Title 33, Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-110

§3706 Nsf Ocean Acidification Activities

Title 33 › CHAPTER 50 — FEDERAL OCEAN ACIDIFICATION RESEARCH AND MONITORING › § 3706

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The NSF Director must keep funding competitive, merit-based, peer-reviewed research on ocean and coastal acidification. Studies must look at effects on marine life (including aquaculture), ecosystems, ocean and coastal chemistry, ways to measure and monitor acidification, how acidification mixes with other problems (like low oxygen, harmful algal blooms, or sediment changes), and ways to adapt to or reduce social and economic harms. Work must follow the Subcommittee’s strategic plan under section 3704. The Director should promote international coordination. Grant recipients who collect data described in section 3705(d) must use the standards in section 3705(d) and submit their data to the Director and the Secretary after publication, under any rules those officials set.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §3706

Navigation and Navigable Waters, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Research activities
The Director of the National Science Foundation shall continue to carry out research activities on ocean acidification and coastal acidification which shall support competitive, merit-based, peer-reviewed proposals for research, observation, and monitoring of ocean acidification and coastal acidification and their respective impacts, including—
(1)impacts on marine organisms, including species cultured for aquaculture, and marine ecosystems;
(2)impacts on ocean, coastal, and estuarine biogeochemistry;
(3)the development of methodologies and technologies to evaluate ocean acidification and coastal acidification and their respective impacts; and
(4)impacts of multiple stressors on ecosystems exhibiting hypoxia, harmful algal blooms, or sediment delivery, combined with changes in ocean chemistry; and
(5)adaptation and mitigation strategies to address socioeconomic effects of ocean acidification and coastal acidification.
(b)Consistency
The research activities shall be consistent with the strategic research plan developed by the Subcommittee under section 3704 of this title.
(c)Coordination
The Director shall encourage coordination of the Foundation’s ocean acidification and coastal acidification activities with such activities of other nations and international organizations.
(d)Requirement
Recipients of grants from the National Science Foundation under this chapter that collect data described under section 3705(d) of this title shall—
(1)collect data in accordance with the standards, protocols, or procedures established pursuant to section 3705(d) of this title; and
(2)submit such data to the Director and the Secretary after publication, in accordance with any rules promulgated by the Director or the Secretary.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2022—Pub. L. 117–167, § 10647(1), substituted “ocean acidification and coastal acidification” for “ocean acidification” wherever appearing in text. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–167, § 10647(2)(A), substituted “their respective impacts” for “its impacts” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 117–167, § 10647(2)(B), substituted “and their respective impacts” for “and its impacts”. Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 117–167, § 10647(2)(C), (D), added par. (5). Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 117–167, § 10647(3), added subsec. (d). 2020—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–271 amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Director of the National Science Foundation shall continue to carry out research activities on ocean acidification which shall support competitive, merit-based, peer-reviewed proposals for research and monitoring of ocean acidification and its impacts, including— “(1) impacts on marine organisms and marine ecosystems; “(2) impacts on ocean, coastal, and estuarine biogeochemistry; and “(3) the development of methodologies and technologies to evaluate ocean acidification and its impacts.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 3706

Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110