To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a grant program to support the restoration of coral reefs in South Florida.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7973 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7973

  To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a grant program to 
        support the restoration of coral reefs in South Florida.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 12, 2024

  Mr. Gimenez (for himself and Ms. Wasserman Schultz) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
                               Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a grant program to 
        support the restoration of coral reefs in South Florida.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SOUTH FLORIDA CORAL REEF RESTORATION GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a grant program to 
award amounts to eligible entities--
            (1) to carry out coral reef restoration activities in South 
        Florida; or
            (2) to reimburse such eligible entities for amounts spent 
        by such eligible entities to carry out coral reef restoration 
        activities in South Florida within the 5 years preceding the 
        date on which such eligible entities are awarded a grant under 
        this section.
    (b) Applications.--To be eligible for a grant under this section, 
an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application in such 
form, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary 
determines appropriate.
    (c) Grant Amount Limitation.--The Secretary may not award any 
single eligible entity more than $1,000,000 under this section in a 
single fiscal year.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $5,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Coral reef restoration activity.--The term ``coral reef 
        restoration activity'' means--
                    (A) the sexual propagation of coral to increase 
                diversity of genetic-based resiliency in support of 
                coral restoration; and
                    (B) the evacuation, rehabilitation, and re-
                deployment of coral fragments.
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity''--
                    (A) means--
                            (i) a State;
                            (ii) a local municipality;
                            (iii) a nonprofit organization; and
                            (iv) a nongovernmental organization; and
                    (B) includes the Mote Marine Laboratory.
            (3) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit 
        organization'' means an organization--
                    (A) described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal 
                Revenue Code of 1968; and
                    (B) exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of 
                such Code.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National 
        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
            (5) South florida.--The term ``South Florida'' means--
                    (A) all land and water within the administrative 
                boundaries of the South Florida Water Management 
                District;
                    (B) regional coastal waters, including Biscayne 
                Bay, the Caloosahatchee Estuary, Florida Bay, Indian 
                River Lagoon, and St. Lucie River Estuary; and
                    (C) the Florida Reef Tract.
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