(a) In general

Not later than 2 years after March 30, 2009, and not later than every 5 years following the publication of each subsequent strategic research plan until 2035, the Subcommittee shall develop a strategic plan for Federal research and monitoring on ocean acidification and coastal acidification that will provide for an assessment of the impacts of ocean acidification and coastal acidification on marine organisms and ecosystems and the development of adaptation and mitigation strategies to address the socioeconomic impacts of ocean acidification and coastal acidification and to conserve marine organisms and ecosystems. In developing the plan, the Subcommittee shall consider and use information, reports, and studies of ocean acidification and coastal acidification that have identified research and monitoring needed to better understand ocean acidification and coastal acidification and its potential impacts, and recommendations made by the Advisory Board established in section 3703(c) of this title.

(b) Contents of the plan

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The plan shall—

(1) provide for interdisciplinary research among the ocean sciences and social sciences, and coordinated research and activities to improve the understanding of ocean chemistry that will affect marine ecosystems;

(2) establish, for the 10-year period beginning in the year the plan is submitted, the goals and priorities for Federal research and monitoring which will—

(A) advance understanding of ocean acidification and its physical, chemical, and biological impacts on marine organisms and marine ecosystems;

(B) assess the short-term and long-term socioeconomic impacts of ocean acidification;

(C) provide information for the development of adaptation and mitigation strategies to address—

(i) socioeconomic impacts of ocean acidification and coastal acidification;

(ii) conservation of marine organisms and ecosystems;

(iii) assessment of the effectiveness of such adaptation and mitigation strategies; and

(D) improve research on—

(i) ocean acidification and coastal acidification;

(ii) the interactions between and effects of ocean and coastal acidification and multiple combined stressors including changes in water chemistry, changes in sediment delivery, hypoxia, and harmful algal blooms, on ocean acidification and coastal acidification; and

(iii) the effect or effects of clauses (i) and (ii) on marine resources and ecosystems;

(3) describe specific activities, including—

(A) efforts to determine user needs;

(B) research activities;

(C) monitoring activities;

(D) technology and methods development;

(E) data collection;

(F) data management;

(G) modeling activities;

(H) assessment of ocean acidification impacts;

(I) participation in international research efforts;

(J) assessment of adaptation and mitigation strategies; and

(K) education and outreach activities;

(4) identify relevant programs and activities of the Federal agencies that contribute to the interagency program directly and indirectly and ensure an appropriate balance of contribution in establishing the role of each Federal agency in implementing the plan;

(5) consider and utilize, as appropriate, the best available peer-reviewed scientific reports and studies conducted by Federal agencies, the National Research Council, or other entities;

(6) make recommendations for the coordination of the ocean acidification and coastal acidification research and monitoring activities within the United States with such activities of other nations and international organizations;

(7) outline budget requirements for Federal ocean acidification research and monitoring and assessment activities to be conducted by each agency under the plan;

(8) identify the monitoring systems and sampling programs currently employed in collecting data relevant to ocean acidification and coastal acidification and prioritize additional monitoring systems that may be needed to ensure adequate data collection and monitoring of ocean acidification and coastal acidification and their impacts;

(9) describe specific activities designed to facilitate outreach and data and information exchange with stakeholder communities;

(10) make recommendations for research to be conducted, including in the social sciences and economics, to address the key knowledge gaps identified in the Ocean Chemistry Coastal Community Vulnerability Assessment conducted under section 3703(c)(4) ¹ of this title;

(11) describe monitoring needs necessary to support potentially affected industry members, coastal stakeholders, fishery management councils and commissions, Tribal governments, non-Federal resource managers, and scientific experts on decision-making and adaptation related to ocean acidification and coastal acidification; and

(12) describe the extent to which the Subcommittee incorporated feedback from the Advisory Board established in section 3703(c) of this title.

(c) Program elements

The plan shall include at a minimum the following program elements:

(1) Monitoring of ocean chemistry and biological impacts associated with ocean acidification at selected coastal and open-ocean monitoring stations, including satellite-based monitoring to characterize—

(A) marine ecosystems;

(B) changes in marine productivity; and

(C) changes in ocean chemistry.

(2) Research to understand the species specific physiological responses of marine organisms to ocean acidification and coastal acidification, impacts on marine food webs of ocean acidification and coastal acidification, and to develop environmental and ecological indices that track marine ecosystem responses to ocean acidification and coastal acidification.

(3) Modeling to predict changes in the ocean carbon cycle as a function of carbon dioxide and atmosphere-induced changes in temperature, ocean circulation, biogeochemistry, ecosystem and terrestrial inputs, modeling to determine impacts on marine ecosystems, marine food webs, and individual marine organisms, and modeling that supports fisheries management.

(4) Technology development and standardization of carbonate chemistry measurements on moorings and autonomous floats.

(5) Assessment of socioeconomic impacts of ocean acidification and coastal acidification and development of adaptation and mitigation strategies to conserve marine organisms and marine ecosystems.

(6) Research to understand the combined impact of changes in ocean chemistry and other stressors, including sediment delivery, hypoxia, and harmful algal blooms, on each other and on living marine resources, including aquaculture and coastal ecosystems.

(7) Applied research to identify adaptation strategies for species impacted by changes in ocean chemistry including vegetation-based systems, shell recycling, species and genetic diversity, applied technologies, aquaculture methodologies, and management recommendations.

(8) Research to understand related and cumulative stressors and other biogeochemical processes occurring in conjunction with ocean acidification and coastal acidification.

(d) Publication

Concurrent with the submission of the plan to Congress, the Subcommittee shall publish the plan on a public website.