16 U.S.C. § 1463b — National Coastal Resources Research and Development Institute

(a) Establishment by Secretary; administration. The Secretary of Commerce must provide for establishing a National Coastal Resources Research and Development Institute, called the “Institute” in this section. The Oregon State Marine Science Center must administer it. This section does not define “Institute.” (b) Purposes of Institute. The Institute must conduct research and educational and demonstration projects designed to promote efficient and responsible development of ocean and coastal resources, including Arctic resources. The projects must be based on biological, geological, genetic, economic, and other scientific research relevant to this section's purposes. They must include studies of economic diversification and environmental protection in the Nation's coastal areas. (c) Determination of Institute policies. (1) The Institute's policies must be set by a Board of Governors made up of: (A) two representatives appointed by Oregon's Governor; (B) one representative appointed by Alaska's Governor; (C) one representative appointed by Washington's Governor; (D) one representative appointed by California's Governor; and (E) one representative appointed by Hawaii's Governor. (2) The policies must include choosing, through a nationally competitive process, the research, projects, and studies the Institute will support in line with this section's purposes. (d) Establishment of Advisory Council; functions and composition. (1) The Board of Governors must establish an Advisory Council made up of academic specialists in ocean and coastal resources. (2) To the greatest extent practicable, the Council must include specialists from every coastal region of the Nation. (3) The Council must give the Board of Governors any advice the Board requests, including recommendations about supporting research, projects, and studies consistent with this section's purposes. (e) Administration of Institute. A Director must administer the Institute. The Chancellor of the Oregon Board of Higher Education must appoint the Director after consulting the Board of Governors. (f) Evaluation of Institute by Secretary. The Secretary of Commerce must continually evaluate the Institute's activities to ensure that money the Institute receives under this section is used consistently with this section. (g) Report to Secretary. Within two years after July 17, 1984, the Institute must report its activities to the Secretary of Commerce. (h) Access to Institute books, records, and documents. The Comptroller General of the United States and the Comptroller General's duly authorized representatives must have access, for auditing and examination, to the Institute's books, documents, papers, and records that concern money received under this section. (i) Status of Institute employees. Because of their employment, Institute employees are not employees of the Federal Government for any purpose. (j) Authorization of appropriations. For this section's purposes, Congress may appropriate $5,000,000 for each fiscal year beginning with fiscal year 1985.