---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 7503"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "7503"
heading: "National Oceans and Coastal Security Fund"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/7503"
units:
  - "Chapter 94 — National Oceans and Coastal Security"
---

# §7503. National Oceans and Coastal Security Fund

- (a) **Establishment—** The [Administrator](/usc/16/7501.md?p=6) and the [Foundation](/usc/16/7501.md?p=3) are authorized to establish the National Oceans and Coastal Security [Fund](/usc/16/7501.md?p=4) as a tax exempt [fund](/usc/16/7501.md?p=4) to further the purposes of this chapter.
- (b) **Deposits—**
  - (1) **In general—** There shall be deposited into the [Fund](/usc/16/7501.md?p=4) amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to carry out this chapter.
  - (2) **Prohibitions on donations from foreign governments—** No amounts donated by a foreign government, as defined in [section 7342 of title 5](/usc/5/7342.md), may be deposited into the [Fund](/usc/16/7501.md?p=4).
- (c) **Requirements—** Any amounts received by the [Foundation](/usc/16/7501.md?p=3) pursuant to this chapter shall be subject to the provisions of the National [Fish and Wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) [Foundation](/usc/16/7501.md?p=3) Establishment Act ([16 U.S.C. 3701](/usc/16/3701.md) et seq.), except the provisions of—
  - (1) [section 4(e)(1)(B)](/usc/16/4.md) of that Act ([16 U.S.C. 3703(e)(1)(B)](/usc/16/3703.md?p=e-1-B)); and
  - (2) section 10(a) of that Act ([16 U.S.C. 3709(a)](/usc/16/3709.md?p=a)).
- (d) **Expenditure—** Of the amounts deposited into the [Fund](/usc/16/7501.md?p=4) for each fiscal year—
  - (1) [funds](/usc/16/7501.md?p=4) may be used by the [Foundation](/usc/16/7501.md?p=3) to award grants to [coastal States](/usc/16/7501.md?p=2) under [section 7505(b) of this title](/usc/16/7505.md?p=b);
  - (2) [funds](/usc/16/7501.md?p=4) may be used by the [Foundation](/usc/16/7501.md?p=3) to award grants under [section 7505(c) of this title](/usc/16/7505.md?p=c);
  - (3) no more than 2 percent may be used by the [Administrator](/usc/16/7501.md?p=6) and the [Foundation](/usc/16/7501.md?p=3) for administrative expenses to carry out this chapter, which amount shall be divided between the [Administrator](/usc/16/7501.md?p=6) and the [Foundation](/usc/16/7501.md?p=3) pursuant to an agreement reached and documented by both the [Administrator](/usc/16/7501.md?p=6) and the [Foundation](/usc/16/7501.md?p=3).
- (e) **Recovery of payments—** After notice and an opportunity for a hearing, the [Administrator](/usc/16/7501.md?p=6) is authorized to recover any Federal payments under this section if the [Foundation](/usc/16/7501.md?p=3)—
  - (1) makes a withdrawal or expenditure from the [Fund](/usc/16/7501.md?p=4) that is not consistent with the requirements of [section 7504 of this title](/usc/16/7504.md); or
  - (2) fails to comply with a procedure, measure, method, or standard established under [section 7505(a)(1) of this title](/usc/16/7505.md?p=a-1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 114–113, div. O, title IX, § 904, Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 3031.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 98–244, Mar. 26, 1984, 98 Stat. 107, which is classified generally to chapter 57 (§ 3701 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 3701 of this title and Tables.