1. (a) Research activities The Director of the National Science Foundation shall continue to carry out research activities on ocean acidification which shall support competitive, merit-based, peer-reviewed proposals for research, observation, and monitoring of ocean acidification and its impacts, including—

   1. (1) impacts on marine organisms, including species cultured for aquaculture, and marine ecosystems;
   2. (2) impacts on ocean, coastal, and estuarine biogeochemistry;
   3. (3) the development of methodologies and technologies to evaluate ocean acidification and its impacts; and
   4. (4) impacts of multiple stressors on ecosystems exhibiting hypoxia, harmful algal blooms, or sediment delivery, combined with changes in ocean chemistry.
2. (b) Consistency The research activities shall be consistent with the strategic research plan developed by the Subcommittee under section 3704 of this title.
3. (c) Coordination The Director shall encourage coordination of the Foundation’s ocean acidification activities with such activities of other nations and international organizations.

(Pub. L. 111–11, title XII, § 12407, Mar. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 1441; Pub. L. 116–271, title I, § 112, Dec. 31, 2020, 134 Stat. 3344.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2020—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–271 amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: “The Director of the National Science Foundation shall continue to carry out research activities on ocean acidification which shall support competitive, merit-based, peer-reviewed proposals for research and monitoring of ocean acidification and its impacts, including—

“(1) impacts on marine organisms and marine ecosystems;

“(2) impacts on ocean, coastal, and estuarine biogeochemistry; and

“(3) the development of methodologies and technologies to evaluate ocean acidification and its impacts.”