Bill > HR4822

This bill, the Department of Energy Coastal Research Initiative Act, establishes a coastal zone research program within the Department of Energy (DOE). The program aims to enhance the understanding of coastal ecosystems by prioritizing the collection of observational data and developing models to analyze the ecological, biogeochemical, hydrological, and physical processes in coastal zones. The bill requires the DOE to establish an integrated system of geographically diverse field research sites across the Great Lakes, Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and Gulf coasts to improve the quantity and quality of observational data. The DOE is also directed to leverage its existing research and development infrastructure, including its marine and coastal research labs, to carry out the program. The bill allows the DOE to enter into agreements with other federal agencies with complementary capabilities to coordinate the program. Finally, the DOE is required to report to Congress on whether the system should be established as a National User Facility.