Title II — S. 46 (Reported in Senate)

Sec. 201 Establishment

There is established a task force to lead, coordinate, and strengthen Federal Government actions to better preserve, conserve, and restore coral reef ecosystems, to be known as the “United States Coral Reef Task Force” (in this title referred to as the “Task Force”).

Sec. 202 Duties

The duties of the Task Force shall be—

(1)

to coordinate, in cooperation with State, Tribal, and local government partners, coral reef research centers designated under section 215(c) of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (as amended by section 101), and other nongovernmental and academic partners as appropriate, activities regarding the mapping, monitoring, research, conservation, mitigation, and restoration of coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems;

(2)

to monitor and advise regarding implementation of the policy and Federal agency responsibilities set forth in—

(A)

Executive Order 13089 (63 Fed. Reg. 32701; relating to coral reef protection); and

(B)

the national coral reef resilience strategy developed under section 204A of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, as amended by section 101;

(3)

to work with the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, and in coordination with the other members of the Task Force—

(A)

to assess the United States role in international trade and protection of coral species;

(B)

to encourage implementation of appropriate strategies and actions to promote conservation and sustainable use of coral reef resources worldwide; and

(C)

to collaborate with international communities successful in managing coral reefs;

(4)

to provide technical assistance for the development and implementation, as appropriate, of—

(A)

the national coral reef resilience strategy under section 204A of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, as amended by section 101;

(B)

coral reef action plans under section 205 of that Act; and

(C)

coral reef emergency plans under section 209 of that Act; and

(5)

to produce a report each year, for submission to the appropriate congressional committees and publication on a publicly available internet website of the Task Force, highlighting the status of the coral reef equities of a covered State on a rotating basis, including—

(A)

a summary of recent coral reef management and restoration activities undertaken in that State; and

(B)

updated estimates of the direct and indirect economic activity supported by, and other benefits associated with, those coral reef equities.

Sec. 203 Membership

(a)

Voting membership— The Task Force shall have the following voting members:

(1)

The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Secretary of the Interior, who shall be co-chairs of the Task Force.

(2)

The Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development.

(3)

The Secretary of Agriculture.

(4)

The Secretary of Defense.

(5)

The Secretary of the Army, acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.

(6)

The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(7)

The Commandant of the Coast Guard.

(8)

The Attorney General.

(9)

The Secretary of State.

(10)

The Secretary of Transportation.

(11)

The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

(12)

The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

(13)

The Director of the National Science Foundation.

(14)

The Governor, or a representative of the Governor, of each covered State.

(b)

Nonvoting members— The Task Force shall have the following nonvoting members:

(1)

A member of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council who is designated by the Governor of Florida under section 302(b)(1) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1852(b)(1)).

(2)

A member of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council who is designated by the Governor of Florida under such section.

(3)

A member of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council who is designated under such section and selected as follows:

(A)

For the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on December 31 of the calendar year during which such date of enactment occurs, the member shall be selected jointly by the governors of Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

(B)

For each calendar year thereafter, the governors of Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands shall, on a rotating basis, take turns selecting the member.

(4)

A member of the Caribbean Fishery Management Council who is designated under such section and selected as follows:

(A)

For the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on December 31 of the calendar year during which such date of enactment occurs, the member shall be selected jointly by the governors of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands.

(B)

For each calendar year thereafter, the governors of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands shall, on an alternating basis, take turns selecting the member.

(5)

A member appointed by the President of the Federated States of Micronesia.

(6)

A member appointed by the President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

(7)

A member appointed by the President of the Republic of Palau.

Sec. 204 Responsibilities of Federal agency members

(a)

In general— A member of the Task Force specified in paragraphs (1) through (14) of section 203(a) shall—

(1)

identify the actions of the agency that member represents that may affect coral reef ecosystems;

(2)

utilize the programs and authorities of that agency to protect and enhance the conditions of such ecosystems, including through the promotion of basic and applied scientific research;

(3)

collaborate with the Task Force to appropriately reflect budgetary needs for coral reef conservation and restoration activities in all agency budget planning and justification documents and processes; and

(4)

engage in any other coordinated efforts approved by the Task Force.

(b)

Co-Chairs— In addition to their responsibilities under subsection (a), the co-chairs of the Task Force shall administer performance of the functions of the Task Force and facilitate the coordination of the members of the Task Force specified in paragraphs (1) through (14) of section 203(a).

Sec. 205 Working groups

(a)

In general— The co-chairs of the Task Force may establish working groups as necessary to meet the goals and carry out the duties of the Task Force.

(b)

Requests from members— The members of the Task Force may request that the co-chairs establish a working group under subsection (a).

(c)

Participation by nongovernmental organizations— The co-chairs may allow nongovernmental organizations as appropriate, including academic institutions, conservation groups, and commercial and recreational fishing associations, to participate in a working group established under subsection (a).

(d)

Nonapplicability of Federal Advisory Committee Act— The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to working groups established under this section.

Sec. 206 Definitions

In this title:

(1)

Appropriate congressional committees— The term appropriate congressional committees means the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.

(2)

Conservation, coral, coral reef, etc— The terms conservation, coral, coral reef, coral reef ecosystem, covered State, restoration, resilience, and State have the meaning given those terms in section 218 of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, as amended by section 101.

Title II — United States Coral Reef Task Force

II United States Coral Reef Task Force