A bill to authorize the Secretary of Commerce, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to provide financial assistance for coral reef conservation projects, and for other purposes.
(Sec. 6) Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to provide: (1) financial assistance for projects that provide for the restoration or conservation of coral reefs or coral reef ecosystems; and (2) technical assistance to any State or Federal agency with coral reef jurisdiction.
(Sec. 7) Authorizes: (1) the conducting of activities that conserve coral reefs or coral reef ecosystems or that further public awareness and education; and (2) joint projects with any Federal, State, or local authority or financial assistance to any person for such activities.
(Sec. 8) Amends Federal law relating to vessels eligible for documentation to prohibit a vessel that is otherwise qualified to be documented as a vessel of the United States from being documented if the owner has abandoned any vessel on a reef subject to U.S. jurisdiction and the vessel remains on the reef or was removed using funds under this Act or any other Act on the same subject enacted after 1998.
(Sec. 9) Designates, under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, nine fishing vessels driven by Typhoon Val in 1991 onto coral reefs inside Pago Pago harbor near the villages of Leloaloa and Aua and the reefs they are on as sites at which there is a substantial threat of release of a hazardous substance into the environment. Declares that, for purposes of that Act, the site shall not be considered to have resulted from an act of God.
(Sec. 10) Authorizes the Secretary to enter into an agreement with a foundation under which the foundation may receive, hold, and administer amounts to support public-private partnerships that further this Act's purposes. Authorizes such a foundation to solicit and accept any gift or donation to further this Act's purposes. Authorizes the Secretary to transfer certain funds appropriated under this Act to such a foundation.
(Sec. 11) Authorizes appropriations to carry out this Act.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans.
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7332)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Subcommittee on Oceans and Fisheries. Hearings held.
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