Ruth D. Gates Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program

Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator shall establish a program (to be known as the “Ruth D. Gates Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program”) to provide grants for projects for the conservation and restoration of coral reef ecosystems (in this section referred to as “coral reef projects”) pursuant to proposals approved by the Administrator in accordance with this section. Except as provided in paragraph (3), Federal funds for any coral reef project for which a grant is provided under subsection (a) may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the project. The non-Federal share of the cost of a coral reef project may be provided by in-kind contributions and other noncash support. The Administrator may waive all or part of the matching requirement under paragraph (1) if the Administrator determines that no reasonable means are available through which an applicant can meet the matching requirement with respect to a coral reef project and the probable benefit of the project outweighs the public interest in the matching requirement. An entity described in paragraph (2) may submit to the Administrator a proposal for a coral reef project. An entity described in this paragraph is— Each proposal for a grant under this section for a coral reef project shall include the following: The Administrator shall review each coral reef project proposal submitted under this section to determine if the project meets the criteria set forth in subsection (f). The Administrator shall prioritize the awarding of funding for projects that meet the criteria for approval described in— Not later than 180 days after receiving a proposal for a coral reef project under this section, the Administrator shall— The Administrator may not approve a proposal for a coral reef project under this section unless the project— is consistent with— will enhance the conservation and restoration of coral reefs by— developing and maintaining ex situ coral propagation nurseries and land-based coral gene banks to— To the extent practicable based upon proposals for coral reef projects submitted to the Administrator, the Administrator shall ensure that funding for grants awarded under this section during a fiscal year is distributed as follows: To the extent there are viable applications made by eligible coral reef stewardship partners, not more than 67 percent of funds distributed in each region in accordance with paragraphs (1) and (2) may be made exclusively available to projects that are— The Administrator may consult with the Secretary of the Interior and the Task Force to obtain guidance in establishing priorities and evaluating proposals for coral reef projects under this section.