12 2 STA T .4 1 07PUBLIC LA W 110 –386—O CT. 10 , 2008 SEC.3 . FUN C TIO NSOFT H E ADM INIST R ATOR. Section30 3o f t h e Hydr o g r ap hic Ser v ice sIm provement A ct of 19 9 8( 33 U. S. C .89 2 a ) is amended — (1) b y stri k ing ‘ ‘the Act of 19 47,’ ’ins u bsection (a) and inserting ‘‘the Coast and G eodetic Survey Act, promote safe, efficient and environmenta l ly sound marine transportation, and other w ise fulfill the purposes of this Act,’’
(2) by striking ‘‘data;’’ in subsection (a)(1) and inserting ‘‘data and provide hydrographic services;’’ and (3) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following
‘‘(b) A UTHORI TI ES .— T o fulfill the data gathering and dissemina - tion duties of the Administration under the Coast and Geodetic Survey Act, promote safe, efficient, and environmentally sound marine transportation, and otherwise fulfill the purposes of this Act, sub j ect to the availability of appropriations, the Adminis- trator— ‘‘(1) may procure, lease, evaluate, test, develop, and operate vessels, e q uipment, and technologies necessary to ensure safe navigation and maintain operational e x pertise in hydrographic data acquisition and hydrographic services; ‘‘(2) shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, design, install, maintain, and operate real-time hydrographic monitoring systems to enhance navigation safety and efficiency; and ‘‘(3) where appropriate and to the extent that it does not detract from the promotion of safe and efficient navigation, may acquire hydrographic data and provide hydrographic serv- ices to support the conservation and management of coastal and ocean resources; ‘‘(4) where appropriate, may acquire hydrographic data and provide hydrographic services to save and protect life and prop- erty and support the resumption of commerce in response to emergencies, natural and man-made disasters, and homeland security and maritime domain awareness needs, including obtaining mission assignments (as defined in section 6 41 of the P ost- K atrina E mergency M anagement R eform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 741)); ‘‘( 5 ) may create, support, and maintain such joint centers with other F ederal agencies and other entities as the Adminis- trator deems appropriate or necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act; and ‘‘(6) notwithstanding the existence of such joint centers, shall award contracts for the acquisition of hydrographic data in accordance with subchapter V I of chapter 10 of title 40, United States Code.’’. SEC. 4 .H Y DRO G RA P HIC SER V ICES REVIE W PANE L . Section 305(c)(1)(A) of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892c(c)(1)(A)) is amended to read as follows: ‘‘(A) The panel shall consist of 15 voting members who shall be appointed by the Administrator. The Co-directors of the Center for Coastal and O cean Mapping /J oint Hydrographic Center and no more than 2 employees of the N ational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration appointed by the Administrator shall serve as non- voting members of the panel. The voting members of the panel shall be individuals who, by reason of knowledge, experience, or training, are especially qualified in 1 or more of the disciplines Establi s hmen t .
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