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POLICY UPDATE
Geoscience Bills Become Law

Connor Dacey, GSA Science Policy Fellow, and Kasey White, Foundation, authorizes a prize competition, and encourages
GSA Director for Geoscience Policy international collaboration.
3. Signed into law on 18 Dec. 2020, the Digital Coast Act (S. 1069)
From a pandemic to the presidential election, 2020 was a year directs NOAA to create a “one-stop-shop” for geospatial data and
of unforgettable moments and events. While the nation focused on information, tools, and resources to aid scientists and decision
COVID-19 and the elections, the 116th Congress passed multiple makers in flood and coastal storm surge prediction, hazard risk
pieces of geoscience-related legislation in its waning days. Bills and vulnerability assessments, emergency response and recovery
addressing landslides, space weather, marine plastics, and coastal planning, and community resilience to long-range coastal
changes became law. Many of these bills expand geoscience pro- changes. The bill authorizes US$4 million for each fiscal year
grams and initiatives that transcend the public, private, and aca- 2021 through 2025 to develop “an enabling platform that inte-
demic sectors. In doing so, these new laws align with recommen- grates geospatial data, decision-support tools, training, and best
dations in many of GSA’s position statements, including, for practices to address coastal management issues and needs.”
example, the need for increased investment in geoscience research 4. The Coordinated Ocean Observations and Research Act
and data collection. (S. 914) became law on 31 Dec. 2020. The bill reauthorizes
GSA members played a critical role in passing these bills. the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System, which
Several bills saw progression throughout the legislative process is a network of federal and regional entities that provide data,
after geoscientists discussed them during Geoscience tools, and forecasts about the nation’s coasts, oceans, and Great
Congressional Visit Days. Examples include the following: Lakes. The law also formally authorizes the existing National
Water Center at NOAA.
1. The Promoting Research and Observations of Space Weather 5. The National Landslide Preparedness Act (H.R. 8810), which
to Improve the Forecasting of Tomorrow (PROSWIFT) Act became law on 5 Jan. 2021, establishes a National Landslide
(S. 881) was signed into law on 21 Oct. 2020. This bill lays the Hazards Reduction Program at the U.S. Geological Survey
foundation for how different federal agencies will work together (USGS) to better identify and understand landslide risks, pro-
to better forecast, research, and mitigate the effects of space tect communities, save lives and property, and improve emer-
weather. The bill also directs federal agencies to prioritize gency preparedness. Activities as part of this program include
space-weather research and develop a reliable backup option for identifying, mapping, assessing, and researching landslide
solar wind and coronal mass-ejection imagery, and establishes hazards; responding to landslide events; establishing working
an interagency working group and pilot program for work with groups with state offices; and developing landslide guidelines
the private sector. A space-weather advisory group with mem- for geoscientists, emergency management personnel, and land-
bers from the academic, commercial, and nongovernmental use decision makers. The bill also codifies the U.S. Geological
space weather end-user community will be established to Survey 3D Elevation Program to update and coordinate the
“identify the space weather research, observations, forecasting, collection of elevation data across the country using enhanced,
prediction, and modeling advances required to improve space high-resolution surveys.
weather products.”
2. The Save our Seas 2.0 Act (S. 1982) became law on 18 Dec. Overall, several geoscience-friendly bills successfully passed
2020. The bill follows the Save our Seas Act, which authorized through Congress and were eventually signed into law. Each of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s these five bills align with many of GSA priorities and position state-
(NOAA) Marine Debris Program in 2018. Among its provisions ments and are proof that meaningful legislation can be passed with
to reduce marine plastics, this successor bill establishes a the additional push from GSA members and other geoscientists.
Marine Debris Response Trust Fund for NOAA to use in GSA looks forward to continuing to support and progress additional
responding to marine debris events, creates a Marine Debris geoscience legislation throughout the term of the 117th Congress.

22 GSA Today | March-April 2021