I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5622 
To reauthorize the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 15, 2006 
Mr. POMBO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on 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. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Coral Reef Conserva-
tion Legacy Act of 2006’’. 
SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF CORAL REEF CONSERVATION 
GRANTS PROGRAM. 
(a) PROJECT DIVERSITY.—Section 204(d) of the 
Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 6403(d)) 
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is amended 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 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) of that 
Act (16 U.S.C. 6403(g)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘or’’ after the semicolon in 
paragraph (9); 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (10) as para-
graph (12); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (9) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(10) activities designed to minimize the likeli-
hood of damage to coral reefs, including the use of 
devices to minimize human impacts on coral reefs; 
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‘‘(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 systems; 
or’’. 
SEC. 3. EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIONS. 
Section 206 of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 
2000 (16 U.S.C. 6404) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 206. EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIONS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator and the Sec-
retary of the Interior may each undertake or authorize ac-
tion within areas under their administrative jurisdiction 
as necessary to prevent or minimize the destruction or loss 
of, or injury to, coral reefs or coral reef ecosystems from 
vessel impacts or other physical damage to coral reefs, in-
cluding damage from unforeseen or disaster-related cir-
cumstances. 
‘‘(b) ACTIONS AUTHORIZED.—Action authorized by 
subsection (a) includes vessel removal and emergency re-
stabilization of the vessel and any impacted coral reef. 
‘‘(c) PARTNERING WITH OTHER AGENCIES.—When 
possible, actions under this section should— 
‘‘(1) be conducted in partnership with other 
government agencies, including— 
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‘‘(A) the Coast Guard, the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency, and the Corps of 
Engineers; and 
‘‘(B) agencies of States and territories of 
the United States; and 
‘‘(2) leverage resources of such other agencies, 
including funding or assistance authorized under 
other Federal laws.’’. 
SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 208 of the Coral Reef 
Conservation Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 6407) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 208. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 
‘‘(a) IMPLEMENTATION
OF STRATEGY.—Not later 
than October 1, 2007, and every 3 years thereafter, the 
Administrator, in consultation with the United States 
Coral Reef Task Force, shall submit to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and 
the Committee on Resources of the House of Representa-
tives a report describing all activities undertaken to imple-
ment 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 
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next preceding the fiscal year in which the report is 
submitted; 
‘‘(2) a description of Federal interagency and 
cooperative efforts with States and United States 
territories to prevent or address overharvesting, 
coastal runoff, or other anthropogenic impacts on 
coral reefs, including projects undertaken with the 
Department of the Interior, Department of Agri-
culture, the Environmental Protection Agency, and 
the Army Corps of Engineers; 
‘‘(3) 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 
‘‘(4) an assessment of accomplishments under 
this Act and the effectiveness of management ac-
tions to address threats to coral reefs. 
‘‘(b) CONDITION OF CORAL REEFS.—Not later than 
October 1, 2008, and every 3 years thereafter, the Admin-
istrator, in consultation with the United States Coral Reef 
Task Force, shall submit to the Committees referred to 
in subsection (a) an assessment of the condition of United 
States coral reefs.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
for the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 
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6401 et seq.) is amended by striking the item relating to 
section 208 and inserting the following: 
‘‘Sec. 208. Report to Congress.’’. 
SEC. 5. FUND; GRANTS; COORDINATION; TASK FORCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Coral Reef Conservation Act 
of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘organization solely’’ and all 
that follows in section 205(a) (16 U.S.C. 6404(a)) 
and inserting ‘‘organization— 
‘‘(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 activities described in section 210(b)(2).’’; 
(3) by striking ‘‘the grant program’’ in section 
205(c) (16 U.S.C. 6404(c)) and inserting ‘‘any 
grant program or emergency response action’’; 
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(4) by redesignating sections 209 and 210 as 
sections 212 and 213, respectively; and 
(5) by inserting after section 208 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 209. COMMUNITY-BASED PLANNING GRANTS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator may make a 
grant to any person that may submit a coral conservation 
proposal under section 204(e) to provide additional funds 
to such person to work with local communities and 
through appropriate Federal and State entities to prepare 
and implement plans for the increased protection of coral 
reef areas identified by the community and the best sci-
entific information available as high priorities for focused 
attention. The plans shall— 
‘‘(1) support attainment of 1 or more of the cri-
teria described in section 204(g); 
‘‘(2) be developed at the community level; 
‘‘(3) utilize watershed-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) compliment local action strategies or other 
regional plans for coral reef conservation. 
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‘‘(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. REGIONAL COORDINATION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall work in 
coordination and collaboration with other Federal agen-
cies, States, and United States territorial governments to 
implement the strategies developed under section 203, in-
cluding regional and local strategies, to address multiple 
threats to coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems such as 
coastal runoff, vessel impacts, and overharvesting. 
‘‘(b) MULTIYEAR COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The 
Administrator may enter into multiyear cooperative agree-
ments with other Federal agencies, States and local gov-
ernments, academic institutions, and nongovernmental or-
ganizations to carry out the activities of the national coral 
reef action strategy. 
‘‘SEC. 211. UNITED STATES CORAL REEF TASK FORCE. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established 
the United States Coral Reef Task Force. 
‘‘(b) GOAL.—The goal of the Task Force shall be to 
lead, coordinate, and strengthen Federal Government ac-
tions to better preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems. 
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‘‘(c) DUTIES.—The duties of the Task Force shall 
be— 
‘‘(1) to coordinate, in cooperation with State, 
territory, commonwealth, and local government part-
ners, and nongovernmental partners if appropriate, 
activities regarding the mapping, monitoring, re-
search, conservation, mitigation, restoration of coral 
reefs and coral reef ecosystems; 
‘‘(2) work with the Secretary of State and the 
Administrator of the Agency for International Devel-
opment, and in coordination with the other members 
of the Task Force, to— 
‘‘(A) assess the United States role in inter-
national trade and protection of coral reef spe-
cies; and 
‘‘(B) implement appropriate strategies and 
actions to promote conservation and sustainable 
use of coral reef resources worldwide. 
‘‘(d) MEMBERSHIP, GENERALLY.—The Task Force 
shall be comprised of— 
‘‘(1) the Secretary of Commerce, acting through 
the Administrator of the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration, and the Secretary of the 
Interior, who shall be co-chairs of the Task Force; 
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‘‘(2) the Administrator of the Agency of Inter-
national Development; 
‘‘(3) the Secretary of Agriculture; 
‘‘(4) the Secretary of Defense; 
‘‘(5) the Secretary of the Army, acting through 
the Corps of Engineers; 
‘‘(6) the Secretary of Homeland Security; 
‘‘(7) the Attorney General; 
‘‘(8) the Secretary of State; 
‘‘(9) the Secretary of Transportation; 
‘‘(10) the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency; 
‘‘(11) the Administrator of the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration; 
‘‘(12) the Director of the National Science 
Foundation; 
‘‘(13) the Governor, or a representative of the 
Governor, of the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands; 
‘‘(14) the Governor, or a representative of the 
Governor, of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; 
‘‘(15) the Governor, or a representative of the 
Governor, of the State of Florida; 
‘‘(16) the Governor, or a representative of the 
Governor, of the State of Hawaii; 
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‘‘(17) the Governor, or a representative of the 
Governor, of the Territory of Guam; 
‘‘(18) the Governor, or a representative of the 
Governor, of the Territory of American Samoa; and 
‘‘(19) the Governor, or a representative of the 
Governor, of the Virgin Islands. 
‘‘(e) NON-VOTING MEMBERS.—The President, or a 
representative of the President, of each of the Freely Asso-
ciated States of the Federated States of Micronesia, the 
Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of 
Palau may appoint a non-voting member of the Task 
Force. 
‘‘(f) WORKING GROUPS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The co-chairs of the Task 
Force may establish working groups as necessary to 
meet the goals and duties of this Act. The Task 
Force may request the co-chairs to establish such a 
working group. 
‘‘(2) PARTICIPATION
BY
NONGOVERNMENTAL 
ORGANIZATIONS.—The co-chairs may allow a non-
governmental organization to participate in such a 
working group. 
‘‘(g) FACA.—The Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Task Force.’’. 
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