H.R. 2786

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2786 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2786

To allow the Secretary of Commerce to establish a Coastal and Estuarine 
Resilience and Restoration Program, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 9, 2025

Mr. Levin (for himself, Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. 
Mast, Mr. Larsen of Washington, and Mr. Carter of Georgia) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To allow the Secretary of Commerce to establish a Coastal and Estuarine 
Resilience and Restoration Program, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act 
of 2025''.

SEC. 2. COASTAL AND ESTUARINE RESILIENCE AND RESTORATION PROGRAM.

Section 307A of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 
1456-1) is amended--
(1) by striking the heading and inserting ``coastal and 
estuarine resilience and restoration program'';
(2) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
``(a) In General.--The Secretary may conduct a Coastal and 
Estuarine Resilience and Restoration Program in cooperation with State, 
regional, and other units of government, the National Estuarine 
Research Reserves, and non-governmental organizations for the purposes 
of--
``(1) protecting important coastal and estuarine areas 
that--
``(A) have significant conservation, recreational, 
coastal access, ecological, historical, community 
protection, or aesthetic value;
``(B) are threatened by conversion from their 
natural, undeveloped, or recreational state to other 
uses; or
``(C) could be managed or restored to effectively 
conserve, enhance, or restore ecological function or 
mitigate climate change; and
``(2) restoring developed or degraded property in 
vulnerable coastal and estuarine areas to a natural state to 
restore ecological function, allow for shoreline migration, and 
protect coastal communities.'';
(3) in subsection (b), by striking ``or National Estuarine 
Research Reserve units'' and inserting ``, National Estuarine 
Research Reserves, or non-governmental organizations that meet 
the requirements of subsection (k)'';
(4) in subsection (c)--
(A) by striking ``or National Estuarine Research 
Reserves'' and inserting ``, National Estuarine 
Research Reserves, or non-governmental organizations 
that meet the requirements of subsection (k)'';
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by striking ``after consultation'' and 
inserting ``in coordination''; and
(ii) by striking ``shall identify'' and 
inserting ``may identify'';
(C) by amending paragraph (7) to read as follows:
``(7)(A) Priority shall be given to lands that--
``(i) can be effectively managed and protected and 
are described in subsection (a)(1)(A);
``(ii) to the maximum extent practicable, benefit 
communities that may not have adequate resources to 
prepare for or respond to coastal hazards or to access 
coastline, including low-income communities;
``(iii) are under an imminent threat of conversion 
to a use that will degrade or otherwise diminish their 
natural, undeveloped, or recreational state;
``(iv) serve to mitigate the adverse impacts caused 
by coastal population growth on the coastal 
environment;
``(v) benefit a National Estuarine Research Reserve 
or a national estuarine reserve proposed to be 
designated under section 315;
``(vi) are within or adjacent to a national estuary 
program or other such protected area;
``(vii) are under threat due to climate change; or
``(viii) may serve to mitigate the adverse effects 
of climate change, including through long-term carbon 
storage or facilitating inland migration of coastal 
ecosystems in response to sea level rise.
``(B) Of the lands that are given priority under 
subparagraph (A), priority shall be given to lands that reflect 
conservation priorities identified pursuant to paragraphs (1) 
through (4).''; and
(D) in paragraph (10), by striking ``triennially'' 
and inserting ``every 5 years'';
(5) in subsection (f)--
(A) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``for any 
territory of the United States that is unable to 
provide such match,'' after ``community,''; and
(B) in paragraph (4)--
(i) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking 
``the land meets the criteria set forth in 
section 2(b) and'' and inserting ``such use 
will further the goals described in subsection 
(b) and such interest in land'';
(ii) by striking subparagraph (B) and 
redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph 
(B);
(iii) in subparagraph (B) (as so 
redesignated), by striking ``described in (A)'' 
and inserting ``described in subparagraph 
(A)''; and
(iv) by inserting at the end the following 
new subparagraph:
``(C) The value of ecosystem services that such 
interest in land provides, including as a buffer for 
storm surge, as a habitat for economically valuable 
species, and as a long-term carbon store.'';
(6) in subsection (g)--
(A) by striking ``15'' and inserting ``20''; and
(B) by inserting ``unless no such acquisition is 
available, in which case all such funds may be used for 
other acquisitions that do not benefit a National 
Estuarine Research Reserve'' before the period at the 
end;
(7) in subsection (i)(1)(A), by inserting ``unless approved 
to be held by a qualified non-governmental organization that 
meets the requirements of subsection (k)'' after ``in 
perpetuity'';
(8) by redesignating subsections (k) and (l) as subsections 
(l) and (m), respectively;
(9) by inserting after subsection (j) the following:
``(k) Non-Governmental Organizations.--
``(1) In general.--A non-governmental organization that 
applies for a grant under this section may only be awarded a 
grant under subsection (b) to acquire property or an interest 
in property if such organization, with respect to the property 
or interest in property--
``(A) provides such documentation as the Secretary 
determines appropriate to demonstrate that the agency 
that is primarily responsible for managing the Coastal 
and Estuarine Resilience and Restoration Program of the 
State in which the property or interest in property is 
located has provided written support of such agency for 
the grant application of such organization;
``(B) either--
``(i) ensures that the property or interest 
in property is, or will be made, accessible to 
the public; or
``(ii) provides documentation showing that 
public access to the property or interest in 
property is required to be restricted to 
maintain the biological integrity, biological 
diversity, or environmental health of the 
property or interest in property; and
``(C) includes in the deed for the property or 
interest in property a clear statement regarding how 
the property or interest in property will be 
transferred to another entity described in subsection 
(b) if such organization becomes nonviable after the 
date on which such organization acquires such property 
or interest in property.
``(2) Compliance.--The Secretary shall develop objective 
measures that each non-governmental organization that applies 
for a grant under this section shall use to demonstrate the 
compliance of such organization with the requirements of 
paragraph (1).''; and
(10) in subsection (m), as so redesignated, by striking 
``fiscal years 2009 through 2013'' and inserting ``fiscal years 
2025 through 2029''.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE SYSTEM.

(a) Designation of Additional National Estuarine Research 
Reserves.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Initiation.--Not later than 5 years after the 
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary 
shall have initiated the designation process for not 
less than 5 new National Estuarine Research Reserves in 
the System.
(B) Designation.--Not later than 8 years after the 
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary 
shall designate not less than 5 new National Estuarine 
Research Reserves in the System.
(2) Prioritization.--In making each designation under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall prioritize nominated 
estuarine areas that will promote the following with respect to 
the System:
(A) The presence of a National Estuarine Research 
Reserve in each coastal State.
(B) Full representation of biogeographic regions to 
ensure research in areas with distinct biodiversity or 
estuarine geography.
(3) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the 
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report regarding the 
status of ongoing efforts to achieve the requirements under 
this subsection.
(b) Guidelines for Tracking and Modeling Impacts of Climate 
Change.--Section 315(c) of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 
U.S.C. 1461(c)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (5) as 
paragraphs (4) through (6), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
``(3) the establishment of coordinated long-term data 
monitoring and methods throughout the System for tracking the 
impacts of climate change and other stressors on estuarine 
systems, including impacts on lake levels and sea levels;''.
(c) Financial Assistance.--Section 315(e)(1) of the Coastal Zone 
Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1461(f)(1)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)--
(A) in clause (ii), by inserting ``and 
maintaining'' after ``constructing''; and
(B) in clause (iii), by inserting ``research, 
monitoring, stewardship, training, and'' after 
``conducting''; and
(2) in subparagraph (B)--
(A) by striking ``research and'' and inserting 
``research,''; and
(B) by inserting ``, stewardship, education, and 
training'' after ``monitoring''.
(d) Program Elements.--Section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management 
Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1461) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
``(h) System-Wide Elements of National Estuarine Research Reserve 
System.--The Secretary shall coordinate System-wide programs and 
activities in the System, including--
``(1) the centralized management and dissemination of data 
from System observation and monitoring networks;
``(2) employment, through a grant program, of the 
collaborative research model on coastal research and management 
priorities to be conducted at National Estuarine Research 
Reserves, focused on the priorities determined by the 
Secretary;
``(3) use of National Estuarine Research Reserves as living 
laboratories and as preferred locations for placements for 
fellowship and research positions for the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration; and
``(4) establishing the Margaret A. Davidson Graduate 
Research Fellowship Program to address key coastal management 
questions and the coastal research and management priorities of 
the System and its place-based sites to help scientists and 
communities understand the coastal challenges that may 
influence future policy and management strategies.
``(i) Place-Based Program Elements of National Estuarine Research 
Reserve System.--Each National Estuarine Research Reserve shall 
establish and maintain place-based program elements commensurate with 
available funding that include--
``(1) a research, monitoring, and observation network that 
detects environmental change and informs suitable adaptation 
and mitigation strategies to address coastal hazards and 
environmental change;
``(2) living laboratories and preferred places for research 
on environmental change detection and development of adaptation 
strategies to the impacts of such change;
``(3) education, outreach, training, and interpretive 
programs that communicate the value and changing dynamics of 
coastal systems;
``(4) stewardship programs that provide science-based 
tools, habitat management, and restoration and that provide 
resources and information to inform coastal management;
``(5) coastal training programs that provide technical 
assistance to coastal communities, resource managers, and 
coastal decisionmakers;
``(6) identifying priority land for acquisition to enhance 
ecosystem and community resilience to the negative effects of 
climate change;
``(7) the lands and facilities that support such accessible 
research, monitoring, stewardship, education, and coastal 
training activities; and
``(8) the engagement of a wide variety of community 
members, including Tribal nations, Indigenous communities, and 
Historic Heritage communities to inform the programs above.
``(j) Existing Uses.--Except as otherwise explicitly provided in a 
management plan of a National Estuarine Research Reserve, any activity 
allowed at the time the National Estuarine Research Reserve is 
designated may be allowed to continue, including, as applicable--
``(1) commercial and recreational fishing;
``(2) hunting; and
``(3) cultural uses.''.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 318(a)(2) of the 
Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1464(a)(2)) is amended 
to read as follows:
``(2) for grants under section 315, $47,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2025 through 2029.''.
(f) Conforming Amendments.--The Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 
(16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 304 (16 U.S.C. 1453)--
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (13) through (18) 
as paragraphs (14) through (19), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (12) the 
following:
``(13) The term `National Estuarine Research Reserve' means a 
national estuarine reserve designated under section 315.'';
(2) in section 312(c)(1) (16 U.S.C. 1458(c)(1)), by 
striking ``national estuarine reserve established under section 
315 of this title'' and inserting ``National Estuarine Research 
Reserve''; and
(3) in section 315 (16 U.S.C. 1461)--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ``a national 
estuarine reserve'' each place it appears and inserting 
``a National Estuarine Research Reserve'';
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) in the heading, by striking ``National 
Estuarine Reserves'' and inserting ``National 
Estuarine Research Reserves''; and
(ii) by striking ``a national estuarine 
reserve'' and inserting ``a National Estuarine 
Research Reserve'';
(C) in subsection (e), by striking ``national 
estuarine reserve'' each place it appears and inserting 
``National Estuarine Research Reserve'';
(D) in subsection (f), by striking ``national 
estuarine reserve'' each place it appears and inserting 
``National Estuarine Research Reserve''; and
(E) in subsection (g), by striking ``national 
estuarine reserves'' each place it appears and 
inserting ``National Estuarine Research Reserves''.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Coastal state.--The term ``coastal State'' has the 
meaning given the term ``coastal state'' in section 304 of 
title III of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 
1453), as applicable to such title.
(2) National estuarine research reserve.--The term 
``National Estuarine Research Reserve'' means a national 
estuarine reserve designated under section 315 of the Coastal 
Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1461).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' has the meaning 
given the term in section 304 of the Coastal Zone Management 
Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1453).
(4) System.--The term ``System'' means the National 
Estuarine Research Reserve System established by section 315 of 
the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1461).
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