Coastal Zone Protection Act of 1996

Summary: Coastal Zone Protection Act of 1996 - Amends the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to authorize annual grants to States to develop coastal zone management programs.  Limits each State to four (currently, two) grants.  Terminates the grant program after FY 1999. Authorizes grants to States to implement program changes. Authorizes appropriations for:  (1) administering State management programs; (2) resource management improvement grants; (3) coastal zone enhancement grants; (4) grants under the National Estuarine Research Reserve System; (5) expenses incidental to the administration of the Act; and (6) such program development grants. Allows grants (relating to national estuarine reserves or educational or interpretive activities) provided from amounts recovered as a result of damage to coastal zone natural resources to be used to pay 100 percent of the costs of the activities carried out with the grants. Allows resource management improvement grants to be used for the development of a coordinated process among State agencies to regulate and issue permits for coastal zone aquaculture facilities. Allows coastal zone enhancement grants to be used to evaluate and facilitate the siting of public and private coastal zone aquaculture facilities. Establishes consistency determination appeal procedures.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Coastal Zone Protection Act of 
1996''.

SEC. 2. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF STATE COASTAL PROGRAMS.

    (a) Reauthorization of Program.--Section 305(a) of the Coastal Zone 
Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1454(a)) is amended--
        (1) by striking ``1991, 1992, and 1993'' and inserting ``1997, 
    1998, and 1999''; and
        (2) by striking ``two'' and inserting ``four''.
    (b) Termination of Program.--
        (1) In general.--Section 305 of the Coastal Zone Management Act 
    of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1454) is amended--
            (A) by striking subsection (a);
            (B) by striking ``(b)''; and
            (C) by amending the heading to read as follows:


               ``submittal of state program for approval''.

        (2) Conforming amendments.--Section 308(b)(2)(B) of the Coastal 
    Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1457(b)(2)(B)) is amended--
            (A) in clause (iv) by adding ``and'' after the semicolon;
            (B) by striking clause (v); and
            (C) by redesignating clause (vi) as clause (v).
        (3) Effective date.--This subsection shall take effect on 
    October 1, 1999.

SEC. 3. IMPLEMENTATION ASSISTANCE FOR COASTAL ZONE ENHANCEMENT.

    Section 309(b) of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 
U.S.C. 1456b(b)) is amended--
        (1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``Subject to''; and
        (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(2)(A) In addition to any amounts provided under section 306, and 
subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary may make 
grants under this subsection to States for implementing program changes 
approved by the Secretary in accordance with section 306(e).
    ``(B) Grants under this paragraph to implement a program change may 
not be made in any fiscal year after the second fiscal year that begins 
after the approval of that change by the Secretary.''.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR GRANTS.

    Section 318 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 
1464) is amended--
        (1) by striking ``Sec. 318.'' and all that follows through 
    subsection (a) and inserting the following:
    ``Sec. 318. (a) There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary, to remain available until expended--
        ``(1) for grants under sections 306, 306A, and 309--
            ``(A) $47,600,000 for fiscal year 1997;
            ``(B) $49,000,000 for fiscal year 1998; and
            ``(C) $50,500,000 for fiscal year 1999; and
        ``(2) for grants under section 315--
            ``(A) $4,400,000 for fiscal year 1997;
            ``(B) $4,500,000 for fiscal year 1998; and
            ``(C) $4,600,000 for fiscal year 1999.'';
        (2) by striking subsection (b); and
        (3) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) in order as 
    subsections (b) and (c).

SEC. 5. COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT FUND.

    (a) Authorization for Administrative Expenses.--Section 
308(b)(2)(A) of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 
1456a(b)(2)(A)) is amended to read as follows:
        ``(A) Expenses incident to the administration of this title, in 
    an amount not to exceed for each of fiscal years 1997, 1998, and 
    1999 the higher of--
            ``(i) $4,000,000; or
            ``(ii) 8 percent of the total amount appropriated under 
        this title for the fiscal year.''.
    (b) Authorization for Program Development Grants.--Section 
308(b)(2)(B)(v) of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 
1456a(b)(2)(B)(v)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(v) program development grants as authorized by section 
        305, in an amount not to exceed $200,000 for each of fiscal 
        years 1997, 1998, and 1999; and''.

SEC. 6. MATCHING REQUIREMENT.

    Section 315(e)(3) of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 
U.S.C. 1461(e)(3)) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph:
    ``(C) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and (B), financial 
assistance under this subsection provided from amounts recovered as a 
result of damage to natural resources located in the coastal zone may 
be used to pay 100 percent of the costs of activities carried out with 
the assistance.''.

SEC. 7. AQUACULTURE IN THE COASTAL ZONE.

    The Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 is amended--
        (1) in section 306A(b) (16 U.S.C. 1455a(b)) by adding at the 
    end of the following:
        ``(4) The development of a coordinated process among State 
    agencies to regulate and issue permits for aquaculture facilities 
    in the coastal zone.''; and
        (2) in section 309(a) (16 U.S.C. 1456b(a)) by adding at the end 
    the following:
        ``(9) Adoption of procedures and policies to evaluate and 
    facilitate the siting of public and private aquaculture facilities 
    in the coastal zone, which will enable States to formulate, 
    administer, and implement strategic plans for marine 
    aquaculture.''.

SEC. 8. APPEALS TO THE SECRETARY.

    The Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section:


                        ``appeals to the secretary

    ``Sec. 319. (a) Notice.--The Secretary shall publish in the Federal 
Register a notice indicating when the decision record has been closed 
on any appeal to the Secretary taken from a consistency determination 
under section 307(c) or (d). No later than 90 days after the date of 
publication of this notice, the Secretary shall--
        ``(1) issue a final decision in the appeal; or
        ``(2) publish a notice in the Federal Register detailing why a 
    decision cannot be issued within the 90-day period.
    ``(b) Deadline.--In the case where the Secretary publishes a notice 
under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary shall issue a decision in any 
appeal filed under section 307 no later than 45 days after the date of 
the publication of the notice.
    ``(c) Application.--This section applies to appeals initiated by 
the Secretary and appeals filed by an applicant.''.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.