Marine Debris Act Reauthorization Amendments of 2011

Marine Debris Act Reauthorization Amendments of 2012 - Reauthorizes appropriations through FY2015 for, and revises provisions of, the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act.

(Sec. 3) Renames such Act as the Marine Debris Act. Replaces provisions establishing within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the Marine Debris Prevention and Removal Program with provisions establishing the Marine Debris Program to identify, determine sources of, assess, prevent, reduce, and remove the occurrence and adverse impacts of marine debris on the U.S. economy, the marine environment, and navigation safety.

(Sec. 5) Revises Program components, including by requiring the Administrator of NOAA to provide national and regional coordination to assist states, Indian tribes, and regional organizations in identification, determination of sources, assessment, prevention, reduction, and removal of marine debris.

Amends the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of 1987 to repeal the plastic pollution public education program.

(Sec. 7) Replaces provisions of the Marine Debris Program concerning interagency coordination with provisions establishing the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee under the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of 1987.

Requires such Committee to submit biennial (currently annual) progress reports.

(Sec. 8) Requires the Administrator to ensure the confidentiality of information submitted into the federal information clearinghouse on marine debris. (Currently, the Administrator is required to take steps to ensure the confidentiality of only such information that is submitted by the fishing industry.)

(Sec. 9) Defines the term "marine debris" as any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov