An Act to authorize the Secretaries of Interior and the Smithsonian Institution to expend certain sums, in cooperation with the territory of Guam, the territory of American Samoa, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, other U.S. territories in the P
PL 91-427 (S.3153), enacted 09/26/1970

884 
PUBLIC LAW 91-427-SEPT. 26, 1970 
[84 STAT. 
Return to U.S. 
as surplus prop-
erty. 
63 Stat. 384; 
66 Stat. 593; 
70 Stat, 493; 
69 Stat. 430. 
40 u s e 483, 
484. 
"(c) Under sucli regulations as the Administrator shall prescribe 
pursuant to this subsection, any foreign excess property may be 
returned to the United States for handling as excess or surplus prop-
erty under the provisions of sections 202, 203(j), and 203(1) of this 
Act whenever the head of the executive agency concerned determines 
that it is in the interest of the United States to do so: Provided^ That 
regulations prescribed pursuant to this subsection shall require that 
the transportation costs incident to such return shall be borne by the 
Federal agency, State agency, or donee receiving the property." 
Approved September 26, 1970. 
September 26, 1970 
[S. 3153] 
Public Law 91-427 
AN ACT 
To authorize the Set-retaries of Interior and the Smithsonian Institution to 
expend certain sums, in cooperation with the territory of Guam, the terri-
tory of American Samoa, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, other 
United States territories in the Pacific Ocean, and the State of Hawaii, for 
the conservation of their protective and productive {X)iral reefs. 
Pacific islands, 
coral reefs, con-
servation. 
Seastar "Crown 
of Thorns", 
investigation and 
Control. 
Appropriation. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress a^semhled^ That, for the pur-
pose of conserving and protecting coral reef resources of the tropical 
islands of interest and concern to the United States in the Pacific and 
safeguarding critical island areas from possible erosion and to safe-
guard future recreational and esthetic uses of Pacific coral reefs, the 
Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu-
tion are authorized to cooperate with and provide assistance to the 
governments of the State of Hawaii, the territories and possessions of 
the United States, including Guam and American Samoa^ the Trust 
Territory of the Pacific Islands, and other island possessions of the 
Ignited States, in the study and control of the seastar "Crown of 
Thorns'' (Acanthaster planci). 
SEC. 2. In carrying out the purposes of this Act, the Secretary of the 
Interior and the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution are author-
ized to— 
(1) conduct such studies, research, and investigations, as they 
deem desirable to determine the causes of the population increase 
of the "Crown of Thorns", their effects on corals and coral reefs, 
and the stability and regeneration of reefs following predation; 
(2) to monitor areas where the "Crown of Thorns'" may be 
increasing in numbers and to determine future needs for control; 
(3) to develop improved methods of control and to carry out 
programs of control in areas where these are deemed necessary; 
and 
(4) to take such other actions as deemed desirable to gain an 
understanding of the ecology and control of the seastar "(^rown 
of Thorns". 
SEC. 3. For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act, 
there is authorized to be appropriated for the period commencing on 
the date of its enactment and ending June 30, 1975, not to exceed 
$4,5'0<),0<)0. 
Approved September 26, 1970.