Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73

§3955 Distribution of appropriations

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 59A— - WETLANDS › § 3955

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Each year, of the money given to run this program, 70% must be used for coastal wetlands work and stays available until spent. Up to $5,000,000 each year from that 70% can help the Task Force prepare the required list and plan, including preliminary assessments, inventories, studies, and early design work to find and check possible restoration projects. The money also pays for carrying out restoration projects that match the list and the plan. Also from the 70%, grants may be made to a State agency to help write the Coastal Wetlands Conservation Plan, but those grants cannot exceed $2,500,000 per year or $10,000,000 in total. Each year, 15% must be kept for the Director to give grants to any coastal State not covered by the 70% funds for conservation projects, and $2,500,000 in total is set aside for a Texas wetlands assessment. The final 15% must be kept for the Secretary of the Interior to allocate for coastal wetlands conservation projects under section 4407.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §3955

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Of the total amount appropriated during a given fiscal year to carry out this chapter, 70 percent shall be available, and shall remain available until expended, for the purposes of making expenditures—
(1)not to exceed the aggregate amount of $5,000,000 annually to assist the Task Force in the preparation of the list required under this chapter and the plan required under this chapter, including preparation of—
(A)preliminary assessments;
(B)general or site-specific inventories;
(C)reconnaissance, engineering or other studies;
(D)preliminary design work; and
(E)such other studies as may be necessary to identify and evaluate the feasibility of coastal wetland restoration projects;
(2)to carry out coastal wetlands restoration projects in accordance with the priorities set forth on the list prepared under this chapter;
(3)to carry out wetlands restoration projects in accordance with the priorities set forth in the restoration plan prepared under this chapter;
(4)to make grants not to exceed $2,500,000 annually or $10,000,000 in total, to assist the agency designated by the State in development of the Coastal Wetlands Conservation Plan pursuant to this chapter.
(b)Of the total amount appropriated during a given fiscal year to carry out this chapter, 15 percent shall be available, and shall remain available to the Director, for purposes of making grants—
(1)to any coastal State, except States eligible to receive funding under subsection (a), to carry out coastal wetlands conservation projects in accordance with section 3954 of this title; and
(2)in the amount of $2,500,000 in total for an assessment of the status, condition, and trends of wetlands in the State of Texas.
(c)Of the total amount appropriated during a given fiscal year to carry out this chapter, 15 percent shall be available to, and shall remain available until expended by, the Secretary of the Interior for allocation to carry out wetlands conservation projects in coastal wetlands ecosystems in any coastal State under section 4407 of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2004—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–447, § 114(a)(1), struck out “, not to exceed $70,000,000,” before “shall be available” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–447, § 114(a)(2), struck out “, not to exceed $15,000,000” before “shall be available” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–447, § 114(a)(3), struck out “, not to exceed $15,000,000,” before “shall be available”. 1994—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–375 inserted “in coastal wetlands ecosystems” after “wetlands conservation projects”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 3955

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73