§1456b Coastal zone enhancement grants

Summary

Lets the Secretary give money to coastal states to make and carry out changes that meet certain "coastal zone enhancement objectives." A "coastal zone enhancement objective" means one of these things: 1) protect, restore, or create coastal wetlands; 2) reduce threats to people and property by limiting risky development and preparing for sea level or Great Lakes level rise; 3) increase public access to coastal places used for recreation, history, beauty, ecology, or culture; 4) cut down on marine trash by managing the activities that cause it; 5) set up ways to check and control the combined effects of coastal growth on resources like wetlands and fisheries; 6) prepare and carry out special management plans for important coastal areas; 7) plan how to use ocean resources; 8) adopt procedures and enforceable policies to help site major energy and government facilities and related activities; 9) adopt procedures and policies to evaluate and support siting of public and private marine aquaculture. The Secretary may give grants to develop and submit program changes and, when funds are available, to help implement approved changes. Implementation grants cannot be made after the second fiscal year following the Secretary’s approval of the change. The Secretary will rank and fund proposals using written criteria and must consider each State’s technical and money needs and the public benefits. Within 12 months after November 5, 1990, the Secretary must write rules about the grant criteria, procedures, and fair funding standards. States do not have to pay part of the project cost. Starting in fiscal year 1991, the Secretary must keep 10%–20% of amounts appropriated for sections 1455 and 1455a for these grants, up to $10,000,000 a year. If a State does not do what it promised, the Secretary must suspend that State’s eligibility for at least one year.