,bay ,regional ,sea ,grant ,programs1 and the ,chesapeake ,bay units of the ,national ,estuarine ,research ,reserve ,system1 and inserting for the ,chesapeake ,bay ,program and that relate to the ,chesapeake ,bay watershed in furtherance of such ,administration's coastal resource stewardship mission12 7iii7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,i7 in clauses 7vi7 and 7vii71 by striking and at the end2 and 7,,ii7 by adding at the end the following3 7viii7 coastal hazards and climate change2 and 7ix7 education2 and 2 and 7iv7 in subparagraph 7,b7-- 7,i7 in clause 7iii71 by striking and at the end2 7,,ii7 in clause 7iv71 by inserting and after the semicolon2 and 7,,iii7 by adding at the end the following3 7v7 integrated ecosystem assessments2 2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#d7-- 7i7 by striking ,environmental ,protection ,agency and inserting ,chesapeake ,executive ,council2 and 7ii7 by inserting as appropriate to further the purposes of this section after agencies2 7,d7 by striking paragraphs 7#e7 and 7#g72 7,e7 by redesignating paragraph 7#f7 as paragraph 7#e72 and 7,f7 by adding at the end the following3 7#f7 perform any functions necessary to support the programs and activities referred to in paragraph 7#c74 2 7#c7 by striking subsections 7c71 7d71 and 7e72 and 7#d7 by adding at the end the following3 7c7 ,programs and activities 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator1 through the ,director1 shall implement the programs and activities authorized by this section to support the activity of the ,chesapeake ,executive ,council and to further the purposes of this section4 7#b7 ,ensuring scientific and technical merit ,the ,director shall-- 7,a7 establish and use an effective and transparent mechanism to ensure that projects carried out under this section have undergone appropriate peer review2 and 7,b7 provide other appropriate means to determine that such projects have acceptable scientific and technical merit for the purpose of achieving maximum use of available funds and resources to benefit the ,chesapeake ,bay area4 7#c7 ,consultation with ,chesapeake ,executive ,council ,the ,director shall1 in the implementation of the programs and activities authorized by this section1 consult with the ,chesapeake ,executive ,council to ensure that the activities of the ,office are consistent with the purposes and priorities of the ,chesapeake ,bay ,agreement and plans developed pursuant to that agreement4 7#d7 ,integrated coastal observations 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator1 through the ,director1 may collaborate with scientific and academic institutions1 ,state and ,federal agencies1 nongovernmental organizations1 and other constituents in the ,chesapeake ,bay watershed to support a regional coastal observing system for the ,chesapeake ,bay consistent with the purposes of the ,integrated ,coastal and ,ocean ,observation ,system ,act of #bjji 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #cfja et seq474 7,b7 ,specific requirements ,to support the system referred to in subparagraph 7,a7 and provide a complete set of environmental information for the ,chesapeake ,bay1 the ,director shall-- 7i7 coordinate monitoring with ,federal and ,state agencies in the tidal portions of the ,chesapeake ,bay to understand impacts of water quality on living marine resources2 7ii7 identify new data collection needs and deploy new technologies1 as appropriate2 7iii7 collect and analyze the scientific information necessary for the management of living marine resources and the marine habitat associated with those resources2 and 7iv7 organize the information described in clause 7iii7 into products that are useful to policymakers1 resource managers1 scientists1 and the public4 7,c7 ,chesapeake ,bay ,interpretive ,buoy ,system ,to further the development and implementation of the ,chesapeake ,bay ,interpretive ,buoy ,system and associated monitoring assets to improve weather and ecological forecasts and monitor habitat conditions for living marine resources1 the ,director may-- 7i7 support the establishment and implementation of the ,captain ,john ,smith ,chesapeake ,national ,historic ,trail2 7ii7 delineate key waypoints along the trail and provide appropriate real-time data and information for trail users2 7iii7 interpret data and information for use by educators and students to inspire stewardship of the ,chesapeake ,bay2 and 7iv7 incorporate the observational data from the ,chesapeake ,bay ,interpretive ,buoy ,system into the ,integrated ,ocean ,observing ,system network of regional coastal observing systems4 7#e7 ,chesapeake ,bay watershed education and training program 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator1 through the ,director1 may establish a ,chesapeake ,bay watershed education and training program4 ,the program shall-- 7i7 continue and expand the ,chesapeake ,bay watershed education programs offered by the ,office immediately before the enactment of the ,chesapeake ,watershed ,advancement for ,training1 ,education1 ,restoration1 and ,science ,act2 7ii7 improve the understanding of elementary and secondary school students and teachers of the living resources of the ,chesapeake ,bay ecosystem2 7iii7 provide education and career pathway internships2 and 7iv7 meet the educational goals of the ,chesapeake ,bay ,watershed ,agreement4 7,b7 ,grant program ,the ,director may award grants for the purposes of this paragraph4 ,grants awarded under this subparagraph may be used to support education and training projects that enhance understanding and assessment of a specific environmental problem in the ,chesapeake ,bay watershed or a goal of the ,chesapeake ,bay ,program1 or protect or restore living resources of the ,chesapeake ,bay watershed1 including projects that-- 7i7 provide classroom education1 including the development and use of distance learning and other innovative technologies1 related to the ,chesapeake ,bay watershed2 7ii7 provide meaningful watershed educational experiences in the ,chesapeake ,bay watershed2 7iii7 provide professional development for teachers related to the ,chesapeake ,bay watershed and the dissemination of pertinent education materials oriented to varying grade levels2 7iv7 demonstrate or disseminate environmental educational tools and materials related to the ,chesapeake ,bay watershed2 7v7 demonstrate field methods1 practices1 and techniques1 including assessment of environmental and ecological conditions and analysis of environmental problems2 and 7vi7 build the capacity of school districts and their partners to deliver high-quality environmental education programs4 7,c7 ,coordination ,the ,director shall implement the education and training program in coordination with the heads of other ,federal agencies1 as the ,director determines appropriate4 7#f7 ,coastal ,living ,resources ,management and ,habitat ,program 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator1 through the ,director1 may establish a ,chesapeake ,bay ,coastal ,living ,resources ,management and ,habitat ,program to support coordinated management1 protection1 characterization1 and restoration of priority ,chesapeake ,bay habitats and living resources1 including oysters1 blue crabs1 submerged aquatic vegetation1 and economically and ecologically important fish species such as striped bass and menhaden4 7,b7 ,activities ,under the ,chesapeake ,bay ,coastal ,living ,resources ,management and ,habitat ,program1 the ,director may carry out or enter into grants1 contracts1 and cooperative agreements and provide technical assistance to support-- 7i7 native oyster research and restoration2 7ii7 fish and shellfish aquaculture that is carried out in accordance with a valid ,federal or ,state permit2 7iii7 the establishment of submerged aquatic vegetation restoration programs2 7iv7 the development of programs that restore1 protect1 and build the resilience of critical coastal habitats and communities2 7v7 habitat mapping1 characterization1 and assessment techniques necessary to identify1 assess1 and monitor ,chesapeake ,bay conditions and restoration actions2 7vi7 the application and transfer of applied scientific research and ecosystem management tools to fisheries and habitat managers2 7vii7 the collection1 synthesis1 and sharing of information to inform and influence coastal and living resource management issues2 7viii7 ecologically and economically important fish and shellfish research2 and 7ix7 other activities that the ,director determines are appropriate to carry out the purposes of the program4 7d7 ,delegation 7#a7 ,authority ,the ,administrator shall delegate to the ,director such authority as may be necessary to carry out this section4 7#b7 ,staff ,the ,administrator shall delegate to the ,director appropriate staff representing expertise that covers the breadth of the functions of the ,office4 7e7 ,reports 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator1 through the ,director1 shall biennially submit to ,congress and the ,secretary of ,commerce a report on the activities of the ,office and progress made in protecting and restoring the living resources and habitat of the ,chesapeake ,bay4 7#b7 ,action plan ,each report required by paragraph 7#a7 shall include an action plan for the #b-year period following submission of the report1 consisting of-- 7,a7 a list of recommended research1 monitoring1 and data collection activities necessary to continue implementation of the strategy under subsection 7b77#b72 and 7,b7 recommendations to integrate activities of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration with the activities of the partners in the ,chesapeake ,bay ,program to meet the commitments of the ,chesapeake ,bay ,agreement and subsequent agreements4 7f7 ,agreements 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator1 through the ,director1 may enter into and perform such contracts1 leases1 grants1 or cooperative agreements as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this ,act4 7#b7 ,use of other resources ,for purposes related to the understanding1 protection1 and restoration of the ,chesapeake ,bay1 the ,director may use1 with consent and with or without reimbursement1 the land1 services1 equipment1 personnel1 and facilities of-- 7,a7 any ,department1 agency1 or instrumentality of the ,united ,states2 or 7,b7 any ,state1 local government1 or ,indian ,tribe1 or any political subdivision thereof4 7g7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration4 7#b7 ,chesapeake ,bay ,agreement2 ,chesapeake ,bay ecosystem2 ,chesapeake ,bay ,program2 ,chesapeake ,executive ,council ,the terms ,chesapeake ,bay ,agreement1 ,chesapeake ,bay ecosystem1 ,chesapeake ,bay ,program1 and ,chesapeake ,executive ,council have the meanings given those terms in section #aag7;a7 of the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abfg7;a774 7#c7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,director of the ,office4 7#d7 ,office ,the term ,office means the ,chesapeake ,bay ,office established under this section4 4