Bill > HR10340

This bill establishes a comprehensive national framework for climate adaptation science through the creation of a National Climate Adaptation Science Center and multiple Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers under the Department of the Interior. The centers will provide scientific expertise to help various organizations, including federal agencies, tribal governments, and state entities, better understand and respond to the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events on natural and cultural resources. Each regional center will be hosted by a university or research institution and will develop region-specific research priorities, conduct annual project solicitations, and collaborate with local stakeholders to build climate adaptation capacity. The National Center will oversee these regional centers, coordinate research efforts, minimize duplicative work, and ensure high-quality scientific research and advisory services. The bill creates an Advisory Committee on Climate and Natural Resource Sciences to provide guidance, includes provisions for ongoing evaluations of the centers' performance, and emphasizes inclusivity by involving diverse stakeholders such as tribal organizations, minority-serving institutions, and historically underserved communities in the research and decision-making processes.