I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2923 
To designate the Gulf of Mexico Alliance as a regional coordination partner-
ship of Federal and State actions related to the management of the 
Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 15, 2017 
Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. PALAZZO, and Mr. RICHMOND) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on 
Natural Resources, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To designate the Gulf of Mexico Alliance as a regional coordi-
nation partnership of Federal and State actions related 
to the management of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Gulf States Coordina-
tion Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the United States should seek to attain coordi-
nation of the regional conservation and restoration efforts 
for the Gulf of Mexico in order to facilitate the continued 
economic uses of the Gulf of Mexico for the benefit of the 
people of the United States, to reduce duplication of ef-
forts, and to maximize efficiencies, through a collaborative 
regional effort through the Gulf of Mexico Alliance in con-
sultation with Federal agencies and State and local au-
thorities. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are the fol-
lowing: 
(1) To expand and strengthen cooperative vol-
untary efforts to conserve and restore the Gulf of 
Mexico and maintain its highly productive multiple 
uses. 
(2) To recognize and enable the Gulf of Mexico 
Alliance as a lead coordinator of Federal and State 
authorities with other voluntary efforts for the col-
laborative management of the Gulf of Mexico and to 
coordinate such management with Mexico. 
(3) To enable the Gulf of Mexico Alliance to re-
ceive Federal funding through an appropriation to 
conduct the necessary scientific research and con-
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servation and restoration management to achieve 
these purposes. 
SEC. 3. GULF STATES PROTECTION AND RESTORATION CO-
ORDINATION. 
(a) DESIGNATION AS A REGIONAL COORDINATION 
PARTNERSHIP.— 
(1) DESIGNATION.—The Gulf of Mexico Alli-
ance is designated as a regional coordination part-
nership of Federal and State actions related to the 
management of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. 
(2) LOCATION.—The Gulf of Mexico Alliance 
shall be located in a State all, or a portion of the 
coastline, of which is on the Gulf of Mexico. 
(3) FUNCTIONS.—The Gulf of Mexico Alliance 
may— 
(A) promote coordination of the actions of 
State agencies in the States that border the 
Gulf of Mexico and other authorities with the 
actions of the appropriate officials of the Fed-
eral agencies, local authorities, and representa-
tives of key regional industries in the Gulf of 
Mexico region in developing strategies— 
(i) to improve the water quality, pro-
tect living resources, increase valuable 
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habitats, and enhance coastal resilience in 
the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem; and 
(ii) to obtain the support of appro-
priate officials; 
(B) in cooperation and consultation with 
appropriate Federal, State, and local authori-
ties, and industry representatives, develop and 
implement specific action plans to carry out the 
Gulf of Mexico Alliance regional coordination 
goals; 
(C) coordinate and implement plans and 
projects, and facilitate science, research, mod-
eling, monitoring, data collection, and other ac-
tivities, that support the Gulf of Mexico Alli-
ance’s goals through the provision of grants 
under subsection (c); 
(D) implement outreach programs for pub-
lic information, education, and participation to 
foster stewardship of the resources of the Gulf 
of Mexico; 
(E) develop and make available, through 
publications, technical assistance, and other ap-
propriate means, information pertaining to the 
environmental quality and living resources of 
the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem; 
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(F) serve as the liaison with, and provide 
information to, the Mexican members of the 
Gulf of Mexico States Accord and Mexican 
counterparts; and 
(G) focus the efforts and resources of the 
Gulf of Mexico Alliance on activities that will 
result in measurable improvements to water 
quality and living resources of the Gulf of Mex-
ico ecosystem by coordinating protection and 
restoration programs to minimize duplication 
and maximize leveraging opportunities. 
(b) GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Gulf of Mexico Alliance 
may provide grants to nonprofit organizations, State 
and local governments, colleges, universities, inter-
state agencies, and individuals to carry out this sec-
tion for use in— 
(A) monitoring the water quality and living 
resources of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem; 
(B) researching the effects of natural and 
human-induced environmental changes on the 
water quality and living resources of the Gulf of 
Mexico ecosystem; 
(C) developing and executing cooperative 
strategies that address the water quality, coast-
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al resilience, and living resource needs in the 
Gulf of Mexico ecosystem; 
(D) developing and implementing locally 
based protection and restoration programs or 
projects within a watershed that complement 
such strategies, including the creation, restora-
tion, protection, or enhancement of habitat as-
sociated with the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem; and 
(E) eliminating or reducing nonpoint 
sources that discharge pollutants that contami-
nate the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, including 
activities to eliminate leaking septic systems 
and construct connections to local sewage sys-
tems. 
(2) ADMINISTRATIVE
COSTS.—Administrative 
costs in the form of salaries, overhead, or indirect 
costs for services provided and charged against pro-
grams or projects carried out using funds made 
available through a grant under this subsection shall 
not exceed 25 percent of the amount of the grant. 
(c) LIMITATION
ON REGULATORY AUTHORITY.— 
Nothing in this section establishes any new legal or regu-
latory authority of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, itself, 
other than the authority to provide grants in accordance 
with this section. 
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(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) GULF
OF
MEXICO
ALLIANCE.—The term 
‘‘Gulf of Mexico Alliance’’ means the formal collabo-
rative organization of Federal, State, local, and pri-
vate participants established by the 5 Gulf States in 
2004 as a non-regulatory, inclusive network of part-
ners to provide a broad geographic focus on the pri-
mary environmental issues affecting the Gulf of 
Mexico. 
(2) GULF OF MEXICO ECOSYSTEM.—The term 
‘‘Gulf of Mexico ecosystem’’ means the ecosystem of 
the Gulf of Mexico and its watershed. 
SEC. 4. GENERAL PROVISIONS. 
(a) GIFTS AND TRANSFERS TO GULF COAST ECO-
SYSTEM RESTORATION COUNCIL.—Section 311(t)(2)(E) 
of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 
1321(t)(2)(E)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(iii) GIFTS AND TRANSFERS; SEPA-
RATE FUND.— 
‘‘(I) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to 
subclause (II), the Council may ac-
cept, hold, administer, and utilize for 
the purpose of aiding or facilitating 
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the work and operations of the Coun-
cil— 
‘‘(aa) gifts, donations, and 
bequests from any individual or 
entity; and 
‘‘(bb) transfers from Federal 
and State agencies of funds, 
goods, services, and personal and 
real property. 
‘‘(II) TREATMENT.—Any funds 
accepted by the Council or transferred 
to the Council under this clause 
shall— 
‘‘(aa) remain available until 
expended; 
‘‘(bb) be deposited in the 
Treasury in a separate fund; and 
‘‘(cc) be disbursed upon 
order by the Council.’’. 
(b) BORROWING AUTHORITY.—Section 1602 of the 
Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Oppor-
tunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States 
Act of 2012 (33 U.S.C. 1321 note) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) BORROWING AUTHORITY.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To aid and facilitate the 
purposes of this subtitle and the amendments made 
by this subtitle, and subject to the terms and condi-
tions of this subsection, the Secretary of the Treas-
ury (referred to in this subsection as the ‘Secretary’) 
and the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council 
(referred to in this subsection as the ‘Council’) may 
each— 
‘‘(A) borrow money from any source; and 
‘‘(B) issue and sell notes, bonds, obliga-
tions, and other instruments of indebtedness. 
‘‘(2) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—Each instru-
ment of indebtedness issued under this subsection 
shall have a term, bear an interest rate, and contain 
other terms and conditions as may determined by 
the party issuing the instrument. 
‘‘(3) LIMITATIONS ON AMOUNTS.—The aggre-
gate of the principal of funds borrowed under this 
subsection and interest payable thereon may not ex-
ceed— 
‘‘(A) as to the Secretary, 35 percent of the 
aggregate amounts paid or payable into the 
Trust Fund from any source over the duration 
of the Trust Fund; and 
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‘‘(6) FINANCING
COSTS.—The Secretary and 
the Council may pay interest and any other financ-
ing costs payable in connection with funds borrowed 
under this subsection from— 
‘‘(A) the principal of such borrowed funds; 
and 
‘‘(B) funds otherwise available in the Trust 
Fund for repayment of the principal of such 
borrowed funds.’’. 
Æ 
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