References in Text
Executive Order 13175, referred to in subsec. (e)(2), is Ex. Ord. No. 13175, Nov. 6, 2000, 65 F.R. 67249, which is set out as a note under section 5301 of Title 25, Indians.
This title, referred to in subsecs. (g)(2)(D), (E) and (j)(1), means title CII of division J of [Pub. L. 117–263], which enacted this section and provisions set out as a note below. For complete classification of title CII to the Code, see Tables.
Findings; Purposes
[Pub. L. 117–263, div. J, title CII, § 10201], Dec. 23, 2022, [136 Stat. 3961], provided that:“(a)
Findings.—
Congress makes the following findings:
“(1)
The ocean and coastal waters and the Great Lakes of the United States are foundational to the economy, security, global competitiveness, and well-being of the United States and continuously serve the people of the United States and other countries as an important source of food, energy, economic productivity, recreation, beauty, and enjoyment.
“(2)
Over many years, the resource productivity and water quality of the ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas of the United States have been diminished by pollution, increasing population demands, economic development, and natural and man-made hazard events, both acute and chronic.
“(3)
The ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas of the United States are managed by State and Federal resource agencies and Indian Tribes and regulated on an interstate and regional scale by various overlapping Federal authorities, thereby creating a significant need for interstate coordination to enhance regional priorities, including the ecological and economic health of those areas.
“(4)
Indian Tribes have unique expertise and knowledge important for the stewardship of the ocean and coastal waters and the Great Lakes of the United States.
“(b)
Purposes.—
The purposes of this title [enacting this section] are as follows:
“(1)
To complement and expand cooperative voluntary efforts intended to manage, conserve, and restore ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas spanning across multiple State and Indian Tribe jurisdictions.
“(2)
To expand Federal support for monitoring, data management, restoration, research, and conservation activities in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas.
“(3)
To commit the United States to a comprehensive cooperative program to achieve improved water quality in, and improvements in the productivity of living resources of, oceans, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems.
“(4)
To authorize Regional Ocean Partnerships as intergovernmental coordinators for shared regional priorities among States and Indian Tribes relating to the collaborative management of the large marine ecosystems, thereby reducing duplication of efforts and maximizing opportunities to leverage support in the ocean and coastal regions.
“(5)
To empower States to take a lead role in managing oceans, coastal, and Great Lakes areas.
“(6)
To incorporate rights of Indian Tribes in the management of oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes resources and provide resources to support Indian Tribe participation in and engagement with Regional Ocean Partnerships.
“(7)
To enable Regional Ocean Partnerships, or designated fiscal management entities of such partnerships, to receive Federal funding to conduct the scientific research, conservation, and restoration activities, and priority coordination on shared regional priorities necessary to achieve the purposes described in paragraphs (1) through (6).”