H.R. 5205: Coastal Fellowships Act

This bill establishes the Coastal Management Fellowship and the Digital Coast Fellowship programs to be administered by the Department of Commerce. The fellowships aim to provide on-the-job training and to encourage public service that supports U.S. coastal resource management. In addition, the Digital Coast Fellowship will support the Digital Coast program, which is a platform that integrates geospatial data, training, and other tools in order to address coastal management issues.

The bill specifies that selected fellows must have completed a related graduate-level degree before the fellowship begins and have a demonstrated interest in a career in coastal or marine science, management, policy, or law. Commerce must award the fellowships in a manner that is geographically balanced. Each fellow may be selected for a term of up to two years, must receive an annual stipend of at least $47,000, and may be directly hired by a federal agency upon successful completion of a fellowship.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.