South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act of 2021
Floor Speech
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Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 66) to require the Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia to develop a plan for reducing, mitigating, and controlling harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in South Florida, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: S. 66
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act of 2021''. SEC. 2. SOUTH FLORIDA HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS AND HYPOXIA ASSESSMENT AND ACTION PLAN.
(a) In General.--The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-383; 33 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 605 through 609 as sections 606 through 610, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 604 the following: ``SEC. 605. SOUTH FLORIDA HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS AND HYPOXIA.
``(a) South Florida.--In this section, the term `South Florida' means--
``(1) all lands and waters within the administrative boundaries of the South Florida Water Management District;
``(2) regional coastal waters, including Biscayne Bay, the Caloosahatchee Estuary, Florida Bay, Indian River Lagoon, and St. Lucie River Estuary; and
``(3) the Florida Reef Tract.
``(b) Integrated Assessment.--
``(1) Interim integrated assessment.--Not later than 540 days after the date of enactment of the South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act of 2021, the Task Force, in accordance with the authority under section 603, shall complete and submit to Congress and the President an interim integrated assessment.
``(2) Finalized integrated assessment.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of the South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act of 2021, the Task Force shall finalize, and submit to Congress and the President, the interim integrated assessment required by paragraph (1).
``(3) Contents of integrated assessment.--The integrated assessment required by paragraphs (1) and (2) shall examine the causes, consequences, and potential approaches to reduce harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in South Florida, and the status of, and gaps within, current harmful algal bloom and hypoxia research, monitoring, management, prevention, response, and control activities that directly affect the region by--
``(A) Federal agencies;
``(B) State agencies;
``(C) regional research consortia;
``(D) academia;
``(E) private industry;
``(F) nongovernmental organizations; and
``(G) Indian tribes (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)).
``(c) Action Plan.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 3 years and 180 days after the date of the enactment of the South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act of 2021, the Task Force shall develop and submit to Congress a plan, based on the integrated assessment under subsection (b), for reducing, mitigating, and controlling harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in South Florida.
``(2) Contents.--The plan submitted under paragraph (1) shall--
``(A) address the monitoring needs identified in the integrated assessment under subsection (b);
``(B) develop a timeline and budgetary requirements for deployment of future assets;
``(C) identify requirements for the development and verification of South Florida harmful algal bloom and hypoxia models, including--
``(i) all assumptions built into the models; and
``(ii) data quality methods used to ensure the best available data are utilized; and
``(D) propose a plan to implement a remote monitoring network and early warning system for alerting local communities in the region to harmful algal bloom risks that may impact human health.
``(3) Requirements.--In developing the action plan, the Task Force shall--
``(A) consult with the State of Florida, and affected local and tribal governments;
``(B) consult with representatives from regional academic, agricultural, industry, and other stakeholder groups;
``(C) ensure that the plan complements and does not duplicate activities conducted by other Federal or State agencies, including the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force;
``(D) identify critical research for reducing, mitigating, and controlling harmful algal bloom events and their effects;
``(E) evaluate cost-effective, incentive-based partnership approaches;
``(F) ensure that the plan is technically sound and cost- effective;
``(G) utilize existing research, assessments, reports, and program activities;
``(H) publish a summary of the proposed plan in the Federal Register at least 180 days prior to submitting the completed plan to Congress; and
``(I) after submitting the completed plan to Congress, provide biennial progress reports on the activities toward achieving the objectives of the plan.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment and Correction.--The table of contents in section 2 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-383) is amended by striking the items relating to title VI and inserting the following new items: ``TITLE VI--HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS AND HYPOXIA ``Sec. 601. Short title. ``Sec. 602. Findings. ``Sec. 603. Assessments. ``Sec. 603A. National Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program. ``Sec. 603B. Comprehensive research plan and action strategy. ``Sec. 604. Northern Gulf of Mexico hypoxia. ``Sec. 605. South Florida harmful algal blooms and hypoxia. ``Sec. 606. Great Lakes hypoxia and harmful algal blooms. ``Sec. 607. Protection of States' rights. ``Sec. 608. Effect on other Federal authority. ``Sec. 609. Definitions. ``Sec. 610. Authorization of appropriations.''.
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Ms. STEVENS. 66, the bill now under consideration.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 66, the South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act of 2021.
The South Florida region suffers from blooms of harmful algae in both its fresh and marine bodies of water. The impacts of marine red tide and freshwater blue-green algae in this region are felt in marine life, across the local economy, and on public health.
When these algae blooms die and sink to the bottom of water bodies, they can cause hypoxia or low oxygen events, which further impact marine and freshwater ecosystems.
This bill authorizes a scientific assessment and action plan to address the negative impacts of harmful algal blooms, HABs, and hypoxia in South Florida.
We know that many Michiganders enjoy the splendors of South Florida in the winter season. We have had this reported from colleagues from Florida. We are supporting this bill because this work can serve as a template for other communities suffering from HABs and hypoxia and help address these disruptive events.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC, April 29, 2022. Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Chair, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chair Johnson: In recognition of the goal of expediting consideration of S.66, the ``South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act of 2021,'' the Committee on Natural Resources agrees to waive formal consideration of the bill as to provisions that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Natural Resources.
The Committee on Natural Resources takes this action with the mutual understanding that, in doing so, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that the Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may address any remaining-issues within our jurisdiction. Our Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation.
I also ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Congressional Record. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to work with you as this measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Raul M. Grijalva, Chair, House Natural Resources Committee. ____ Congress of the United States, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, April 29, 2022. Chairman Raul M. Grijalva, Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Grijalva, I am writing to you concerning S. 66, the ``South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act of 2021,'' which was passed by the Senate on March 8, 2022.
I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this bill. I recognize that the bill contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Natural Resources. I acknowledge that your committee will waive further consideration of S. 66 and that this action is not a waiver of future jurisdictional claims by the Committee on Natural Resources over this subject matter.
I will make sure to include our exchange of letters in the Congressional Record and will support the appointment of the Committee on Natural Resource conferees during any House- Senate conference. Thank you for your cooperation on this legislation. Sincerely, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Chairwoman.
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Ms. STEVENS. Madam Speaker, for those watching at home, a friendly reminder that S. 66 passed the House last session of Congress, the 116th Congress. We are now in the 117th Congress. We will pass this bill again. That is our intention, to send it over to the Senate yet again to get it passed and signed into law.
As a friendly reminder, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee oversees and has jurisdiction over the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act, which is why we are passing it through not only our committee but, obviously, here on the House floor.
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Ms. STEVENS. Madam Speaker, I note that, with this bill, the task force to develop an action plan based on an integrated assessment that details methods for reducing, mitigating, and controlling HABs and hypoxia in South Florida is obviously essential.
This is an interagency effort involving the State, local and Tribal governments, as well as non-Federal stakeholder groups. I urge the passage of S. 66.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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