WASHINGTON, D.C. – In honor of Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2007, the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and several other members of Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation joined to introduce a group of bills today that provides for sustainable use and protection of our nation’s ocean and coastal areas. The bills include:

 

            Hydrographic Services Improvement Act Amendments of 2007

 

“All Americans, regardless of whether they reside in the nation’s heartland or along the coast, are impacted by the ocean,” said Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii), Chairman of the Commerce Committee. “Our oceans and coasts are faced with many threats, including those posed by pollution, increasing population growth and coastal development, overfishing, climate change, and ocean acidification. These bills work to ensure that use of ocean resources and the coasts is sustainable and address many existing and emerging risks to their well-being.”

 

 

“Ocean acidification harms corals that provide habitats for many fish and plankton that are the base of the marine food chain. This threat to our marine ecosystems and our economy demands action,” said Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.). “Research on ocean acidification is still in its infancy.  My bill establishes a comprehensive research and monitoring program so we can work to protect the health of our oceans.”

Members of the Senate Commerce Committee introduced the following oceans bills today:

Hydrographic Services Improvement Act Amendments of 2007 – Introduced by Senators Inouye, Stevens, Cantwell, and Snowe, this bill would strengthen the work of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in generating and utilizing hydrographic data. The measure also would provide NOAA with a greater role in providing data in response to natural or man-made disasters such as a hurricane. This is especially important when it is necessary to reopen shipping lanes or ports.

 

Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2007 – Introduced by Senators Inouye, Stevens and Cantwell, this bill would reauthorize the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. The bill would provide new authorities for preserving, restoring and managing, in a sustainable manner, our coral reef ecosystems. It also would prohibit damage to corals, while providing specific exemptions for activities such as research, fishing, and other activities authorized by federal or state law. It also would establish liability and civil and criminal penalties for damage to coral reefs resulting from prohibited activities. Additionally, it also would reauthorize the award of grants under the coral reef conservation program to research emerging priorities or threats to coral reefs. 

 

Ballast Water Management Act of 2007 – Senators Inouye and Stevens introduced the Ballast Water Management Act of 2007. The measure would provide a national management program for addressing invasive species in ballast water. The bill would establish requirements for ballast water treatment, as well as procedures for ballast water exchange in the interim. The bill also would seek to prevent the introduction of invasive species from ship equipment or hulls.

Coastal Zone Enhancement Reauthorization Act of 2007 – Introduced by Senators Snowe and Cantwell, and others, this measure would encourage the use of innovative technologies and techniques in the coastal zone for long-term coastal conservation. The bill would reauthorize administrative grants for improved coastal management, including pollution control, and coastal zone administrative grants that aid the creation, restoration, and preservation of coastal habitats. The bill also would allow states to amend their coastal zone plans to address impacts of climate change on coastal zone resources.

 

Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2007 – Senators Lautenberg and Cantwell introduced the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2007. The measure would establish a federal program to conduct research and monitoring, as well as provide education, to examine the processes and consequences of ocean acidification.

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