PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The Task Force must study and plan ways to reduce harmful algal blooms and low-oxygen zones in a defined South Florida area. "South Florida" means lands and waters inside the South Florida Water Management District, nearby coastal waters like Biscayne Bay, the Caloosahatchee Estuary, Florida Bay, Indian River Lagoon, St. Lucie River Estuary, and the Florida Reef Tract. Within 540 days after June 16, 2022, the Task Force must send an interim study to Congress and the President. Within 3 years after June 16, 2022, it must send a final study. The study must look at causes, effects, and ways to reduce these events, and check what is known and missing in research, monitoring, management, prevention, response, and control by federal and state agencies, regional research groups, universities, businesses, nonprofits, and Indian tribes. Using that study, the Task Force must give Congress a plan by 3 years and 180 days after June 16, 2022. The plan must cover monitoring needs, a schedule and budget for future tools, rules for making and checking models (including assumptions and data-quality steps), and a proposal for a remote monitoring and early warning system for local communities. While making the plan, the Task Force must work with Florida, local and tribal governments, and other stakeholders; avoid duplicating other federal or state work; identify needed research; consider cost-saving partnerships; use existing studies; publish a summary in the Federal Register at least 180 days before sending the plan to Congress; and report progress every two years after submission.

Title 33, §4004a

Navigation and Navigable Waters, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)South Florida

In this section, the term “South Florida” means—

(1)all lands and waters within the administrative boundaries of the South Florida Water Management District;

(2)regional coastal waters, including Biscayne Bay, the Caloosahatchee Estuary, Florida Bay, Indian River Lagoon, and St. Lucie River Estuary; and

(3)the Florida Reef Tract.

(b)Integrated assessment

(1)Interim integrated assessment

Not later than 540 days after June 16, 2022, the Task Force, in accordance with the authority under section 4001 of this title, shall complete and submit to Congress and the President an interim integrated assessment.

(2)Finalized integrated assessment

Not later than 3 years after June 16, 2022, the Task Force shall finalize, and submit to Congress and the President, the interim integrated assessment required by paragraph (1).

(3)Contents of integrated assessment

The integrated assessment required by paragraphs (1) and (2) shall examine the causes, consequences, and potential approaches to reduce harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in South Florida, and the status of, and gaps within, current harmful algal bloom and hypoxia research, monitoring, management, prevention, response, and control activities that directly affect the region by—

(A)Federal agencies;

(B)State agencies;

(C)regional research consortia;

(D)academia;

(E)private industry;

(F)nongovernmental organizations; and

(G)Indian tribes (as defined in section 5304 of title 25).

(c)Action plan

(1)In general

Not later than 3 years and 180 days after June 16, 2022, the Task Force shall develop and submit to Congress a plan, based on the integrated assessment under subsection (b), for reducing, mitigating, and controlling harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in South Florida.

(2)Contents

The plan submitted under paragraph (1) shall—

(A)address the monitoring needs identified in the integrated assessment under subsection (b);

(B)develop a timeline and budgetary requirements for deployment of future assets;

(C)identify requirements for the development and verification of South Florida harmful algal bloom and hypoxia models, including—

(i)all assumptions built into the models; and

(ii)data quality methods used to ensure the best available data are utilized; and

(D)propose a plan to implement a remote monitoring network and early warning system for alerting local communities in the region to harmful algal bloom risks that may impact human health.

(3)Requirements

In developing the action plan, the Task Force shall—

(A)consult with the State of Florida, and affected local and tribal governments;

(B)consult with representatives from regional academic, agricultural, industry, and other stakeholder groups;

(C)ensure that the plan complements and does not duplicate activities conducted by other Federal or State agencies, including the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force;

(D)identify critical research for reducing, mitigating, and controlling harmful algal bloom events and their effects;

(E)evaluate cost-effective, incentive-based partnership approaches;

(F)ensure that the plan is technically sound and cost-effective;

(G)utilize existing research, assessments, reports, and program activities;

(H)publish a summary of the proposed plan in the Federal Register at least 180 days prior to submitting the completed plan to Congress; and

(I)after submitting the completed plan to Congress, provide biennial progress reports on the activities toward achieving the objectives of the plan.

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 605 of Pub. L. 105–383 was renumbered section 606 and is classified to section 4005 of this title.

§4004a South Florida Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia

Summary

Title 33, §4004a

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Citations & Metadata