Coastal resources: ocean research: West Coast Offshore Wind Science Entity.

Existing law establishes the Ocean Protection Council in state government to, among other things, establish policies to coordinate the collection, evaluation, and sharing of scientific data related to coastal and ocean resources among agencies. This bill would require the council, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to oversee the establishment of, in coordination with other unspecified state and federal agencies, a nonprofit West Coast Offshore Wind Science Entity for the purpose of directing comprehensive baseline and ongoing monitoring of the California current ocean ecosystem as well as targeted research, and oversee that the research is available and used to inform state and federal decisions, as provided. The bill would require the entity to perform specified functions, including reviewing and incorporating existing research, monitoring, data standardization methods, and data portals. The bill would require, by no later than July 1, 2024, the council to form a steering committee to provide governance and oversight on the processes and procedures of the entity, as specified.