Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2009

Summary

Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2009 - Amends the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 to require the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to establish criteria for determining which states should serve on the Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia and to implement a nominations process to select representatives for such Task Force. Requires: (1) the President, acting through NOAA, to establish a national program to integrate efforts to address hypoxia research, monitoring, prediction, control, mitigation, prevention, and outreach; (2) the Task Force to be the oversight body for the development and implementation of the National Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program; and (3) NOAA to be the lead federal agency for implementing and administering such Program. Sets forth the Program's responsibilities and duties, including: (1) promoting a national strategy to help communities understand, detect, predict, control, and mitigate freshwater and marine hypoxia events; and (2) establishing a Mitigation and Control of Harmful Algal Blooms Program. Requires NOAA to maintain and enhance the Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms Program, the Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms Program, the Northern Gulf of Mexico Ecosystems and Hypoxia Assessment Program, and the Coastal Hypoxia Research Program. Requires the national hypoxia program to: (1) oversee the development and implementation of Regional Research and Action Plans and identify regions and sub-regions to be addressed by each Plan; and (2) convene regional panels of experts. Requires each panel to develop a Plan that identifies appropriate elements for the region, including: (1) priorities for ecological and socioeconomic research on issues related to, and impacts of, hypoxia; and (2) state and local government actions that may be implemented to monitor, minimize, reduce, and address hypoxia. Requires the Task Force to report to specified congressional committees not less than every five years on hypoxia. Sets forth reporting requirements for the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force. Requires: (1) the Secretary, acting through NOAA, to establish a collaborative pilot program with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal agencies to examine hypoxia occurring in freshwater systems, including the Great Lakes.

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Timeline

1. 1 May 2009

   Introduced

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5015-5018)

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 1 May 2009

   Introduced

   Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5014-5015)

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 1 May 2009

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 5 August 2009

   Reported

   Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

   Source: Committee

5. 4 February 2010

   Calendars

   Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 271.

   Source: Calendars

6. 4 February 2010

   Reported

   Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-125.

   Source: Committee

7. 4 February 2010

   Reported

   Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-125.

   Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Reported to Senate · 4 February 2010 · Official file
• Introduced in Senate · 1 May 2009 · Official file

Documents

6 official files

• Reported to Senate (text)

  Reported to Senate · EN · 4 February 2010

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Reported to Senate (PDF)

  Reported to Senate · EN · 4 February 2010

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Reported to Senate with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 4 February 2010

  Open at official source

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 1 May 2009

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate (PDF)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 1 May 2009

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 1 May 2009

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Rep. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME-2] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Nelson, Bill [D-FL-11] · D · Sponsor
• Maria Cantwell · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD-3] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA-6] · D · Sponsor
• Susan Collins · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Burris, Roland [D-IL] · D · Cosponsor
• Sheldon Whitehouse · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI] · D · Cosponsor
• · sscm00 · Standing

Related records

• related to → Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2010