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port to Congress submitted pursuant to
subsection (d);
‘‘(ii) make mandatory the require-
ments included in the voluntary guidelines
issued under subsection (c); and
‘‘(iii) provide for the enforcement of
the regulations; and
‘‘(B) may be regional in scope.
‘‘(3) INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS.—The Sec-
retary shall revise regulations promulgated under
this subsection to the extent required to make such
regulations consistent with the treatment of a par-
ticular matter in any international agreement,
agreed to by the United States, governing manage-
ment of the transfer of nonindigenous aquatic spe-
cies by vessel.
‘‘(g) SANCTIONS.—
‘‘(1) CIVIL PENALTIES.—Any person who vio-
lates a regulation promulgated under subsection (b)
or (f) shall be liable for a civil penalty in an amount
not to exceed $25,000. Each day of a continuing vio-
lation constitutes a separate violation. A vessel oper-
ated in violation of the regulations is liable in rem
for any civil penalty assessed under this subsection
for that violation.
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‘‘(2) CRIMINAL PENALTIES.—Any person who
knowingly violates the regulations promulgated
under subsection (b) or (f) is guilty of a class C fel-
ony.
‘‘(3) REVOCATION OF CLEARANCE.—Upon re-
quest of the Secretary, the Secretary of the Treasury
shall withhold or revoke the clearance of a vessel re-
quired by section 4197 of the Revised Statutes (46
U.S.C. App. 91), if the owner or operator of that
vessel is in violation of the regulations issued under
subsection (b) or (f).
‘‘(4) EXCEPTION
TO
SANCTIONS.—This sub-
section does not apply to a failure to exchange bal-
last water if—
‘‘(A) the master of a vessel, acting in good
faith, decides that the exchange of ballast water
will threaten the safety or stability of the vessel,
its crew, or its passengers; and
‘‘(B) the recordkeeping and reporting re-
quirements of the Act are complied with.
‘‘(h) COORDINATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES.—In
carrying out the programs under this section, the Sec-
retary is encouraged to use, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, the expertise, facilities, members, or personnel of
established agencies and organizations that have routine
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contact with vessels, including the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service of the Department of Agri-
culture, the National Cargo Bureau, port administrations,
and ship pilots’ associations.
‘‘(i) CONSULTATION WITH CANADA, MEXICO, AND
OTHER
FOREIGN
GOVERNMENTS.—In developing the
guidelines issued and regulations promulgated under this
section, the Secretary is encouraged to consult with the
Government of Canada, the Government of Mexico, and
any other government of a foreign country that the Sec-
retary, in consultation with the Task Force, determines
to be necessary to develop and implement an effective
international program for preventing the unintentional in-
troduction and spread of nonindigenous species.
‘‘(j) 
INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION.—The 
Sec-
retary, in cooperation with the International Maritime Or-
ganization of the United Nations and the Commission on
Environmental Cooperation established pursuant to the
North American Free Trade Agreement, is encouraged to
enter into negotiations with the governments of foreign
countries to develop and implement an effective inter-
national program for preventing the unintentional intro-
duction and spread of nonindigenous species.
‘‘(k) SAFETY EXEMPTION.—
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‘‘(1) MASTER DISCRETION.—The master of a
vessel is not required to conduct a ballast water ex-
change if the master decides that the exchange
would threaten the safety or stability of the vessel,
its crew, or its passengers because of adverse weath-
er, vessel architectural design, equipment failure, or
any other extraordinary conditions.
‘‘(2) OTHER
REQUIREMENTS.—(A) IN
GEN-
ERAL.—Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a
vessel that does not exchange ballast water on the
high seas under paragraph (1) shall not be restricted
from discharging ballast water in any harbor.
‘‘(B) GREAT LAKES.—Subparagraph (A) shall
not apply in a case in which a vessel is subject to
the regulations issued by the Secretary under sub-
section (b).
‘‘(3) CRUDE
OIL
TANKER
BALLAST
FACILITY
STUDY.—(A) Within 60 days of the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of the department in
which the Coast Guard is operating, in consultation
with the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans
and Atmosphere, affected shoreside ballast water fa-
cility operators, affected crude oil tanker operators,
and interested parties, shall initiate a study of the
effectiveness of existing shoreside ballast water fa-
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cilities used by crude oil tankers in the coastwise
trade off Alaska in preventing the introduction of
nonindigenous aquatic species into the waters off
Alaska, as well as the cost and feasibility of modify-
ing such facilities to improve such effectiveness.
‘‘(B) The study required under subparagraph
(A) shall be submitted to the Congress by no later
than October 1, 1997.
‘‘(l) NON-DISCRIMINATION.—The Secretary shall en-
sure that vessels registered outside of the United States
do not receive more favorable treatment than vessels reg-
istered in the United States when the Secretary performs
studies, reviews compliance, determines effectiveness, es-
tablishes requirements, or performs any other responsibil-
ities under this Act.’’.
(c) NATIONAL BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT IN-
FORMATION.—Section 1102 (16 U.S.C. 4712) is amend-
ed—
(1) by striking the section heading and insert-
ing the following:
‘‘SEC. 1102. NATIONAL BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT IN-
FORMATION.’’;
(2) in subsection (a)—
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(A) in paragraphs (1) and (2), by inserting
‘‘, in cooperation with the Secretary,’’ before
‘‘shall conduct’’ each place it appears;
(B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘Lake
Champlain and other’’ after ‘‘economic uses
of’’;
(3) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the
following:
‘‘(b) ECOLOGICAL AND BALLAST WATER DISCHARGE
SURVEYS.—
‘‘(1) ECOLOGICAL SURVEYS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Task Force, in
cooperation with the Secretary, shall conduct
ecological surveys of the Chesapeake Bay, San
Francisco Bay, and Honolulu Harbor and, as
necessary, of other estuaries of national signifi-
cance and other waters that the Task Force de-
termines—
‘‘(i) to be highly susceptible to inva-
sion by aquatic nuisance species resulting
from ballast water operations and other
operations of vessels; and
‘‘(ii) to require further study.
‘‘(B) REQUIREMENTS
FOR
SURVEYS.—In
conducting the surveys under this paragraph,
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the Task Force shall, with respect to each such
survey—
‘‘(i) examine the attributes and pat-
terns of invasions of aquatic nuisance spe-
cies; and
‘‘(ii) provide an estimate of the effec-
tiveness of ballast water management and
other vessel management guidelines issued
and regulations promulgated under this
subtitle in abating invasions of aquatic nui-
sance species in the waters that are the
subject of the survey.
‘‘(2) BALLAST WATER DISCHARGE SURVEYS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in co-
operation with the Task Force, shall conduct
surveys of ballast water discharge rates and
practices in the waters referred to in paragraph
(1)(A) on the basis of the criteria under clauses
(i) and (ii) of such paragraph.
‘‘(B) REQUIREMENTS
FOR
SURVEYS.—In
conducting the surveys under this paragraph,
the Secretary shall—
‘‘(i) examine the rate of, and trends
in, ballast water discharge in the waters
that are the subject of the survey; and
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‘‘(ii) assess the effectiveness of vol-
untary guidelines issued, and regulations
promulgated, under this subtitle in altering
ballast water discharge practices to reduce
the probability of accidental introductions
of aquatic nuisance species.
‘‘(3) COLUMBIA RIVER.—The Secretary, in co-
operation with the Task Force and academic institu-
tions in each of the States affected, shall conduct an
ecological and ballast water discharge survey of the
Columbia River system consistent with the require-
ments of paragraphs (1) and (2).’’; and
(4) by adding at the end the following new sub-
sections:
‘‘(e) 
REGIONAL
RESEARCH
GRANTS.—Out 
of
amounts appropriated to carry out this subsection for a
fiscal year, the Under Secretary may—
‘‘(1) make available not to exceed $750,000 to
fund research on aquatic nuisance species prevention
and control in the Chesapeake Bay through grants,
to be competitively awarded and subject to peer re-
view, to universities and research institutions;
‘‘(2) make available not to exceed $500,000 to
fund research on aquatic nuisance species prevention
and control in the Gulf of Mexico through grants, to
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be competitively awarded and subject to peer review,
to universities and research institutions;
‘‘(3) make available not to exceed $500,000 to
fund research on aquatic nuisance species prevention
and control for the Pacific Coast through grants, to
be competitively awarded and subject to peer review,
to universities and research institutions;
‘‘(4) make available not to exceed $500,000 to
fund research on aquatic nuisance species prevention
and control for the Atlantic Coast through grants, to
be competitively awarded and subject to peer review,
to universities and research institutions; and
‘‘(5) make available not to exceed $750,000 to
fund research on aquatic nuisance species prevention
and control in the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary
through grants, to be competitively awarded and
subject to peer review, to universities and research
institutions.
‘‘(f) NATIONAL BALLAST INFORMATION CLEARING-
HOUSE.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall develop
and maintain, in consultation and cooperation with
the Task Force and the Smithsonian Institution
(acting through the Smithsonian Environmental Re-
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search Center), a clearinghouse of national data con-
cerning—
‘‘(A) ballasting practices;
‘‘(B) compliance with the guidelines issued
pursuant to section 1101(c); and
‘‘(C) any other information obtained by the
Task Force under subsection (b).
‘‘(2) REPORT.—In consultation and cooperation
with the Task Force and the Smithsonian Institu-
tion (acting through the Smithsonian Environmental
Research Center), the Secretary shall prepare and
submit to the Task Force and the Congress, on a bi-
annual basis, a report that synthesizes and analyzes
the data referred to in paragraph (1) relating to—
‘‘(A) ballast water delivery and manage-
ment; and
‘‘(B) invasions of aquatic nuisance species
resulting from ballast water.’’.
(d) ARMED SERVICES BALLAST WATER PROGRAM;
BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT DEMONSTRATION PRO-
GRAM.—Subtitle B (16 U.S.C. 4701 et seq.) is amended
by adding at the end the following new sections:
‘‘SEC. 1103. ARMED SERVICES BALLAST WATER PROGRAMS.
‘‘(a) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE VESSELS.—Subject
to operational conditions, the Secretary of Defense, in con-
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sultation with the Secretary, the Task Force, and the
International Maritime Organization, shall implement a
ballast water management program for seagoing vessels
of the Department of Defense to minimize the risk of in-
troduction of nonindigenous species from releases of bal-
last water.
‘‘(b) COAST GUARD VESSELS.—Subject to oper-
ational conditions, the Secretary, in consultation with the
Task Force and the International Maritime Organization,
shall implement a ballast water management program for
seagoing vessels of the Coast Guard to minimize the risk
of introduction of nonindigenous species from releases of
ballast water.
‘‘SEC. 1104. BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT DEMONSTRA-
TION PROGRAM.
‘‘(a) TECHNOLOGIES AND PRACTICES DEFINED.—
For purposes of this section, the term ‘technologies and
practices’ means those technologies and practices that—
‘‘(1) may be retrofitted—
‘‘(A) on existing vessels or incorporated in
new vessel designs; and
‘‘(B) on existing land-based ballast water
treatment facilities;
‘‘(2) may be designed into new water treatment
facilities;
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‘‘(3) are operationally practical;
‘‘(4) are safe for a vessel and crew;
‘‘(5) are environmentally sound;
‘‘(6) are cost-effective;
‘‘(7) a vessel operator is capable of monitoring;
and
‘‘(8) are effective against a broad range of
aquatic nuisance species.
‘‘(b) DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—During the 18-month pe-
riod beginning on the date that funds are made
available by appropriations pursuant to section
1301(e), the Secretary of the Interior and the Sec-
retary of Commerce, with the concurrence of and in
cooperation with the Secretary, shall conduct a bal-
last water management demonstration program to
demonstrate technologies and practices to prevent
aquatic nonindigenous species from being introduced
into and spread through ballast water in the Great
Lakes and other waters of the United States.
‘‘(2) LOCATION.—The installation and con-
struction of the technologies and practices used in
the demonstration program conducted under this
subsection shall be performed in the United States.
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‘‘(3) VESSEL
SELECTION.—In demonstrating
technologies and practices on vessels under this sub-
section, the Secretary of the Interior and the Sec-
retary of Commerce, shall—
‘‘(A) use only vessels that—
‘‘(i) are approved by the Secretary;
‘‘(ii) have ballast water systems con-
ducive to testing aboard-vessel or land-
based technologies and practices applicable
to a significant number of merchant ves-
sels; and
‘‘(iii) are—
‘‘(I) publicly or privately owned;
and
‘‘(II) in active use for trade or
other cargo shipment purposes during
the demonstration;
‘‘(B) select vessels for participation in the
program by giving priority consideration—
‘‘(i) first, to vessels documented under
chapter 121 of title 46, United States
Code;
‘‘(ii) second, to vessels that are a ma-
jority owned by citizens of the United
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States, as determined by the Secretary;
and
‘‘(iii) third, to any other vessels that
regularly call on ports in the United
States; and
‘‘(C) seek to use a variety of vessel types,
including vessels that—
‘‘(i) call on ports in the United States
and on the Great Lakes; and
‘‘(ii) are operated along major coasts
of the United States and inland waterways,
including the San Francisco Bay and
Chesapeake Bay.
‘‘(4) SELECTION OF TECHNOLOGIES AND PRAC-
TICES.—In selecting technologies and practices for
demonstration under this subsection, the Secretary
of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall
give priority consideration to technologies and prac-
tices identified as promising by the National Re-
search Council Marine Board of the National Acad-
emy of Sciences in its report on ships’ ballast water
operations issued in July 1996.
‘‘(5) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the
date of enactment of the National Invasive Species
Act of 1996, the Secretary of the Interior and the
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Secretary of Commerce shall prepare and submit a
report to the Congress on the demonstration pro-
gram conducted pursuant to this section. The report
shall include findings and recommendations of the
Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Com-
merce concerning technologies and practices.
‘‘(c) AUTHORITIES; CONSULTATION AND COOPERA-
TION WITH INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION
AND TASK FORCE.—
‘‘(1) AUTHORITIES.—In conducting the dem-
onstration program under subsection (b), the Sec-
retary of the Interior may—
‘‘(A) enter into cooperative agreements
with appropriate officials of other agencies of
the Federal Government, agencies of States and
political subdivisions thereof, and private enti-
ties;
‘‘(B) accept funds, facilities, equipment, or
personnel from other Federal agencies; and
‘‘(C) accept donations of property and
services.
‘‘(2) CONSULTATION AND COOPERATION.—The
Secretary of the Interior shall consult and cooperate
with the International Maritime Organization and
the Task Force in carrying out this section.’’.
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(e) AMENDMENTS TO SUBTITLE C.—
(1) SUBTITLE HEADING.—The heading to sub-
title C (16 U.S.C. 4721 et seq.) is amended to read
as follows:
‘‘Subtitle C—Prevention and Con-
trol of Aquatic Nuisance Species
Dispersal’’.
(2) TASK
FORCE.—Section 1201 (16 U.S.C.
4721) is amended—
(A) in subsection (b)—
(i) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of
paragraph (5);
(ii) by redesignating paragraph (6) as
paragraph (7); and
(iii) by inserting after paragraph (5)
the following new paragraph:
‘‘(6) the Secretary of Agriculture; and’’; and
(B) in subsection (c), by inserting ‘‘the
Chesapeake Bay Program, the San Francisco
Bay-Delta Estuary Program,’’ before ‘‘and
State agencies’’.
(3) RESEARCH
PROGRAM.—Section 1202 (16
U.S.C. 4722) is amended—
(A) in subsection (f)(1)(A), by inserting
‘‘and impacts’’ after ‘‘economic risks’’; and
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(B) in subsection (i)—
(i) in paragraph (1)—
(I) by striking ‘‘(1) IN
GEN-
ERAL.—The Task Force’’ and insert-
ing the following:
‘‘(1) ZEBRA MUSSEL.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Task Force’’;
(II) by striking ‘‘(A) research’’
and inserting the following:
‘‘(i) research’’;
(III) by striking ‘‘(B) tracking’’
and inserting the following:
‘‘(ii) tracking’’;
(IV) by striking ‘‘(C) develop-
ment’’ and inserting the following:
‘‘(iii) development’’; and
(V) by striking ‘‘(D) provision’’
and inserting the following:
‘‘(iv) provision’’;
(ii) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘(2)
PUBLIC FACILITY RESEARCH AND DEVEL-
OPMENT.—’’ and inserting the following:
‘‘(B) PUBLIC
FACILITY
RESEARCH
AND
DEVELOPMENT.—’’;
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(iii) in subparagraph (B) of para-
graph (1), as so redesignated, by striking
the first sentence and inserting the follow-
ing: ‘‘The Assistant Secretary, in consulta-
tion with the Task Force, shall develop a
program of research, technology develop-
ment, and demonstration for the environ-
mentally sound control of zebra mussels in
and around public facilities.’’;
(iv) in paragraph (1), by adding after
subparagraph (B), as so redesignated, the
following new subparagraph:
‘‘(C) VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES.—Not later
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
subparagraph, the Task Force shall develop and
submit to the Secretary voluntary guidelines for
controlling the spread of the zebra mussel and,
if appropriate, other aquatic nuisance species
through recreational activities, including boat-
ing and fishing. Not later than 4 months after
the date of such submission, and after provid-
ing notice and an opportunity for public com-
ment, the Secretary shall issue voluntary guide-
lines that are based on the guidelines developed
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by the Task Force under this subparagraph.’’;
and
(v) by adding at the end the following
new paragraphs:
‘‘(2) DISPERSAL CONTAINMENT ANALYSIS.—
‘‘(A) RESEARCH.—The Administrator of
the Environmental Protection Agency, in co-
operation with the National Science Foundation
and the Task Force, shall provide research
grants on a competitive basis for projects
that—
‘‘(i) identify environmentally sound
methods for controlling the dispersal of
aquatic nuisance species, such as the zebra
mussel; and
‘‘(ii) adhere to research protocols de-
veloped pursuant to subsection (f)(2).
‘‘(B) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Environmental Protection Agency
to carry out this paragraph, $500,000.
‘‘(3) DISPERSAL BARRIER DEMONSTRATION.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Assistant Sec-
retary, in consultation with the Task Force,
shall investigate and identify environmentally
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sound methods for preventing and reducing the
dispersal of aquatic nuisance species between
the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence drainage and
the Mississippi River drainage through the Chi-
cago River Ship and Sanitary Canal, including
any of those methods that could be incorporated
into the operation or construction of the lock
system of the Chicago River Ship and Sanitary
Canal.
‘‘(B) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months
after the date of enactment of this paragraph,
the Assistant Secretary shall issue a report to
the Congress that includes recommendations
concerning—
‘‘(i) which of the methods that are
identified under the study conducted under
this paragraph are most promising with re-
spect to preventing and reducing the dis-
persal of aquatic nuisance species; and
‘‘(ii) ways to incorporate those meth-
ods into ongoing operations of the United
States Army Corps of Engineers that are
conducted at the Chicago River Ship and
Sanitary Canal.
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‘‘(C) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Department of the Army, to
carry out this paragraph, $750,000.
‘‘(4) CONTRIBUTIONS.—To the extent allowable
by law, in carrying out the studies under paragraphs
(2) and (3), the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency and the Secretary of the Army
may enter into an agreement with an interested
party under which that party provides in kind or
monetary contributions for the study.
‘‘(5) 
TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—The 
Great
Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
shall provide technical assistance to appropriate enti-
ties to assist in the research conducted pursuant to
this subsection.’’.
(4) IMPLEMENTATION.—Section 1202(j)(1) (16
U.S.C. 4722(j)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘Not
later than 18 months after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Director’’ and inserting ‘‘The
Director, the Secretary,’’.
(5) REGIONAL COORDINATION.—Section 1203
(16 U.S.C. 4723) is amended—
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(A) by striking the section heading and in-
serting the following:
‘‘SEC. 1203. REGIONAL COORDINATION.’’;
(B) in subsection (a)—
(i) by striking ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—
Not’’ and inserting the following:
‘‘(a) GREAT LAKES PANEL.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not’’;
(ii) by striking ‘‘(1) identify’’ and in-
serting the following:
‘‘(A) identify’’;
(iii) by striking ‘‘(2) make’’ and in-
serting the following:
‘‘(B) make’’;
(iv) by striking ‘‘(3) assist’’ and in-
serting the following:
‘‘(C) assist’’;
(v) by striking ‘‘(4) coordinate’’ and
inserting the following:
‘‘(D) coordinate’’;
(vi) by striking ‘‘(5) provide’’ and in-
serting the following:
‘‘(E) provide’’;
(vii) by striking ‘‘(6) submit’’ and in-
serting the following:
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‘‘(F) submit’’;
(viii) in paragraph (1), as so redesig-
nated—
(I) in the matter preceding sub-
paragraph (A), by inserting ‘‘region’’
before ‘‘representatives’’; and
(II) 
in 
subparagraphs 
(A)
through (F), by striking ‘‘Great
Lakes’’ each place it appears and in-
serting ‘‘Great Lakes region’’;
(C) by striking ‘‘(b) CONSULTATION.—The
Task Force’’ and inserting the following:
‘‘(2) CONSULTATION.—The Task Force’’;
(D) by striking ‘‘(c) CANADIAN PARTICIPA-
TION.—The panel’’ and inserting the following:
‘‘(3) CANADIAN PARTICIPATION.—The panel’’;
(E) in paragraphs (2) and (3) of sub-
section (a), as so redesignated, by striking ‘‘this
section’’ and inserting ‘‘this subsection’’; and
(F) by adding at the end the following new
subsections:
‘‘(b) WESTERN REGIONAL PANEL.—Not later than
30 days after the date of enactment of the National
Invasive Species Act of 1996, the Task Force shall request
a Western regional panel, comprised of Western region
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representatives from Federal, State, and local agencies
and from private environmental and commercial interests,
to—
‘‘(1) identify priorities for the Western region
with respect to aquatic nuisance species;
‘‘(2) make recommendations to the Task Force
regarding an education, monitoring (including in-
spection), prevention, and control program to pre-
vent the spread of the zebra mussel west of the
100th Meridian pursuant to section 1202(i) of this
Act;
‘‘(3) coordinate, where possible, other aquatic
nuisance species program activities in the Western
region that are not conducted pursuant to this Act;
‘‘(4) develop an emergency response strategy
for Federal, State, and local entities for stemming
new invasions of aquatic nuisance species in the re-
gion;
‘‘(5) provide advice to public and private indi-
viduals and entities concerning methods of prevent-
ing and controlling aquatic nuisance species infesta-
tions; and
‘‘(6) submit annually a report to the Task
Force describing activities within the Western region
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related to aquatic nuisance species prevention, re-
search, and control.
‘‘(c) ADDITIONAL REGIONAL PANELS.—The Task
Force shall—
‘‘(1) encourage the development and use of re-
gional panels and other similar entities in regions in
addition to the Great Lakes and Western regions
(including providing financial assistance for the de-
velopment and use of such entities) to carry out,
with respect to those regions, activities that are
similar to the activities described in subsections (a)
and (b); and
‘‘(2) cooperate with regional panels and similar
entities that carry out the activities described in
paragraph (1).’’.
(6) 
STATE
OR
INTERSTATE
WATERSHED
AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES MANAGEMENT PLAN.—
Section 1204 (16 U.S.C. 4724) is amended—
(A) in subsection (a)—
(i) by striking the subsection designa-
tion and heading and inserting the follow-
ing:
‘‘(a) STATE
OR INTERSTATE INVASIVE SPECIES
MANAGEMENT PLANS.—’’;
(ii) in paragraph (1)—
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(I) by striking the matter preced-
ing subparagraph (A) and inserting
the following:
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—After providing notice and
opportunity for public comment, the Governor of
each State may prepare and submit, or the Gov-
ernors of the States and the governments of the In-
dian tribes involved in an interstate organization,
may jointly prepare and submit—’’;
(II) in subparagraph (A), by
striking ‘‘technical and financial as-
sistance’’ and inserting ‘‘technical, en-
forcement, or financial assistance (or
any combination thereof)’’; and
(III) in subparagraphs (A) and
(B), by inserting ‘‘or within the inter-
state region involved’’ after ‘‘within
the State’’ each place it appears;
(iii) in paragraph (2)—
(I) in subparagraph (B), by
striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of the sub-
paragraph;
(II) by redesignating subpara-
graph (C) as subparagraph (D);
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(III) by inserting after subpara-
graph (B) the following:
‘‘(C) identify any authority that the State
(or any State or Indian tribe involved in the
interstate organization) does not have at the
time of the development of the plan that may
be necessary for the State (or any State or In-
dian tribe involved in the interstate organiza-
tion) to protect public health, property, and the
environment from harm by aquatic nuisance
species; and’’; and
(IV) in subparagraph (D), as so
redesignated, by inserting ‘‘, and ena-
bling legislation’’ before the period;
(iv) in paragraph (3)—
(I) in subparagraph (A)—
(aa) by inserting ‘‘or inter-
state organization’’ after ‘‘the
State’’; and
(bb) by inserting ‘‘Indian
tribes,’’ after ‘‘local governments
and regional entities,’’; and
(II) in subparagraph (B), by in-
serting ‘‘or the appropriate official of
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an interstate organization’’ after ‘‘a
State’’; and
(v) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘or
the interstate organization’’ after ‘‘the
Governor’’;
(B) in subsection (b)(1)—
(i) by striking ‘‘or the Assistant Sec-
retary, as appropriate under subsection
(a),’’; and
(ii) by striking ‘‘approved manage-
ment plans’’ and inserting ‘‘management
plans approved under subsection (a)’’; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
‘‘(c) ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE.—Upon request of
a State or Indian tribe, the Director or the Under Sec-
retary, to the extent allowable by law and in a manner
consistent with section 141 of title 14, United States
Code, may provide assistance to a State or Indian tribe
in enforcing an approved State or interstate invasive spe-
cies management plan.’’.
(f) AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section
1301 (16 U.S.C. 4741) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—