Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1390
Sponsor: Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2005-07-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Atlantic Ocean
Authorization
Caribbean area
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Coral reefs
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Environmental education
Environmental monitoring
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Fishing boats
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Grants-in-aid
Gulf of Mexico
Latin America
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine ecology
Marine pollution
Marine resources conservation
Marine safety
Navigational aids
Nongovernmental organizations
Nonprofit organizations
Oceanographic research
Salvage
Science, Technology, Communications
Ships
Social Welfare
Transportation and Public Works
Water pollution control

Summary:
action_date: 2005-07-13
text: 
Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2005 - Amends the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 to revise the distribution of federal funds for grants under the coral reef conservation program to reduce from at least 40% to at least 30% the amount of such funds awarded for coral reef conservation projects in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea within the maritime areas and zones subject to U.S. jurisdiction or control. Extends the award of remaining funds, in addition to projects addressing emerging priorities or threats, to other appropriate projects, as determined by the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including monitoring and assessment, research, pollution reduction, education, and technical support.
 
Prohibits the Administrator from approving a coral reef conservation project unless it is consistent with a certain coral reef action strategy and will enhance conservation by: (1) minimizing vessel impacts on coral reefs; and (2) promoting and assisting entities to work with local communities, and appropriate governmental and nongovernmental organizations, to support community-based planning and management initiatives for the protection of coral reef systems.
 
Authorizes the Administrator to undertake emergency response actions to prevent or minimize the destruction or loss of, or injury to, coral reefs or coral ecosystems from vessel impacts or other physical damage to coral reefs.
 
Authorizes under the national program to conserve coral reefs and coral ecosystems any activities designed to minimize the likelihood of vessel impacts or other physical damage to coral reefs, including activities to identify certain at-risk coral reefs.
 
Authorizes the Administrator to make community-based planning grants to certain entities to work with local communities and appropriate federal and state entities to implement plans for increased protection of high priority coral reefs.
 
Authorizes the Administrator to: (1) maintain an inventory of all vessel grounding accidents involving coral reef resources; and (2) identify certain at-risk coral reefs that have a high incidence of vessel impacts, including appropriate measures to reduce such impacts.
 
Reauthorizes the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 and authorizes appropriations through FY2012 for: (1) the coral reef conservation program; and (2) community-based planning grants.

action_date: 2005-11-17
text: 
Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2005 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 to extend the award of remaining grant funds under the coral reef conservation program, in addition to projects addressing emerging priorities or threats, to other appropriate projects, as identified by the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including monitoring and assessment, research, pollution reduction, education, and technical support.
 
Prohibits the Administrator from approving a coral reef conservation project unless it is consistent with a certain coral reef action strategy and will enhance conservation by: (1) promoting activities designed to minimize vessel impacts on coral reefs; and (2) promoting and assisting entities to work with local communities, and appropriate governmental and nongovernmental organizations, to support community-based planning and management initiatives for the protection of coral reef systems.
 
(Sec. 3) Authorizes the Administrator to undertake emergency response actions to prevent or minimize the destruction or loss of, or injury to, coral reefs or coral ecosystems from vessel impacts or other physical damage to coral reefs, including damage from unforeseen or disaster-related circumstances.
 
Requires the Administrator to partner with other specified federal agecnies and to leverage their resources for such purposes.
 
(Sec. 4) Authorizes under the national program to conserve coral reefs and coral ecosystems any activities designed to minimize the likelihood of vessel impacts or other physical damage to coral reefs, including activities to identify certain at-risk coral reefs.
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Administrator to report triennially to Congress on all activities undertaken to implement the national coral reef action strategy, including: (1) a description of funds obligated by each participating federal agency to advance coral reef conservation; (2) a description of federal interagency and cooperative efforts with states and U.S. territories to prevent overharvesting, coastal runoff, or other anthropogenic impacts on coral reefs; (3) a summary of the information contained in the vessel grounding inventory, including additional funding, needed for response and removal of such vessels; (4) a description of federal disaster response actions taken under the National Response Plan to address damage to coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems; and (5) an assessment of the condition of U.S. coral reefs, accomplishments under this Act, and the effectiveness of management actions to address threats to coral reefs.
 
(Sec. 6) Requires a nonprofit organization that receives project funds from the Coral Reef Conservation Fund to use them to address emergency response actions to prevent or minimize the destruction or loss of, or injury to, coral reefs or coral ecosystems from vessel impacts or other physical damage to coral reefs. Urges such organizations to solicit funding and in-kind services from the private sector (including nongovernmental organizations).
 
Authorizes the Administrator to make community-based planning grants to certain entities to work with local communities and appropriate federal and state entities to implement plans for increased protection of high priority coral reefs.
 
Authorizes the Administrator to: (1) maintain an inventory of all vessel grounding accidents involving coral reef resources; and (2) identify certain at-risk coral reefs that have a high incidence of vessel impacts, including appropriate measures to reduce such impacts.
 
Directs the Administrator to work in coordination with other federal agencies, states, and U.S. territorial governments to implement the national coral reef action strategies (including regional and local strategies) to address multiple threats to coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems such as coastal runoff, vessel impacts, and overharvesting.
 
(Sec. 7) Reauthorizes the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 and authorizes appropriations through FY2012 for: (1) the coral reef conservation program; and (2) community-based planning grants.

action_date: 2005-12-15
text: 
Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2005 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 to extend the award of remaining grant funds under the coral reef conservation program, in addition to projects addressing emerging priorities or threats, to other appropriate projects, as identified by the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including monitoring and assessment, research, pollution reduction, education, and technical support.
 
Prohibits the Administrator from approving a coral reef conservation project unless it is consistent with a certain coral reef action strategy and will enhance conservation by: (1) promoting activities designed to minimize vessel impacts on coral reefs; and (2) assisting entities to work with local communities, and appropriate governmental and nongovernmental organizations, to support community-based planning and management initiatives for the protection of coral reef systems.
 
(Sec. 3) Authorizes the Administrator to undertake emergency response actions to prevent or minimize the destruction or loss of, or injury to, coral reefs or coral ecosystems from vessel impacts, derelict fishing gear, vessel anchors and anchor chains, or damage from unforeseen or disaster-related circumstances.
 
Requires the Administrator, when possible, to partner with other specified federal agencies and to leverage their resources for such purposes.
 
(Sec. 4) Authorizes, under the national program to conserve coral reefs and coral ecosystems, any activities designed to minimize the likelihood of vessel impacts or other physical damage to coral reefs, including activities to identify certain at-risk coral reefs.
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Administrator to report triennially to Congress on all activities undertaken to implement the national coral reef action strategy, including: (1) a description of funds obligated by each participating federal agency to advance coral reef conservation; (2) a description of federal interagency and cooperative efforts with states and U.S. territories to prevent overharvesting, coastal runoff, or other anthropogenic impacts on coral reefs; (3) a summary of the information contained in the vessel grounding inventory, including additional funding, needed for response and removal of such vessels; (4) a description of federal disaster response actions taken under the National Response Plan to address damage to coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems; and (5) an assessment of the condition of U.S. coral reefs, accomplishments under this Act, and the effectiveness of management actions to address threats to coral reefs.
 
(Sec. 6) Requires a nonprofit organization that receives project funds from the Coral Reef Conservation Fund to use them to address emergency response actions to prevent or minimize the destruction or loss of, or injury to, coral reefs or coral ecosystems from vessel impacts or other physical damage to coral reefs. Urges such organizations to solicit funding and in-kind services from the private sector (including nongovernmental organizations).
 
Authorizes the Administrator to make community-based planning grants to certain entities to work with local communities and appropriate federal and state entities to implement plans for increased protection of high priority coral reefs.
 
Authorizes the Administrator to: (1) maintain an inventory of all vessel grounding accidents involving coral reef resources; and (2) identify certain at-risk coral reefs that have a high incidence of vessel impacts, including appropriate measures to reduce such impacts.
 
Directs the Administrator to work in coordination with other federal agencies, states, and U.S. territorial governments to implement the national coral reef action strategies (including regional and local strategies) to address multiple threats to coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems such as coastal runoff, vessel impacts, and overharvesting.
 
(Sec. 7) Reauthorizes the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 and authorizes appropriations through FY2012 for: (1) the coral reef conservation program; and (2) community-based planning grants.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-12-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
action_date: 2005-12-15
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2005-12-15
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2005-12-15
text: Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S13685-13686)
action_date: 2005-12-15
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.(text: CR S13685-13686)
action_date: 2005-12-15
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S13684-13686; text of measure as reported in Senate: CR S13684-13685)
action_date: 2005-11-17
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 294.
action_date: 2005-11-17
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Stevens with amendments. With written report No. 109-182.
action_date: 2005-11-17
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Stevens with amendments. With written report No. 109-182.
action_date: 2005-07-21
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2005-07-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8234-8235)
action_date: 2005-07-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8233-8234)
action_date: 2005-07-13
text: Introduced in Senate