View all text of Chapter 48 [§ 3501 - § 3507]

§ 3502. Interagency Working Group on Ocean and Coastal Mapping
(a) In general

The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of the National Ocean Exploration Act,1

1 See References in Text note below.
shall use the Interagency Working Group on Ocean and Coastal Mapping in existence as of the date of the enactment of such Act to implement section 3501 of this title.

(b) Membership

The Working Group shall be comprised of senior-level representatives from Federal agencies with ocean and coastal mapping and surveying responsibilities. Membership shall include senior-level representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Department of the Navy, the United States Geological Survey, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management of the Department of the Interior, the Office of the Assistant Secretary, Fish and Wildlife and Parks of the Department of the Interior, the National Science Foundation, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and other appropriate Federal agencies involved in ocean and coastal mapping.

(c) Co-Chairs
The Working Group shall be co-chaired by one representative from each of the following:
(1) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
(2) The Department of the Interior.
(d) Subordinate groups

The co-chairs may establish such permanent or temporary subordinate groups as determined appropriate by the Working Group.

(e) Meetings

The Working Group shall meet on a quarterly basis, but each subordinate group shall meet on an as-needed basis.

(f) Coordination
The Working Group shall coordinate activities when appropriate, with—
(1) other Federal efforts;
(2) international mapping activities;
(3) coastal States;
(4) coastal Indian Tribes;
(5) data acquisition and user groups through workshops, partnerships, and other appropriate mechanisms; and
(6) representatives of nongovernmental entities.
(g) Support functions

The Working Group shall support the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council established under section 5405 of the National Ocean Exploration Act 1 and the Ocean Science and Technology Subcommittee of the Ocean Policy Committee established under section 8932(c) of title 10 on ocean mapping activities and associated technology development across the Federal Government, State governments, coastal Indian Tribes, private industry, nongovernmental organizations, and academia.

(Pub. L. 111–11, title XII, § 12203, Mar. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 1423; Pub. L. 117–263, div. J, title CIII, § 10307(b)(1)(B), (2)–(9), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3975, 3976.)