Tribal Coastal Resiliency Act

To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to authorize grants to Indian tribes to further achievement of tribal coastal zone objectives, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Tribal Coastal Resiliency Act 2. Grants to further achievement of tribal coastal zone objectives (a) Grants authorized The Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 ( 16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq. 320. Grants to further achievement of tribal coastal zone objectives (a) Grants authorized The Secretary may award competitive grants to qualified Indian tribes to further achievement of the objectives of such a tribe for its tribal coastal zone. (b) Cost share (1) In general The Federal share of the cost of any activity carried out with a grant under this section shall be— (A) in the case of a grant of less than $200,000, 100 percent of such cost; and (B) in the case of a grant of $200,000 or more, 95 percent of such cost, except as provided in paragraph (2). (2) Waiver The Secretary may waive the application of paragraph (1)(B) with respect to a grant to an Indian tribe, or otherwise reduce the portion of the share of the cost of an activity required to be paid by an Indian tribe under such paragraph, if the Secretary determines that the tribe does not have sufficient funds to pay such portion. (c) Compatibility The Secretary may not award a grant under this section unless the Secretary determines, in consultation with affected coastal States, that the activities to be carried out with the grant are compatible with this title. (d) Authorized objectives and purposes Amounts awarded as a grant under this section shall be used for one or more of the objectives and purposes authorized under subsections (b) and (c), respectively, of section 306A. (e) Funding To carry out this section there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each fiscal year. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Qualified Indian tribe The term qualified Indian tribe 25 U.S.C. 450b (2) Tribal coastal zone The term tribal coastal zone (3) Tribal coastal zone objective The term tribal coastal zone objective (A) Protection, restoration, or preservation of areas in the tribal coastal zone that hold— (i) important ecological, cultural, or sacred significance for such tribe; or (ii) traditional, historic, and esthetic values essential to such tribe. (B) Preparing and implementing a special area management plan and technical planning for important coastal areas. (C) Any coastal or shoreline stabilization measure, including any mitigation measure, for the purpose of public safety, public access, or cultural or historical preservation. . (b) Guidance Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act the Secretary of Commerce shall issue guidance for the program established under the amendment made by subsection (a), including the criteria for awarding grants under such program. (c) Use of State Grants To Fulfill Tribal Objectives Section 306A(c)(2) of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 ( 16 U.S.C. 1455a(c)(2) and ; and (F) fulfilling any tribal coastal zone objective (as that term is defined in section 320). .

Summary: Tribal Coastal Resiliency Act This bill amends the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to authorize the Department of Commerce to award grants to qualified Indian tribes to further achievement of any of the following tribal coastal zone objectives: protecting, restoring, or preserving areas in the zone that hold important ecological, cultural, or sacred significance for the tribes, or traditional, historic, and esthetic values essential to the tribes; preparing and implementing a special area management plan and technical planning for important coastal areas; and implementing any coastal or shoreline stabilization measure for the purpose of public safety, public access, or cultural or historical preservation.