I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 860 
To reauthorize the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 4, 2009 
Ms. BORDALLO (for herself, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. 
ABERCROMBIE, Mr. FARR, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HINCHEY, Mrs. 
CHRISTENSEN, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. HONDA, Mr. KIRK, Ms. LEE of Cali-
fornia, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. 
KLEIN of Florida, and Mr. SABLAN) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To reauthorize the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, 
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. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Coral Reef Conservation Act Reauthorization and En-
hancement Amendments of 2009’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
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Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Amendment of Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. 
TITLE I—AMENDMENTS TO THE CORAL REEF CONSERVATION 
ACT 
Sec. 101. Short title. 
Sec. 102. Expansion of Coral Reef Conservation Program. 
Sec. 103. Emergency response. 
Sec. 104. National program. 
Sec. 105. Report to Congress. 
Sec. 106. Fund; grants; grounding inventory; coordination. 
Sec. 107. Clarification of definitions. 
Sec. 108. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE II—UNITED STATES CORAL REEF TASK FORCE 
Sec. 201. United States Coral Reef Task Force. 
TITLE III—DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR CORAL REEF 
AUTHORITIES 
Sec. 301. Amendments relating to Department of the Interior program. 
Sec. 302. Clarification of definitions. 
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT OF CORAL REEF CONSERVATION ACT 
OF 2000. 
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in 
this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms 
of an amendment to or repeal of a section or other provi-
sion, the reference shall be considered to be made to a 
section or other provision of the Coral Reef Conservation 
Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.). 
TITLE I—AMENDMENTS TO THE 
CORAL REEF CONSERVATION 
ACT 
SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Coral Reef Conserva-
tion Amendments Act of 2009’’. 
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SEC. 102. EXPANSION OF CORAL REEF CONSERVATION 
PROGRAM. 
(a) PROJECT
DIVERSITY.—Section 204(d) (16 
U.S.C. 6403(d)) is amended— 
(1) in the heading by striking ‘‘GEOGRAPHIC 
AND BIOLOGICAL’’ and inserting ‘‘PROJECT’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(3) Remaining funds shall be awarded for— 
‘‘(A) projects (with priority given to com-
munity-based local action strategies) that ad-
dress emerging priorities or threats, including 
international 
and 
territorial 
priorities, 
or 
threats identified by the Administrator in con-
sultation with the United States Coral Reef 
Task Force; and 
‘‘(B) other appropriate projects, as deter-
mined by the Administrator, including moni-
toring and assessment, research, pollution re-
duction, education, and technical support.’’. 
(b) APPROVAL
CRITERIA.—Section 204(g) (16 
U.S.C. 6403(g)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘or’’ after the semicolon in 
paragraph (9); 
(2) by striking paragraph (10); and 
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(3) by inserting after paragraph (9) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(10) promoting activities designed to minimize 
the likelihood of vessel impacts on coral reefs, par-
ticularly those areas identified under section 210(b), 
including the promotion of ecologically sound naviga-
tion and anchorages near coral reefs; or 
‘‘(11) promoting and assisting entities to work 
with local communities, and all appropriate govern-
mental and nongovernmental organizations, to sup-
port community-based planning and management 
initiatives for the protection of coral reef eco-
systems.’’. 
SEC. 103. EMERGENCY RESPONSE. 
Section 206 (16 U.S.C. 6405) is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘SEC. 206. EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIONS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator may under-
take or authorize action necessary— 
‘‘(1) to minimize the destruction of or injury to 
a coral reef, or loss of an ecosystem function of a 
coral reef, from— 
‘‘(A) vessel impacts, derelict fishing gear, 
vessel anchors, and anchor chains; and 
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‘‘(B) from unforeseen or disaster-related 
circumstances as a result of human activities; 
and 
‘‘(2) to stabilize, repair, recover, or restore a 
coral reef that is destroyed or injured, or that has 
incurred the loss of an ecosystem function, as de-
scribed in paragraph (1). 
‘‘(b) VESSEL REMOVAL; STABILIZATION.—Action au-
thorized by subsection (a) includes vessel removal and 
emergency stabilization of the vessel or any impacted coral 
reef. 
‘‘(c) PARTNERING WITH OTHER FEDERAL AGEN-
CIES.—When possible, action by the Administrator under 
this section should— 
‘‘(1) be conducted in partnership with other 
government agencies as appropriate, including— 
‘‘(A) the Coast Guard, the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency, the Army Corps of 
Engineers, and the Department of the Interior; 
and 
‘‘(B) agencies of States; and 
‘‘(2) leverage resources of other agencies. 
‘‘(d) EMERGENCY RESPONSE ASSISTANCE BY OTHER 
FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The head of any other Fed-
eral agency may assist the Administrator in emer-
gency response actions under this section, using 
funds available for operations of the agency con-
cerned. 
‘‘(2) REIMBURSEMENT.—The Administrator, 
subject to the availability of appropriations, may re-
imburse a Federal agency for assistance provided 
under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(e) LIABILITY FOR COSTS AND DAMAGES TO CORAL 
REEFS.— 
‘‘(1) TREATMENT OF CORAL REEFS UNDER NA-
TIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES ACT.—For purposes 
of the provisions set forth in paragraph (2), and 
subject to paragraph (3), each of the terms ‘sanc-
tuary resources’, ‘resource’, ‘sanctuary resource 
managed under law or regulations for that sanc-
tuary’, ‘national marine sanctuary’, ‘sanctuary re-
sources of the national marine sanctuary’, and ‘sanc-
tuary resources of other national marine sanctuaries’ 
is deemed to include any coral reef that is subject 
to the jurisdiction of the United States or any State, 
without regard to whether such coral reef is located 
in a national marine sanctuary. 
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‘‘(2) APPLICABLE
PROVISIONS
OF
NATIONAL 
MARINE SANCTUARIES ACT.—The provisions referred 
to in paragraph (1) are the following provisions of 
the National Marine Sanctuaries Act: 
‘‘(A) Paragraphs (6) and (7) of section 
302 (16 U.S.C. 1432). 
‘‘(B) Paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of 
section 306 (16 U.S.C. 1436). 
‘‘(C) Section 307 (16 U.S.C. 1437). 
‘‘(D) Section 312 (16 U.S.C. 1443). 
‘‘(3) STATE CONSENT REQUIRED.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—This subsection shall 
not apply to any coral reef that is subject to the 
jurisdiction of a State unless the Governor of 
that State notifies the Secretary that the State 
consents to that application. 
‘‘(B) REVOCATION
OF
CONSENT.—The 
governor of a State may revoke consent under 
subparagraph (A) by notifying the Secretary of 
such revocation. 
‘‘(4) CONSISTENCY WITH INTERNATIONAL LAWS 
AND TREATIES.—Any action taken under the au-
thority of this subsection must be consistent with 
otherwise applicable international laws and treaties. 
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‘‘(5) ACTIONS AUTHORIZED WITH RESPECT TO 
VESSELS.—Actions authorized under this subsection 
include vessel removal, and emergency re-stabiliza-
tion of a vessel and any coral reef that is impacted 
by a vessel.’’. 
SEC. 104. NATIONAL PROGRAM. 
(a) PURPOSE
OF ACT.—Section 202 (16 U.S.C. 
6401) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through 
(5) as paragraphs (3) through (6), respectively, and 
by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: 
‘‘(2) to promote the resilience of coral reef eco-
systems;’’. 
(2) by amending paragraph (4), as so redesig-
nated, to read as follows: 
‘‘(4) to develop sound scientific information on 
the condition of coral reef ecosystems and the 
threats to such ecosystems including large-scale 
threats related to climate change, to benefit local 
communities and the Nation, and to the extent prac-
ticable support and enhance coral reef research ca-
pabilities at local academic institutions;’’; and 
(3) by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at the 
end of paragraph (6), as so redesignated, by striking 
the period at the end of paragraph (6), as so redes-
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ignated, and inserting ‘‘; and’’, and by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(7) to recognize the benefits of healthy coral 
reefs to island and coastal communities and to en-
courage Federal action to ensure, to the maximum 
extent practicable, the continued availability of those 
benefits.’’. 
(b) GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF NATIONAL CORAL 
REEF ACTION STRATEGY.—Section 203(b)(8) (16 U.S.C. 
6402(b)(8)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(8) conservation, including resilience and the 
consideration of island and local traditions and prac-
tices.’’. 
(c) AMENDMENTS RELATING
TO ACTIVITIES TO 
CONSERVE
CORAL
REEFS
AND
CORAL
REEF
ECO-
SYSTEMS.—Section 207(b) (16 U.S.C. 6406(b)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in paragraph (3) by striking ‘‘and’’ after 
the semicolon; 
(2) in paragraph (4)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘cooperative conservation’’ 
and inserting ‘‘cooperative research, conserva-
tion,’’; and 
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(B) by striking ‘‘partners.’’ and inserting 
‘‘partners, including academic institutions lo-
cated in States;’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) improving and promoting the resilience of 
coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems; and 
‘‘(6) activities designed to minimize the likeli-
hood of vessel impacts or other physical damage to 
coral reefs, including those areas identified in sec-
tion 210(b).’’. 
(d) CRITERIA
FOR APPROVAL
OF PROJECT PRO-
POSALS.—Section 204(g) (16 U.S.C. 6403(g)) is further 
amended by striking ‘‘or’’ after the semicolon at the end 
of paragraph (10), by redesignating paragraph (11) as 
paragraph (12), and by inserting after paragraph (10) the 
following: 
‘‘(11) improving and promoting the resilience of 
coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems; or’’. 
(e) DATA ARCHIVE, ACCESS, AND AVAILABILITY.— 
Section 207 (16 U.S.C. 6406) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b) (as amended by subsection 
(b) of this section) by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semi-
colon at the end of paragraph (5), by striking the 
period at the end of paragraph (6) and inserting ‘‘; 
and’’, and by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(7) centrally archiving, managing, and distrib-
uting data sets and providing coral reef ecosystem 
assessments and services to the general public with 
local, regional, or international programs and part-
ners.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) DATA ARCHIVE, ACCESS, AND AVAILABILITY.— 
The Secretary, in coordination with similar efforts at other 
Departments and agencies shall provide for the long-term 
stewardship of environmental data, products, and informa-
tion via data processing, storage, and archive facilities 
pursuant to this title. The Secretary may— 
‘‘(1) archive environmental data collected by 
Federal, State, local agencies and tribal organiza-
tions and federally funded research; 
‘‘(2) promote widespread availability and dis-
semination of environmental data and information 
through full and open access and exchange to the 
greatest extent possible, including in electronic for-
mat on the Internet; 
‘‘(3) develop standards, protocols and proce-
dures for sharing Federal data with State and local 
government programs and the private sector or aca-
demia; and 
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‘‘(4) develop metadata standards for coral reef 
ecosystems in accordance with Federal Geographic 
Data Committee guidelines.’’. 
SEC. 105. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 
Section 208 (16 U.S.C. 6407) is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘SEC. 208. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 
‘‘Not later than March 1, 2010, and every 3 years 
thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives a report describing all activities 
undertaken to implement the strategy, including— 
‘‘(1) a description of the funds obligated by 
each participating Federal agency to advance coral 
reef conservation during each of the 3 fiscal years 
next preceding the fiscal year in which the report is 
submitted; 
‘‘(2) a description of Federal interagency and 
cooperative efforts with States and non-govern-
mental partner organizations to prevent or address 
overharvesting, coastal runoff, or other anthropo-
genic impacts on coral reef ecosystems, including 
projects undertaken with the Department of the In-
terior, the Department of Agriculture, the Environ-
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mental Protection Agency, and the Army Corps of 
Engineers; 
‘‘(3) a summary of the information contained in 
the vessel grounding inventory established under sec-
tion 210, including additional authorization or fund-
ing, needed for response and removal of such vessels; 
‘‘(4) a description of Federal disaster response 
actions taken pursuant to the National Response 
Plan to address damage to coral reefs and coral reef 
ecosystems; and 
‘‘(5) an assessment of the condition of United 
States coral reefs, accomplishments under this Act, 
and the effectiveness of management actions to ad-
dress threats to coral reefs, including actions taken 
to address large-scale threats to coral reef eco-
systems related to climate change.’’. 
SEC. 106. FUND; GRANTS; GROUNDING INVENTORY; CO-
ORDINATION. 
(a) FUND; GRANTS; GROUNDING INVENTORY; CO-
ORDINATION.—The Act (16 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.) is 
amended— 
(1) in section 205(a) (16 U.S.C. 6404(a)), by 
striking ‘‘organization solely’’ and all that follows 
and inserting ‘‘organization— 
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‘‘(1) to support partnerships between the public 
and private sectors that further the purposes of this 
Act and are consistent with the national coral reef 
strategy under section 203; and 
‘‘(2) to address emergency response actions 
under section 206.’’; 
(2) by adding at the end of section 205(b) (16 
U.S.C. 6404(b)) ‘‘The organization is encouraged to 
solicit funding and in-kind services from the private 
sector, including nongovernmental organizations, for 
emergency response actions under section 206 and 
for activities to prevent damage to coral reefs, in-
cluding areas identified in section 210(b)(2).’’; 
(3) in section 205(c) (16 U.S.C. 6404(c)), by 
striking ‘‘the grant program’’ and inserting ‘‘any 
grant program or emergency response action’’; 
(4) by redesignating sections 209 and 210 as 
sections 217 and 218, respectively; and 
(5) by inserting after section 208 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 209. COMMUNITY-BASED PLANNING GRANTS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator may make 
grants to entities that are eligible to receive grants under 
section 204(c) to provide additional funds to such entities 
to work with local communities and through appropriate 
Federal and State entities to prepare and implement plans 
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for the increased protection of coral reef areas identified 
by the community and scientific experts as high priorities 
for focused attention. The plans shall— 
‘‘(1) support attainment of one or more of the 
criteria described in section 204(g); 
‘‘(2) be developed at the community level; 
‘‘(3) utilize where applicable watershed-based or 
ecosystem-based approaches; 
‘‘(4) provide for coordination with Federal and 
State experts and managers; 
‘‘(5) build upon local approaches or models, in-
cluding traditional or island-based resource manage-
ment concepts; and 
‘‘(6) complement local action strategies or re-
gional plans for coral reef conservation. 
‘‘(b) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—The provisions of 
subsections (b), (d), (f), and (h) of section 204 apply to 
grants under subsection (a), except that, for the purpose 
of applying section 204(b)(1) to grants under this section, 
‘75 percent’ shall be substituted for ‘50 percent’. 
‘‘SEC. 210. VESSEL GROUNDING INVENTORY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, in coordina-
tion with other Federal agencies, may maintain an inven-
tory of all vessel grounding incidents involving coral reefs, 
including a description of— 
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