Great ape conservation assistance

Subject to the availability of funds and in consultation with other appropriate Federal officials, the Secretary shall use amounts in the Fund to provide financial assistance for projects for the conservation of great apes for which project proposals are approved by the Secretary in accordance with this section. A proposal for a project for the conservation of great apes may be submitted to the Secretary by— A project proposal shall include— a concise description of— The Secretary shall— Not later than 180 days after receiving a project proposal, and subject to the availability of funds, the Secretary, after consulting with other appropriate Federal officials, shall— The Secretary may approve a project proposal under this section if the project will enhance programs for conservation of great apes by assisting efforts to— develop sound scientific information on, or methods for monitoring— To the maximum extent practicable, in determining whether to approve project proposals under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to conservation projects that are designed to ensure effective, long-term conservation of great apes and their habitats. In determining whether to approve project proposals under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to projects for which matching funds are available. Each person that receives assistance under this section for a project shall submit to the Secretary periodic reports (at such intervals as the Secretary considers necessary) that include all information that the Secretary, after consultation with other appropriate government officials, determines is necessary to evaluate the progress and success of the project for the purposes of ensuring positive results, assessing problems, and fostering improvements. Reports under paragraph (1), and any other documents relating to projects for which financial assistance is provided under this chapter, shall be made available to the public. Amounts provided as a grant under this chapter— Not later than 1 year after March 12, 2019, and every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary may convene a panel of experts on great apes to identify the greatest needs and priorities for the conservation of great apes. The Secretary shall ensure that the panel referred to in paragraph (1) includes, to the maximum extent practicable, 1 or more representatives— In identifying the conservation needs and priorities under paragraph (1), the panel referred to in that paragraph shall consider any relevant great ape conservation plan or strategy, including scientific research and findings relating to— Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary may use amounts available to the Secretary to pay for the costs of convening and facilitating any meeting of the panel referred to in paragraph (1). Chapter 10 of title 5 shall not apply to a panel convened under paragraph (1). The Secretary may award to a person who is otherwise eligible for a grant under this section a multiyear grant of up to 5 years to carry out a project that the person demonstrates is an effective, long-term conservation strategy for great apes and the habitat of great apes. Nothing in this subsection precludes the Secretary from awarding a grant on an annual basis.