NOVEMBER

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Bipartisan Bill to Address Ocean Acidification

U.S. House Oceans Caucus Co-Chair Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Estuary Caucus Co-Chair Bill Posey (R-Fla.) have introduced the bipartisan Coastal and Ocean Acidification Stressors and Threats (COAST) Research Act. The legislation will: increase understanding of the socioeconomic effects of ocean acidification and coastal acidification; engage stakeholders, the commercial fishing industry, researchers and community leaders through the creation of an advisory board to inform federal response efforts; provide for the long-term stewardship and standardization of data on ocean acidification and coastal acidification using existing assets from the National Centers for Environmental Information and the Integrated Ocean Observing System; recognize the effects of ocean acidification and coastal acidification on estuaries, other waterways and oceans; and designate NOAA as the lead federal agency responsible for implementing the federal response to ocean acidification and coastal acidification.

House Approves Legislation to Address Maritime Safety,
Coast Guard Tech, Marine Debris

The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation to address maritime transportation safety issues raised by the El Faro sinking, promote the Coast Guard’s awareness of technologies that could help improve mission performance, and reduce marine debris.

The Maritime Safety Act of 2018 would ensure timely weather forecasts, emergency safety gear with locator beacons, float-free voyage data recorders with integrated emergency position-indicating beacons, and other safety improvements. The Coast Guard Blue Technology Center of Expertise Act establishes a Blue Technology Center of Expertise to help promote awareness in the Coast Guard of the range and diversity of blue technologies and enable the sharing and dissemination of blue tech information between the private sector, academia, nonprofits and the Coast Guard. The Save Our Seas Act promotes continued national and international efforts to address the growing amount of marine debris.

Olmsted Locks and Dam
Replaces Outdated Infrastructure

The Olmsted Locks and Dam project is the largest civil works project in the history of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The site opened in Olmsted, Illinois, this summer. Working with the Corps since 2010, Global Diving & Salvage has safely and successfully supported all dive-related services for in-water construction. The Olmsted Locks and Dam lies on the busiest stretch of river in the U.S. Each year, nearly 100 million tons of freight will pass through these locks. The Olmsted Locks and Dam replaces two outdated systems on the Ohio River.