---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 6409"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "6409"
heading: "Coral Reef Disaster Fund"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/6409"
units:
  - "Chapter 83 — Coral Reef Conservation"
---

# §6409. Coral Reef Disaster Fund

- (a) **Agreements—** The [Administrator](/usc/16/6415.md?p=1) shall seek to enter into an agreement with the National [Fish and Wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) [Foundation](/usc/16/450ss–1.md?p=1) (in this section referred to as the “[Foundation](/usc/16/450ss–1.md?p=1)”), authorizing the [Foundation](/usc/16/450ss–1.md?p=1) to receive, hold, and administer funds received under this section.
- (b) **Fund—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Foundation](/usc/16/450ss–1.md?p=1) shall establish an account, to be known as the “[Coral Reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) Disaster Fund” (in this section referred to as the “Fund”).
  - (2) **Deposits—** The [Foundation](/usc/16/450ss–1.md?p=1) shall deposit funds received under this section into the Fund.
  - (3) **Purposes—** The Fund shall be available solely to support the long-term recovery of [coral reefs](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) from exigent circumstances described in [section 6408(b) of this title](/usc/16/6408.md?p=b)—
    - (A) in partnership with non-Federal stakeholders; and
    - (B) in a manner that is consistent with—
      - (i) the [National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy](/usc/16/6415.md?p=16); and
      - (ii) [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) action plans in effect, if any, under [section 6404 of this title](/usc/16/6404.md).
  - (4) **Investment of amounts—**
    - (A) **Investment of amounts—** The [Foundation](/usc/16/450ss–1.md?p=1) shall invest such portion of the Fund as is not required to meet current withdrawals in interest-bearing obligations of the United States or in obligations guaranteed as to both principal and interest by the United States.
    - (B) **Interest and proceeds—** The interest on, and the proceeds from, the sale or redemption of, any obligations held in the Fund shall be credited to and form a part of the Fund.
  - (5) **Review of performance—** The [Administrator](/usc/16/6415.md?p=1) shall conduct continuing reviews of all deposits into, and disbursements from, the Fund. Each such review shall include a written assessment concerning the extent to which the [Foundation](/usc/16/450ss–1.md?p=1) has implemented the goals and requirements of this section.
- (c) **Authorization to solicit donations—**
  - (1) **In general—** Pursuant to an agreement entered into under [subsection (a)](#a), the [Foundation](/usc/16/450ss–1.md?p=1) may accept, receive, solicit, hold, administer, and use any gift (including, notwithstanding [section 1342 of title 31](/usc/31/1342.md), donations of services) to further the purposes of this chapter.
  - (2) **Deposits in Fund—** Notwithstanding [section 3302 of title 31](/usc/31/3302.md), any funds received as a gift shall be deposited and maintained in the Fund.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 106–562, title II, § 210, as added Pub. L. 117–263, div. J, title C, § 10001(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3941.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 6409, Pub. L. 106–562, title II, § 210, Dec. 23, 2000, 114 Stat. 2805, provided definitions for the chapter, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 117–263, div. J, title C, § 10001(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3931.