ASSESSMENTS.

SEC. 603. ASSESSMENTS. (a) Establishment of Inter-Agency Task Force.— The President, through the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources of the National Science and Technology Council, shall establish an Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia (hereinafter referred to as the “Task Force”). The Task Force shall consist of the following representatives from— (1) the Department of Commerce (who shall serve as Chairman of the Task Force); (2) the Environmental Protection Agency; (3) the Department of Agriculture; (4) the Department of the Interior; (5) the Department of the Navy; (6) the Department of Health and Human Services; (7) the National Science Foundation; (8) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; (9) the Food and Drug Administration; (10) the Office of Science and Technology Policy; (11) the Council on Environmental Quality; and (12) such other Federal agencies as the President considers appropriate. (b) Assessment of Harmful Algal Blooms.— (1) Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this title, the Task Force, in cooperation with the coastal States, Indian tribes, and local governments, industry (including agricultural organizations), academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations with expertise in coastal zone management, shall complete and submit to the Congress an assessment which examines the ecological and economic consequences of harmful algal blooms, alternatives for reducing, mitigating, and controlling harmful algal blooms, and the social and economic costs and benefits of such alternatives. (2) The assessment shall— (A) identify alternatives for preventing unnecessary duplication of effort among Federal agencies and departments with respect to harmful algal blooms; and (B) provide for Federal cooperation and coordination with and assistance to the coastal States, Indian tribes, and local governments in the prevention, reduction, management, mitigation, and control of harmful algal blooms and their environmental and public health impacts. (c) Assessment of Hypoxia.— (1) Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this title, the Task Force, in cooperation with the States, Indian tribes, local governments, industry, agricultural, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations with expertise in watershed and coastal zone management, shall complete and submit to the Congress an assessment which 112 STAT. 3449examines the ecological and economic consequences of hypoxia in United States coastal waters, alternatives for reducing, mitigating, and controlling hypoxia, and the social and economic costs and benefits of such alternatives. (2) The assessment shall— (A) establish needs, priorities, and guidelines for a peer-reviewed, inter-agency research program on the causes, characteristics, and impacts of hypoxia; (B) identify alternatives for preventing unnecessary duplication of effort among Federal agencies and departments with respect to hypoxia; and (C) provide for Federal cooperation and coordination with and assistance to the States, Indian tribes, and local governments in the prevention, reduction, management, mitigation, and control of hypoxia and its environmental impacts. (e) Disestablishment of Task Force.— The President may disestablish the Task Force after submission of the plan in section604(d).