§1903 Grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements

Summary

The Secretary must give grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to eligible groups to pay for research and training about marine minerals. The funding can cover work on tools and methods for finding and exploring marine minerals safely, ways to detect and fix harm to the ocean from mining, and education and training materials. The federal share of a project’s cost cannot be more than 80 percent. The rest can be cash or in-kind help and may include other federal program money, but at least 10 percent of the total must come from non‑federal sources. Not later than 180 days after October 19, 1996, the Secretary must set rules, after talking with other agencies, that follow the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (see section 3511(d)(12) of title 19). To get money, an entity must send a proposal and have it reviewed by a competitive panel chosen by the Secretary. The panel is chaired by the Secretary or a designee, is appointed by the Secretary, must have at least half its members from private marine resource companies, and cannot include people with a stake in the proposals they review. Panel members are not paid, but may get travel expenses under section 5703 of title 5. Proposals are judged on things like quality, methods and cost, the team’s ability to do the work, matching funds and cooperation with others, environmental stewardship, and other factors the Secretary finds important. No more than 10 percent of yearly funding may be used for program administration. Funds cannot be used to build, buy, or remodel buildings. Recipients must file yearly progress reports and a final technical report describing activities, importance, and possible commercial or economic effects; the yearly report must include next year’s plan.