US Codex
Pub. L.
Notes

Title I — Marine Debris

115th Congress · Approved Oct 11, 2018 · 132 Stat. 3742

TITLE I Marine Debris

SEC. 101. Noaa Marine Debris Program.

Section 3 of the Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 1952) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (b)—
(A)
in paragraph (4), by striking “ ; and” and inserting a semicolon;
(B)
in paragraph (5)(C), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:

“(6) work to develop outreach and education strategies with other Federal agencies to address sources of marine debris;

“(7) except for discharges of marine debris from vessels, in consultation with the Department of State and other Federal agencies, promote international action, as appropriate, to reduce the incidence of marine debris, including providing technical assistance to expand waste management systems internationally; and

“(8) in the case of an event determined to be a severe marine debris event under subsection (c)—

“(A) assist in the cleanup and response required by the severe marine debris event; or

“(B) conduct such other activity as the Administrator determines is appropriate in response to the severe marine debris event.”

(2)
by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d);
(3)
by inserting after subsection (b) the following:

“(c) Severe Marine Debris Events.—At the discretion of the Administrator or at the request of the Governor of an affected State, the Administrator shall determine whether there is a severe marine debris event.”

; and

(4)
in subsection (d)(2), as redesignated—
(A)
in subparagraph (A), by striking “ subparagraph (B)” and inserting “ subparagraphs (B) and (C)”; and
(B)
by adding at the end the following:

“(C) Severe marine debris events.—Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the Federal share of the cost of an activity carried out under a determination made under subsection (c) shall be—

“(i) 100 percent of the cost of the activity, for an activity funded wholly by funds made available by a person, including the government of a foreign country, to the Federal Government for the purpose of responding to a severe marine debris event; or

“(ii) 75 percent of the cost of the activity, for any activity other than an activity funded as described in clause (i).”

SEC. 102. Sense of Congress on International Engagement to Respond to Marine Debris.

It is the sense of Congress that the President should—
(1)
support research and development on systems and materials that reduce—
(A)
derelict fishing gear; and
(B)
the amount of solid waste that is generated from land-based sources and the amount of such waste that enters the marine environment;
(2)
work with representatives of foreign countries that discharge the largest amounts of solid waste from land-based sources into the marine environment, to develop mechanisms to reduce such discharges;
(3)
carry out studies to determine—
(A)
the primary means of discharges referred to in paragraph (2);
(B)
the manner in which waste management infrastructure can be most effective in preventing such discharges; and
(C)
the long-term impacts of marine debris on the national economies of the countries with which work is undertaken under paragraph (2) and on the global economy, including the impacts of reducing the discharge of such debris;
(4)
work with representatives of the countries with which work is undertaken in paragraph (2) to conclude one or more new international agreements that include provisions—
(A)
to mitigate the discharge of land-based solid waste into the marine environment; and
(B)
to provide technical assistance and investment in waste management infrastructure to reduce such discharges, if the President determines such assistance or investment is appropriate; and
(5)
encourage the United States Trade Representative to consider the impact of discharges of land-based solid waste from the countries with which work is conducted under paragraph (2) in relevant future trade agreements.

SEC. 103. Sense of Congress Supporting Great Lakes Land-Based Marine Debris Action Plan.

It is the sense of Congress that the Great Lakes Land-Based Marine Debris Action Plan (NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS–OR&R–49) is vital to the ongoing efforts to clean up the Great Lakes Region and getting rid of harmful debris, such as microplastics, abandoned vessels, and other forms of pollution that are threatening the survival of native marine animals and damaging the Great Lakes’ recreation and tourism economy.

SEC. 104. Membership of the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee.

Section 5(b) of the Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 1954(b)) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (4), by striking “ ; and” and inserting a semicolon;
(2)
by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (7); and
(3)
by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:

“(5) the Department of State;

“(6) the Department of the Interior; and”

SEC. 105. Authorization of Appropriations.

Section 9 of the Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 1958) is amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

“(a) In General.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022 for carrying out sections 3, 5, and 6, of which not more than 5 percent is authorized for each fiscal year for administrative costs.

“(b) Amounts Authorized for Coast Guard.—Of the amounts authorized for each fiscal year under section 2702(1) of title 14, United States Code, up to $2,000,000 is authorized for the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating for use by the Commandant of the Coast Guard to carry out section 4 of this Act, of which not more than 5 percent is authorized for each fiscal year for administrative costs.”