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