Overview
Title
To amend the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 to require the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to collaborate with State and local governments and Indian Tribes on vulnerability assessments related to ocean acidification, research planning, and similar activities, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
S. 1391 is a law that wants people who study the ocean to work together with local communities and others to learn about changes in the ocean, which can be bad for sea life. It also tries to make sure everyone who needs help, like smaller communities, gets special attention.
Summary AI
S. 1391 proposes amendments to the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009. It mandates that the Secretary of Commerce, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), work with state and local governments, as well as Indian Tribes, to assess vulnerabilities, plan research, and engage in other activities related to ocean acidification. The bill also seeks to improve collaboration by establishing mechanisms for input from various stakeholders, including industry members, Indigenous knowledge groups, and non-Federal experts. Additionally, there are provisions to prioritize underserved communities and make technical corrections to existing legislation.
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AnalysisAI
Summary of the Bill
The proposed legislation, titled the "Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2025," seeks to amend the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009. The bill aims to enhance collaboration between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and state and local governments, Indian Tribes, and other stakeholders on matters related to ocean acidification. Significant changes include defining key terms, expanding Advisory Board representation to include Indigenous groups, and improving procedures for collaboration on vulnerability assessments and research planning. The act also involves making technical corrections to the original legislation to ensure linguistic accuracy and proper reference alignment.
Significant Issues
A major issue with the bill lies in its definition of "United States" as "the States, collectively," potentially leading to ambiguity regarding the inclusion of U.S. territories. Given the widespread impact of ocean acidification, the lack of clear inclusion of these territories could mean significant areas are overlooked.
Additionally, the introduction of new groups such as Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations into collaborative efforts lacks specific guidance on their roles and responsibilities. Without clarity, there is a risk of redundant efforts and inefficient use of resources. The directive for the Advisory Board to engage with various stakeholders is also criticized for its vague language and lack of structured guidance, which may result in inconsistent collaboration.
Although prioritizing "underserved populations and entities" in the use of NOAA resources is well-intentioned, the bill currently lacks a clear definition of what constitutes "underserved," potentially leading to unequal resource distribution.
Impact on the Public and Specific Stakeholders
The bill's emphasis on collaboration and inclusivity in addressing ocean acidification could result in broader public awareness and action against this environmental threat. However, its impact might be limited if definitions and responsibilities remain vague, hampering effective execution.
For coastal communities, the bill could lead to more comprehensive assessments and better-preparedness strategies against the risks posed by ocean acidification. This is particularly crucial for communities reliant on marine resources. However, if territories and possessions are not explicitly included, their populations might not benefit equally from the initiatives.
Indigenous groups, through expanded representation, stand to gain a greater voice in related policymaking. However, without clear roles and expectation delineation, these groups might face challenges in effectively influencing ocean acidification management.
Overall, the bill represents an effort to increase collaboration in national ocean acidification research and monitoring. While well-intentioned, strategically resolving the identified issues is crucial to fully realize its potential benefits and ensure equitable resource distribution and effective stakeholder engagement.
Issues
The definition of 'United States' as 'the States, collectively' in Section 2 may lead to ambiguity or exclusion of territories and possessions, which is significant given the potential impacts of ocean acidification on all U.S. territories (Section 2).
There is a lack of specificity regarding roles and responsibilities for new groups added to collaboration efforts, such as Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations. This could cause overlapping efforts and inefficient resource allocation (Section 3).
The directive for the Advisory Board to engage with various stakeholders lacks detailed guidance on how this engagement should be structured, possibly leading to inefficient or inconsistent collaboration (Section 3).
Prioritizing 'underserved populations and entities' in the use of NOAA resources is commendable but lacks definition on how 'underserved' is determined, possibly leading to disparities or inequities (Section 3).
The amendments introduce new definitions but do not mention the definition that was removed (paragraph 4), which could create uncertainty about what was altered or omitted (Section 2).
The changes in Section 4 focus solely on language corrections without addressing their impact on the practicality or effectiveness of the Act's implementation, which could lead to continued misunderstandings or misinterpretations of legislative intent.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of the bill establishes its short title as the “Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2025”.
2. Definitions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section outlines amendments to the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009, which include removing one definition, renaming the order of some paragraphs, and adding new definitions for terms like "Indian Tribe" and "Native Hawaiian organization." It also updates existing definitions and adds new ones for "Subcommittee" and "United States."
3. Improvement of collaboration on ocean acidification Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section of the bill focuses on improving collaboration on ocean acidification by amending the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009. It includes the creation of ongoing mechanisms for input from various stakeholders, adjustments to the Advisory Board's membership to include more representation from Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations, policies for engagement and coordination with Indian Tribes, and improved collaboration on vulnerability assessments and research planning.
4. Technical corrections Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The text outlines technical corrections to the Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009. It tweaks several sections by making grammatical adjustments, correcting the cross-references, and clarifying the language to improve accuracy and coherence.