---
kind: "section"
citation: "33 U.S.C. § 4004a"
title: "33"
title_heading: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
number: "4004a"
heading: "South Florida harmful algal blooms and hypoxia"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/33/4004a"
units:
  - "Chapter 53 — Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control"
---

# §4004a. South Florida harmful algal blooms and hypoxia

- (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](/usc/33/4008.md?p=7), in accordance with the authority under [section 4001 of this title](/usc/33/4001.md), 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](/usc/33/4008.md?p=7) shall finalize, and submit to Congress and the President, the interim integrated assessment required by [paragraph (1)](#b-1).
  - (3) **Contents of integrated assessment—** The integrated assessment required by paragraphs [(1)](#b-1) and [(2)](#b-2) shall examine the causes, consequences, and potential approaches to reduce [harmful algal blooms](/usc/33/4008.md?p=3) and [hypoxia](/usc/33/4008.md?p=4) in South Florida, and the status of, and gaps within, current [harmful algal bloom](/usc/33/4008.md?p=3) and [hypoxia](/usc/33/4008.md?p=4) research, monitoring, management, prevention, response, and control activities that directly affect the region by—
    - (A) Federal agencies;
    - (B) [State](/usc/33/4008.md?p=6) 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](/usc/25/5304.md)).
- (c) **Action plan—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 3 years and 180 days after June 16, 2022, the [Task Force](/usc/33/4008.md?p=7) shall develop and submit to Congress a plan, based on the integrated assessment under [subsection (b)](#b), for reducing, mitigating, and controlling [harmful algal blooms](/usc/33/4008.md?p=3) and [hypoxia](/usc/33/4008.md?p=4) in South Florida.
  - (2) **Contents—** The plan submitted under [paragraph (1)](#c-1) shall—
    - (A) address the monitoring needs identified in the integrated assessment under [subsection (b)](#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](/usc/33/4008.md?p=3) and [hypoxia](/usc/33/4008.md?p=4) 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](/usc/33/4008.md?p=3) risks that may impact human health.
  - (3) **Requirements—** In developing the action plan, the [Task Force](/usc/33/4008.md?p=7) shall—
    - (A) consult with the [State](/usc/33/4008.md?p=6) 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](/usc/33/4008.md?p=6) agencies, including the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration [Task Force](/usc/33/4008.md?p=7);
    - (D) identify critical research for reducing, mitigating, and controlling [harmful algal bloom](/usc/33/4008.md?p=3) 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](/usc/33/4008.md?p=5) 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.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 105–383, title VI, § 605, as added Pub. L. 117–144, § 2(a)(2), June 16, 2022, 136 Stat. 1266.)

## Notes

### 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.