16 U.S.C. § 6405

Current through P.L. 118-106 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/04/2024)

Section 6405 - Coral reef stewardship partnerships

(a) In general

To further community-based stewardship of coral reefs, coral reef stewardship partnerships for Federal and non-Federal coral reefs may be established in accordance with this section.

(b) Standards and procedures

The Administrator shall develop and adopt-

(1) standards for identifying individual coral reefs and ecologically significant units of coral reefs; and

(2) processes for adjudicating multiple applicants for stewardship of the same coral reef or ecologically significant unit of a reef to ensure no geographic overlap in representation among stewardship partnerships authorized by this section.

(c) Membership for Federal coral reefs

A coral reef stewardship partnership that has identified, as the subject of its stewardship activities, a coral reef or ecologically significant unit of a coral reef that is fully or partially under the management jurisdiction of any Federal agency specified in section 6402(c) of this title shall, at a minimum, include the following:

(1) That Federal agency, a representative of which shall serve as chairperson of the coral reef stewardship partnership.

(2) A State or county's resource management agency to the extent that such partnership covers a reef within such States or county's jurisdiction.

(3) A coral reef research center designated under section 6411(b) of this title.

(4) A nongovernmental organization.

(5) A covered Native entity culturally affiliated with the subject reef or ecologically significant unit, if any.

(6) Such other members as the partnership considers appropriate, such as interested stakeholder groups and covered Native entities.

(d) Membership for non-Federal coral reefs

(1) In general

A coral reef stewardship partnership that has identified, as the subject of its stewardship activities, a coral reef or ecologically significant component of a coral reef that is not under the management jurisdiction of any Federal agency specified in section 6402(c) of this title shall, at a minimum, include the following:

(A) A State or county's resource management agency or a covered Native entity, a representative of which shall serve as the chairperson of the coral reef stewardship partnership.

(B) A coral reef research center designated under section 6411(b) of this title.

(C) A nongovernmental organization.

(D) Such other members as the partnership considers appropriate, such as interested stakeholder groups.

(2) Additional members

(A) In general

Subject to subparagraph (B), a coral reef stewardship partnership described in paragraph (1) may also include representatives of one or more Federal agencies.

(B) Requests; approval

A representative of a Federal agency described in subparagraph (A) may become a member of a coral reef stewardship partnership described in paragraph (1) if-

(i) the representative submits a request to become a member to the chairperson of the partnership referred to in paragraph (1)(A); and

(ii) the chairperson consents to the request.

(e) Nonapplicability of Federal Advisory Committee Act

The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)¹ shall not apply to coral reef stewardship partnerships under this section.

¹See References in Text note below.

16 U.S.C. § 6405

Pub. L. 106-562, title II, §206, as added Pub. L. 117-263 title C, §10001(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3937.

EDITORIAL NOTES

REFERENCES IN TEXTThe Federal Advisory Committee Act, referred to in subsec. (e), is Pub. L. 92-463, Oct. 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 770, which was set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, and was substantially repealed and restated in chapter 10 (§1001 et seq.) of Title 5 by Pub. L. 117-286, §§3(a), Dec. 27, 2022, 7, Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4197, 4361. For disposition of sections of the Act into chapter 10 of Title 5, see Disposition Table preceding section 101 of Title 5.

PRIOR PROVISIONSA prior section 6405,Pub. L. 106-562, title II, §2066405,, 114 Stat. 2804, related to emergency assistance, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 117-263 title C, §10001(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3931.

Administrator: The term "Administrator" means the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
State: The term "State" means-(A) any State of the United States that contains a coral reef ecosystem within its seaward boundaries;(B) American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the United States Virgin Islands; or(C) any other territory or possession of the United States or separate sovereign in free association with the United States that contains a coral reef ecosystem within its seaward boundaries.
coral reef: The term "coral reef" means calcium carbonate structures in the form of a reef or shoal, composed in whole or in part by living coral, skeletal remains of coral, crustose coralline algae, and other associated sessile marine plants and animals.
coral: The term "coral" means species of the phylum Cnidaria, including-(A) all species of the orders Antipatharia (black corals), Scleractinia (stony corals), Alcyonacea (soft corals, organ pipe corals, gorgonians), and Helioporacea (blue coral), of the class Anthozoa; and(B) all species of the order Anthoathecata (fire corals and other hydrocorals) of the class Hydrozoa.
covered Native entity: The term "covered Native entity" means a Native entity with interests in a coral reef ecosystem.
interested stakeholder groups: The term "interested stakeholder groups" means any of the following with interest in an applicable coral reef or ecologically significant unit of a coral reef:(A) A business.(B) A commercial or recreational fisherman.(C) A recreationalist.(D) A Federal, State, Tribal, or local government unit with related jurisdiction.(E) An institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 1001(a) of title 20.1(F) A nongovernmental organization.