16 U.S.C. § 6406: Block grants

Summary

Starting in fiscal year 2023, if Congress provides the money, the Administrator must give each covered State at least $500,000 every year. The money is for coral reef management, restoration, and carrying out coral reef action plans. The Administrator will check each state's application to make sure it matches the action plans and the National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy. The Administrator must also give guidance on how to record spending, send yearly requests for applications, and decide how to divide any extra funds. Covered States must document and report how they use the federal funds and certain non-federal spending. The Administrator may make cooperative agreements with covered States or with the All Islands Committee to fund reef work in state waters.

Title 16, §6406

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general

In each fiscal year beginning in fiscal year 2023 and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator shall provide block grants of financial assistance of not less than $500,000 to each covered State to support management and restoration activities and further the implementation of coral reef action plans in effect under section 6404 of this title by covered States and non-Federal coral reef stewardship partnerships in accordance with this section. The Administrator shall review each covered State’s application for block grant funding to ensure that applications are consistent with applicable action plans and the National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy.

(b)Responsibilities of the Administrator (c) Responsibilities of covered States

The Administrator is responsible for— (1)

(2)issuing annual solicitations to covered States for awards under this section; and

(3)determining the appropriate allocation of additional amounts among covered States in accordance with this section.

(d)Cooperative agreements

Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator may seek to enter into a cooperative agreement with a covered State to fund coral reef conservation and restoration activities in waters managed under the jurisdiction of such covered State that are consistent with the National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy and any applicable action plan under section 6404 of this title.

(e)All Islands Committee

The Administrator may enter into a cooperative agreement with the All Islands Committee of the Task Force to provide support for its activities.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b)(1) and (c)(1), was in the original “this Act” which was translated as reading “this title”, meaning title II of Pub. L. 106–562, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 6406, Pub. L. 106–562, title II, § 207, Dec. 23, 2000, 114 Stat. 2804, related to national program to conserve coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 117–263, div. J, title C, § 10001(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3931.

§6406 Block Grants