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.....................................................................
(Original Signature of Member)

115TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION

H. R. ll

To amend the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control
Act of 1998 to reauthorize the national harmful algal blooms and hypoxia
program and require an assessment and action plan for reducing harmful
algal blooms and hypoxia in the Greater Everglades region, and for
other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. MAST introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on llllllllllllll

A BILL
To amend the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research
and Control Act of 1998 to reauthorize the national
harmful algal blooms and hypoxia program and require
an assessment and action plan for reducing harmful algal
blooms and hypoxia in the Greater Everglades region,
and for other purposes.
1

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-

2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

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2
1

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

2

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Harmful Algal Bloom

3 and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 2018’’.
4

SEC. 2. HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS AND HYPOXIA RE-

5

SEARCH AND CONTROL.

6

(a) REAUTHORIZATION

7 ALGAL BLOOMS

OF

NATIONAL HARMFUL

HYPOXIA PROGRAM.—Section

AND

8 609(a) of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research
9 and Control Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 4003(a)) is amend10 ed—
11

(1) by striking ‘‘and 603B’’ and inserting ‘‘,

12

603B, and 603C’’;

13

(2) by striking ‘‘$20,500,000’’ and inserting

14

‘‘$22,000,000’’; and

15

(3) by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’.

16
17

(b) GREATER EVERGLADES ASSESSMENT

AND

AC-

PLAN.—The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Re-

TION

18 search and Control Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 4003) is
19 amended by inserting after section 603B the following new
20 section:
21

‘‘SEC.

603C.

22
23

GREATER

EVERGLADES

HARMFUL

ALGAL

BLOOMS AND HYPOXIA.

‘‘(a) INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 18

24 months after the date of enactment of the Harmful Algal
25 Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 2018,
26 the Task Force, in accordance with the authority under
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3
1 section 603, shall complete and submit to the Congress
2 and the President an integrated assessment that examines
3 the causes, consequences, and potential approaches to re4 duce harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in the Greater Ev5 erglades region, including—
6

‘‘(1) a comprehensive analysis of how restora-

7

tion efforts undertaken pursuant to such section

8

with respect to the South Florida Ecosystem (as de-

9

fined in section 528 of the Water Resources Devel-

10

opment Act of 1996 (33 U.S.C. 2201note; Public

11

Law 104–303)) may impact the distribution, mag-

12

nitude, duration, and frequency of harmful algal

13

blooms and hypoxia events within the region; and

14

‘‘(2) the status of, and gaps within, current

15

harmful algal bloom and hypoxia research, moni-

16

toring, management, prevention, response, and con-

17

trol activities that directly benefit the region and

18

that are carried out by any of the following entities:

19

‘‘(A)

20

agencies,

including

the

United States Army Corps of Engineers.

21

‘‘(B) State agencies.

22

‘‘(C) Regional research consortia.

23

‘‘(D) Institutions of higher education (as

24

defined in section 101 of the Higher Education

25

Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)).

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Federal

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4
1

‘‘(E) Private industry.

2

‘‘(F) Nongovernmental organizations.

3

‘‘(b) ACTION PLAN.—

4

‘‘(1) IN

later than 2 years

5

after the date of enactment of the Harmful Algal

6

Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of

7

2018, the Task Force shall develop and submit to

8

the Congress a plan, based on the integrated assess-

9

ment under subsection (a), for reducing, mitigating,

10

and controlling harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in

11

the Greater Everglades region.

12

‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The plan shall—

13

‘‘(A) address the monitoring needs identi-

14

fied in the integrated assessment under sub-

15

section (a);

16

‘‘(B) develop a timeline and budgetary re-

17

quirements for deployment of future assets;

18

‘‘(C) identify requirements for the develop-

19

ment and verification of Greater Everglades

20

harmful algal bloom and hypoxia models, in-

21

cluding—

22

‘‘(i) all assumptions built into the

23

models; and

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GENERAL.—Not

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5
1

‘‘(ii) data quality methods used to en-

2

sure the best available data are utilized;

3

and

4

‘‘(D) propose the development of an early

5

warning system for alerting local communities

6

in the region to harmful algal bloom risks that

7

may impact human health.

8

‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS.—In developing the plan,

9

the Task Force shall—

10

‘‘(A) coordinate with the State of Florida

11

and affected local and Tribal governments;

12

‘‘(B) consult with representatives from

13

academic, agricultural, industry, and other

14

stakeholder groups;

15

‘‘(C) ensure that the plan complements

16

and does not duplicate activities conducted by

17

other Federal or State agencies, including the

18

South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task

19

Force established under subsection (f) of sec-

20

tion 528 of the Water Resources Development

21

Act of 1996 (33 U.S.C. 2201note; Public Law

22

104–303);

23

‘‘(D) identify critical research for reducing,

24

mitigating, and controlling harmful algal bloom

25

events and their effects;

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1

‘‘(E)

2

cost-effective,

incentive-

based partnership approaches;

3

‘‘(F) ensure that the plan is technically

4

sound and cost-effective;

5

‘‘(G) utilize existing research, assessments,

6

reports, and program activities;

7

‘‘(H) publish a summary of the proposed

8

plan in the Federal Register at least 180 days

9

prior to submitting the completed plan to Con-

10

gress;

11

‘‘(I) after submitting the completed plan to

12

Congress, provide biennial progress reports on

13

the activities toward achieving the objectives of

14

the plan;

15

‘‘(J) conduct the assessment under sub-

16

section (a) and submit the plan under sub-

17

section (b) through the agencies that are mem-

18

bers of the Task Force using funds authorized

19

and available for such agencies in support of

20

restoration of the Greater Everglades; and

21

‘‘(K) include the funding for the assess-

22

ment in the plan and carry out the plan in the

23

annual cross-cut budget for the South Florida

24

Ecosystem Restoration Program under section

25

528 of the Water Resources Development Act

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7
1

of 1996 (33 U.S.C. 2201note; Public Law 104–

2

303).

3

‘‘(c) GREATER EVERGLADES.—In this section, the

4 term ‘Greater Everglades’ means—
5

‘‘(1) all lands and waters within the administra-

6

tive boundaries of the South Florida Water Manage-

7

ment District;

8

‘‘(2) regional coastal waters, including Biscayne

9

Bay, the Caloosahatchee Estuary, Florida Bay, and

10

Indian River Lagoon; and

11
12

‘‘(3) the Florida Reef Tract.’’.
(c) INTER-AGENCY TASK FORCE.—Section 603(a) of

13 the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Con14 trol Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 4001(a)) is amended—
15
16

(1) in paragraph (12), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the
end;

17
18

(2) by redesignating paragraph (13) as paragraph (14); and

19
20

(3) by inserting after paragraph (12) the following:

21
22

‘‘(13) the Army Corps of Engineers; and’’.
(d) SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENTS

OF

FRESHWATER

23 HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS.—Section 603(f)(1) Harmful
24 Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of
25 1998 (33 U.S.C. 4001(f)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘later

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8
1 than 24 months’’ and all that follows and inserting ‘‘less
2 than once every 5 years, the Task Force shall complete
3 and submit to Congress a scientific assessment of harmful
4 algal blooms in United States coastal waters and fresh5 water systems. Each assessment shall examine both ma6 rine and freshwater harmful algal blooms, including those
7 in the Great Lakes, Greater Everglades, and upper
8 reaches of estuaries, those in freshwater lakes and rivers,
9 and those that originate in freshwater lakes or rivers and
10 migrate to coastal waters.’’.
11
12

SEC. 3. CONSULTATION REQUIRED.

Section 102 of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hy-

13 poxia Amendments Act of 2004 (33 U.S.C. 4001a) is
14 amended by striking ‘‘the amendments made by this title’’
15 and inserting ‘‘the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Re16 search and Control Act of 1998’’.
17

SEC. 4. NATIONAL HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM AND HYPOXIA

18
19

PROGRAM.

(a) PROGRAM DUTIES.—Section 603A(e) of the

20 Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control
21 Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 4002(e)) is amended—
22

(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘, including

23

to local and regional stakeholders through the estab-

24

lishment and maintenance of a publicly accessible

25

Internet website that provides information on Pro-

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9
1

gram activities completed pursuant to this section’’

2

after ‘‘Program’’;

3

(2) in paragraph (3)—

4

(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘;

5

and’’ and inserting a semicolon;

6

(B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting

7

‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at the end; and

8

(C) by adding at the end the following:

9

‘‘(D) to accelerate the utilization of effec-

10

tive methods of intervention and mitigation to

11

reduce the frequency, severity, and impacts of

12

harmful algal bloom and hypoxia events;’’;

13

(3) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘and work co-

14

operatively with regional, State, tribal, and local gov-

15

ernment agencies’’ and inserting ‘‘, and work coop-

16

eratively to provide technical assistance to, regional,

17

State, tribal, and local government entities, and re-

18

gional information coordination entities (as defined

19

in section 12303(6) of the Integrated Coastal and

20

Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C.

21

3602))’’; and

22

(4) in paragraph (7)—

23

(A) by inserting ‘‘and extension’’ after ‘‘ex-

24

isting education’’; and

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10
1

(B) by inserting ‘‘intervention,’’ after

2
3

‘‘awareness of the causes, impacts,’’.
(b) INTEGRATED COASTAL

AND

OCEAN OBSERVING

4 SYSTEM.—Section 603A(i) of the Harmful Algal Bloom
5 and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (33
6 U.S.C. 20 4002(i)) is amended by inserting ‘‘coordinate
7 with the regional information coordination entities re8 ferred to in subsection (e) and’’ after ‘‘this title shall’’.
9
10

(c) NATIONAL OCEANIC
ISTRATION

AND

ATMOSPHERIC ADMIN-

ACTIVITIES.—Section 603A(f) of the Harmful

11 Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of
12 1998 (33 U.S.C. 4002(f)) is amended—
13

(1) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘, which shall

14

include unmanned systems,’’ after ‘‘infrastructure’’;

15

(2) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the

16

end;

17
18

(3) in paragraph (6)(C), by striking the period
at the end and inserting a semicolon; and

19

(4) by adding at the end the following:

20

‘‘(7) use cost effective methods in carrying out

21

this Act; and

22
23

‘‘(8) develop contingency plans for the longterm monitoring of hypoxia.’’.

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11
1

SEC. 5. HYPOXIA OR HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM EVENTS OF

2
3

SIGNIFICANCE.

(a) RELIEF.—

4

(1) IN

a determination under

5

subsection (b) that there is an event of significance,

6

the appropriate Federal official is authorized to

7

make sums available to the affected State or local

8

government for the purposes of assessing and miti-

9

gating the detrimental environmental, economic, sub-

10

sistence use, and public health effects of the event

11

of significance.

12

(2) FEDERAL

SHARE.—The

Federal share of

13

the cost of any activity carried out under this sub-

14

section for the purposes described in paragraph (1)

15

may not exceed 50 percent of the cost of that activ-

16

ity.

17

(3) DONATIONS.—Notwithstanding any other

18

provision of law, an appropriate Federal official may

19

accept donations of funds, services, facilities, mate-

20

rials, or equipment that the appropriate Federal offi-

21

cial considers necessary for the purposes described

22

in paragraph (1). Any funds donated to an appro-

23

priate Federal official under this paragraph may be

24

expended without further appropriation and without

25

fiscal year limitation.

26

(b) DETERMINATIONS.—

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1

(1) IN

the discretion of an ap-

2

propriate Federal official, or at the request of the

3

Governor of an affected State, an appropriate Fed-

4

eral official shall determine whether a hypoxia or

5

harmful algal bloom event is an event of signifi-

6

cance.

7

(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In making a determina-

8

tion under paragraph (1), the appropriate Federal

9

official shall consider the toxicity of the harmful

10

algal bloom, the severity of the hypoxia, its potential

11

to spread, the economic impact, the toxicity to fish

12

and wildlife, size and nature of the human popu-

13

lation potentially exposed to the bloom, the relative

14

size in relation to the past 5 occurrences of harmful

15

algal blooms or hypoxia events that occur on a re-

16

current or annual basis, and the geographic scope,

17

including the potential to affect several municipali-

18

ties, to affect more than 1 State, or to cross an

19

international boundary.

20

(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:

21
22

(1) APPROPRIATE

FEDERAL

OFFICIAL.—The

term ‘‘appropriate Federal official’’ means—

23

(A) in the case of a marine or coastal hy-

24

poxia or harmful algal bloom event, the Under

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13
1

Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmos-

2

phere; and

3

(B) in the case of a freshwater hypoxia or

4

harmful algal bloom event, the Administrator of

5

the Environmental Protection Agency.

6

(2)

EVENT

OF

SIGNIFICANCE.—The

term

7

‘‘event of significance’’ means a hypoxia or harmful

8

algal bloom event that has had or will likely have a

9

significant detrimental environmental, economic,

10

subsistence use, or public health impact on an af-

11

fected State.

12

(3) HYPOXIA

OR

HARMFUL

ALGAL

BLOOM

13

EVENT.—The

14

event’’ means the occurrence of hypoxia or a harm-

15

ful algal bloom as a result of a natural, anthropo-

16

genic, or undetermined cause.

17

SEC. 6. HYPOXIA OR HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM FORE-

18
19

term ‘‘hypoxia or harmful algal bloom

CASTING.

The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and

20 Control Act of 1998 is amended by inserting after section
21 603B (33 U.S.C. 4003) the following new section:
22

‘‘SEC. 603C. HYPOXIA OR HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM FORE-

23
24

CASTING.

‘‘Not later than one year after the date of the enact-

25 ment of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research

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14
1 and Control Act of 2018, the Under Secretary shall com2 plete and submit to Congress a plan for developing the
3 capacity for sustained operational ecological forecast mod4 els for forecasting harmful algal blooms or hypoxia. The
5 plan shall include a process for how such forecast models
6 can be supported and operated with regional information
7 coordination entities identified under subsection (c)(4) of
8 section 12304 of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Obser9 vation System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3603) for purposes
10 of the National Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation
11 System established under such section.’’.

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