H. R. 2903—4
the development of criteria for the implementation of the grant
program and the awarding of grants under the program.
‘‘(d) LIMITATION.—The amount of a grant under this section
shall not exceed $100,000.
‘‘(e) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The non-Federal share of the costs of
an activity conducted with a grant under this section shall
be 25 percent of such costs.
‘‘(2) IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS.—The Secretary may apply to
the non-Federal share of an activity conducted with a grant
under this section the amount of funds, and the fair market
value of property and services, provided by non-Federal sources
and used for the activity.
‘‘(f ) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—Of amounts available each
fiscal year to carry out this section, the Secretary may expend
not more than 6 percent or $80,000, whichever is greater, to pay
the administrative expenses necessary to carry out this section.
‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
‘‘(1) DESIGNATED STRANDING REGION.—The term ‘designated
stranding region’ means a geographic region designated by
the Secretary for purposes of administration of this title.
‘‘(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ has the meaning
given that term in section 3(12)(A).
‘‘(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2001 through 2003, to remain available until
expended, of which—
‘‘(1) $4,000,000 may be available to the Secretary of Com-
merce; and
‘‘(2) $1,000,000 may be available to the Secretary of the
Interior.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 3(12)(B) of the Marine
Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1362(12)(B)) is amended
by inserting ‘‘(other than section 408)’’ after ‘‘title IV ’’.
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents in the first
section of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (86 Stat.
1027) is amended by striking the items relating to sections 408
and 409 and inserting the following:
‘‘Sec. 408. John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program.
‘‘Sec. 409. Authorization of appropriations.
‘‘Sec. 410. Definitions.’’.
SEC. 203. STUDY OF THE EASTERN GRAY WHALE POPULATION.
(a) STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act and subject to the availability of appropria-
tions, the Secretary of Commerce shall initiate a study of the
environmental and biological factors responsible for the significant
increase in mortality events of the eastern gray whale population
and other potential impacts these factors may be having on the
eastern gray whale population.
(b) CONSIDERATION OF WESTERN POPULATION INFORMATION.—
The Secretary should ensure that, to the greatest extent practicable,
information from current and future studies of the western gray
whale population is considered in the study under this section,
so as to better understand the dynamics of each population and
to test different hypotheses that may lead to an increased under-
standing of the mechanism driving their respective population
dynamics.
H. R. 2903—5
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In addition to other
amounts authorized under this title, there are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section—
(1) $290,000 for fiscal year 2001; and
(2) $500,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2004.
SEC. 204. CONVEYANCE OF FISHERY RESEARCH VESSEL TO AMERICAN
SAMOA.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Commerce (in this section
referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) may convey to the Government
of American Samoa in accordance with this section, without consid-
eration, all right, title, and interest of the United States in and
to a retired National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
fishery research vessel in operable condition, for use by American
Samoa.
(b) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not convey a vessel under
this section before the date on which a new replacement fishery
research vessel has been delivered to the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration and put in active service.
(c) OPERATION
AND MAINTENANCE.—The Government of the
United States shall not be responsible or liable for any maintenance
or operation of a vessel conveyed under this section after the date
of the delivery of the vessel to American Samoa.
SEC. 205. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS RELATING TO
NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY DESIGNATION STAND-
ARDS.
(a) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Section 303(a) of the National
Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1433(a)) is amended by striking
‘‘the Secretary—’’ and all that follows through the end of the sen-
tence and inserting the following: ‘‘the Secretary determines that—
‘‘(1) the designation will fulfill the purposes and policies
of this title;
‘‘(2) the area is of special national significance due to—
‘‘(A) its conservation, recreational, ecological, historical,
scientific, cultural, archaeological, educational, or esthetic
qualities;
‘‘(B) the communities of living marine resources it har-
bors; or
‘‘(C) its resource or human-use values;
‘‘(3) existing State and Federal authorities are inadequate
or should be supplemented to ensure coordinated and com-
prehensive conservation and management of the area, including
resource protection, scientific research, and public education;
‘‘(4) designation of the area as a national marine sanctuary
will facilitate the objectives stated in paragraph (3); and
‘‘(5) the area is of a size and nature that will permit
comprehensive and coordinated conservation and manage-
ment.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such Act is further amended—
(1) in section 304(a)(1)(C) (as amended by section 6(a) of
the National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000)
by striking ‘‘the Secretary shall’’; and
(2) in section 304(a)(2)(E) (as amended by section 6(b) of
the National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000)
by striking ‘‘findings’’ and inserting ‘‘determinations’’.
H. R. 2903—6
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect immediately
after the National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000
takes effect.
SEC. 206. WESTERN PACIFIC PROJECT GRANTS.
Section 111(b)(1) of the Sustainable Fisheries Act (16 U.S.C.
155 note) is amended by striking the last sentence and inserting
‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$500,000 for each fiscal year.’’.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.