I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 660 

To require the Secretary of Commerce to establish a grant program to 

benefit coastal habitats, resiliency, and the economy, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 1, 2021 

Ms. PLASKETT (for herself and Mr. YOUNG) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period 

to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Commerce to establish a grant 

program to benefit coastal habitats, resiliency, and the 

economy, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Shovel-Ready Restora5 tion Grants for Coastlines and Fisheries Act of 2021’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. SHOVEL-READY RESTORATION AND RESILIENCY 

2 GRANT PROGRAM. 

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 

4 a grant program to provide funding and technical assist5 ance to eligible entities for purposes of carrying out a 

6 project described in subsection (d). 

7 (b) PROJECT PROPOSAL.—To be considered for a 

8 grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit 

9 a grant proposal to the Secretary in a time, place, and 

10 manner determined by the Secretary. Such proposal shall 

11 include monitoring, data collection, and measurable per12 formance criteria with respect to the project. 

13 (c) DEVELOPMENT OF CRITERIA.—The Secretary 

14 shall select eligible entities to receive grants under this 

15 section based on criteria developed by the Secretary, in 

16 consultation with relevant offices of the National Oceanic 

17 and Atmospheric Administration, such as the Office of 

18 Habitat Conservation and the Office for Coastal Manage19 ment. 

20 (d) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.—A project is described in 

21 this subsection if— 

22 (1) the purpose of the project is to restore a 

23 marine, estuarine, coastal, or Great Lake habitat, 

24 including— 

25 (A) restoration of habitat to protect or re26 cover a species that is threatened, endangered, 


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1 or a species of concern under the Endangered 

2 Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); 

3 (B) through the removal or remediation of 

4 marine debris, including derelict vessels and 

5 fishing gear, in coastal and marine habitats; 

6 and 

7 (C) for the benefit of— 

8 (i) shellfish; 

9 (ii) fish, including diadromous fish; or 

10 (iii) coral reef; or 

11 (2) the project provides adaptation to climate 

12 change, including— 

13 (A) by constructing or protecting ecological 

14 features or nature-based infrastructure that 

15 protects coastal communities from sea level rise, 

16 coastal storms, or flooding; and 

17 (B) blue carbon projects. 

18 (e) PRIORITY.—In determining which projects to 

19 fund under this section, the Secretary shall give priority 

20 to a proposed project— 

21 (1) that would stimulate the economy; 

22 (2) for which the applicant can demonstrate 

23 that the grant will fund work that will begin not 

24 more than 90 days after the date of the award; 


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1 (3) for which the applicant can demonstrate 

2 that the grant will fund work that will employ fish3 ermen who have been negatively impacted by the 

4 COVID–19 pandemic or pay a fisherman for the use 

5 of a fishing vessel; 

6 (4) for which the applicant can demonstrate 

7 that any preliminary study or permit required before 

8 the project can begin has been completed or can be 

9 completed shortly after an award is made; or 

10 (5) that includes communities that may not 

11 have adequate resources, including low-income com12 munities, communities of color, Tribal communities, 

13 Indigenous communities, and rural communities. 

14 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

15 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Com16 merce $3,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2021, to remain 

17 available until expended, to carry out this section. 

18 (g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

19 (1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti20 ty’’ means a nonprofit, a for-profit business, an in21 stitution of higher education (as such term is de22 fined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act 

23 of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))), or a State, local, 

24 Tribal, or Territorial government. 


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1 (2) FISHERMAN.—The term ‘‘fisherman’’ 

2 means a commercial or for-hire fisherman or an oys3 ter farmer. 

4 (3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

5 the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Ad6 ministrator of the National Oceanic and Atmos7 pheric Administration. 

Æ 


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