§892a. Functions of the Administrator

(a) Responsibilities

To fulfill the data gathering and dissemination duties of the Administration under the Act of 1947, the Administrator shall-

(1) acquire and disseminate hydrographic data;

(2) promulgate standards for hydrographic data used by the Administration in providing hydrographic services;

(3) promulgate standards for hydrographic services provided by the Administration;

(4) ensure comprehensive geographic coverage of hydrographic services, in cooperation with other appropriate Federal agencies;

(5) maintain a national database of hydrographic data, in cooperation with other appropriate Federal agencies;

(6) provide hydrographic services in uniform, easily accessible formats;

(7) participate in the development of, and implement for the United States in cooperation with other appropriate Federal agencies, international standards for hydrographic data and hydrographic services; and

(8) to the greatest extent practicable and cost-effective, fulfill the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (6) through contracts or other agreements with private sector entities.

(b) Authorities

To fulfill the data gathering and dissemination duties of the Administration under the Act of 1947, and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator-

(1) may procure, lease, evaluate, test, develop, and operate vessels, equipment, and technologies necessary to ensure safe navigation and maintain operational expertise in hydrographic data acquisition and hydrographic services;

(2) may enter into contracts and other agreements with qualified entities, consistent with subsection (a)(8) of this section, for the acquisition of hydrographic data and the provision of hydrographic services;

(3) shall award contracts for the acquisition of hydrographic data in accordance with title IX of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 541 et seq.); and

(4) may design and install where appropriate Physical Oceanographic Real-Time Systems to enhance navigation safety and efficiency.

( Pub. L. 105–384, title III, §303, Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3454 .)

References in Text

The Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, referred to in subsec. (b)(3), is act June 30, 1949, ch. 288, 63 Stat. 377 , as amended. Title IX of the Act is classified generally to subchapter VI (§541 et seq.) of chapter 10 of Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 471 of Title 40 and Tables.

Hydrographic Survey

Pub. L. 106–541, title V, §554, Dec. 11, 2000, 114 Stat. 2679 , provided that: "The Secretary [of the Army] shall enter into an agreement with the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-

"(1) to require the Secretary, not later than 60 days after the Corps of Engineers completes a project involving dredging of a channel, to provide data to the Administration in a standard digital format on the results of a hydrographic survey of the channel conducted by the Corps of Engineers; and

"(2) to require the Administrator to provide the final charts with respect to the project to the Secretary in digital format, at no charge, for the purpose of enhancing the mission of the Corps of Engineers of maintaining Federal navigation projects."

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 892b, 892d of this title.