National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1994

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: NOAA Ocean and Coastal Programs

Title II: NOAA Marine Fishery Programs

Title III: Administration and Other Accounts

Title IV: Miscellaneous NOAA Programs

Title V: Great Lakes Improvements

Title VI: National Undersea Research Program

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1994 - Title I: NOAA Ocean and Coastal Programs - Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of Commerce for FY 1995 and 1996 for use by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the following programs and activities: (1) mapping and charting; (2) geodesy; (3) weather observation and prediction; (4) estuarine and coastal assessment; (5) deep ocean mineral and ocean energy activities; (6) marine prediction research, including research activities at the Great Lakes and the Southeast Florida and Caribbean Areas; and (7) climate and global change research activities.

Title II: NOAA Marine Fishery Programs - Amends the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Fisheries Program Authorization Act to authorize appropriations for FY 1995 and 1996 for fisheries information collection and analysis.

(Sec. 203) Authorizes appropriations for FY 1995 and 1996 for the establishment and maintenance of a scallop restoration program for Long Island Sound.

(Sec. 204) Amends the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act to direct the Secretary to make grants to assist persons in carrying out research and development projects to promote the sustainable use and development of U.S. fisheries.

Title III: Administration and Other Accounts - Authorizes appropriations for: (1) executive direction and administrative activities; (2) operation and maintenance of the Systems Acquisition Office; (3) central administrative support activities; (4) retired pay; and (5) marine services activities.

Title IV: Miscellaneous NOAA Programs - Directs that one-sixth of the fees collected each fiscal year from the authorized sale and licensing of nautical products by NOAA be: (1) deposited into the Operations, Research, and Facilities account of NOAA; and (2) available for the acquisition and installation of Physical Ocean Real-time (PORT) Systems, the acquisition and maintenance of upgraded hydrographic survey equipment, and other National Ocean Service activities related to the modernization and improvement of maritime safety.

Sets forth provisions regarding the budgetary treatment of receipts from nautical products.

Directs the Secretary to deploy in Galveston Bay and the Houston Ship Channel a PORT System consisting of current, wind, tide, salinity, and water level measuring devices and necessary computer links.

(Sec. 402) Expresses the sense of the Congress that NOAA should expand its efforts to develop interagency agreements to further the use of defense-related technologies, data, and other resources to support its oceanic missions.

Directs the Secretary to report to the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (the committees) on the feasibility of expanding the use of such technologies, data, and resources to support and enhance such missions.

(Sec. 403) Requires the Secretary to report to the committees on the status of NOAA programs related to marine navigation safety.

(Sec. 404) Sets forth site selection factors regarding a replacement for the National Marine Fisheries Service Lab at Tiburon, California. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1995 for architecture and engineering studies regarding such replacement.

(Sec. 405) Directs the Secretary to: (1) report to the committees on Department of Commerce needs for facilities for the National Marine Sanctuary Program; (2) establish a PORT System for San Francisco Bay after conducting a hydrodynamics study of the Bay (and authorizes appropriations); and (3) convey to Massachusetts the National Marine Fisheries Service Laboratory at Gloucester, Massachusetts, under certain terms and conditions, including continued use of such property by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

(Sec. 408) Provides reimbursement from the United States to NOAA after settlement of a collision damage claim involving the NOAA research vessel DISCOVERER, for use in vessel repair.

(Sec. 409) Authorizes the Secretary to enter into specified contracts for FY 1995 and 1996 to implement the NOAA fleet modernization plan. Limits expenditures for repairs and maintenance under the NOAA Fleet Modernization Act.

(Sec. 410) Directs the Secretary to: (1) contract with the Marine Board of the National Research Council to examine and report on the appropriate role of the NOAA Corps in supporting NOAA missions (and authorizes appropriations); (2) report to the committees on the effects of climate and global change on the Nation's major freshwater systems; (3) promote and coordinate the use of National Estuarine Research Reserves for research, monitoring, and education purposes; and (4) study and report to the committees on the effects of feeding noncaptive dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico and Southern Atlantic Ocean.

(Sec. 414) Amends the boundaries of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary to include the Stetson Bank.

(Sec. 415) Revises an Act authorizing appropriations to carry out the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to: (1) provide for the administration of the National Coastal Resources Research and Development Institute by the Oregon State System of Higher Education; (2) direct the Institute to promote U.S. economic growth and prosperity by transferring research and technology into applications to improve the economic, environmental, and social well-being of the Nation's coastal communities and the competitiveness of coastal businesses; and (3) make changes with respect to membership of the Board of Governors and the Advisory Council and provide for reports annually to the Congress and biennially to the Secretary.

(Sec. 416) Expresses the sense of the Congress that NOAA should develop and promote programs that recruit minorities and women for education in the sciences and take actions to increase the direct involvement of underrepresented minorities in coastal and ocean resource stewardship programs.

(Sec. 417) Repeals a provision of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Act of 1992 requiring the establishment of a NOAA Chesapeake Bay Estuarine Resources Office if the Secretary fails to obligate specified funds appropriated for oyster disease research by December 1, 1994.

(Sec. 418) Authorizes the Secretary to expend specified sums to acquire, construct, install, and maintain equipment with respect to weather reporting stations in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

(Sec. 419) Directs the Secretary to purchase from the private sector remotely sensed science data.

(Sec. 420) Expresses the sense of the Congress that equipment and products purchased with funds made available in this Act should be American-made.

Title V: Great Lakes Improvements - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Improvements Act - Authorizes the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to establish and maintain within NOAA a Great Lakes Office in the Washington, D.C. area.

(Sec. 503) Directs the Under Secretary to prepare and submit to the Congress an annual Great Lakes Report.

(Sec. 505) Authorizes appropriations.

Title VI: National Undersea Research Program - National Undersea Research Program Act of 1994 - Directs the Under Secretary to establish and maintain in NOAA a National Undersea Research Program, conducted by a National Undersea Research Centers. Establishes in NOAA the Office of Undersea Research. Sets forth provisions regarding duties of the program director and priority research areas.

(Sec. 604) Directs the Under Secretary to establish an independent National Undersea Research Advisory Committee.

(Sec. 605) Assigns specified regions to certain existing centers. Provides for the establishment of new centers. Allows the Under Secretary to solicit proposals for the establishment of a new Center. Provides for reviews of proposals and of the operation of each Center and the configuration of undersea regions. Directs the Under Secretary to establish a Center to conduct the Program for the Gulf of Mexico undersea region.

(Sec. 606) Requires each Center Director to annually solicit individual proposals from the scientific community for research to advance the priority research areas of the Program. Sets forth provisions regarding the proposal review process, the proposed Center Program, and review of proposed Center Programs.

(Sec. 607) Directs the Under Secretary to develop procedures for the submittal and joint review of proposals for research in priority research areas and to issue final rules.

(Sec. 608) Authorizes the Under Secretary to make grants and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements to fund any Center program if the Under Secretary finds that the program will advance knowledge in the priority research areas.

(Sec. 609) Specifies that grants and contracts under the Program shall not be subject to review by the Financial Assistance Review Board.

(Sec. 610) Authorizes appropriations.