ASSESSMENT OF NEEDS FOR ADDITIONAL COAST GUARD PRESENCE IN HIGH-LATITUDE REGIONS.

SEC. 716. ASSESSMENT OF NEEDS FOR ADDITIONAL COAST GUARD PRESENCE IN HIGH-LATITUDE REGIONS. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives an assessment of the need for additional Coast Guard prevention and response capability in the high-latitude regions. The assessment shall address needs for all Coast Guard mission areas, including search and rescue, marine pollution response and prevention, fisheries enforcement, and maritime commerce. The Secretary shall include in the assessment— (1) an analysis of the high-latitude operating capabilities of all current Coast Guard assets other than icebreakers, including assets acquired under the Deepwater program; (2) an analysis of projected needs for Coast Guard operations in the high-latitude regions; and (3) an analysis of shore infrastructure, personnel, logistics, communications, and resources requirements to support Coast Guard operations in the high-latitude regions, including forward operating bases and existing infrastructure in the furthest north locations that are ice free, or nearly ice free, year round.