Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 02-22-11 regular — reading text

resulting hydrocarbon releases into the environment. C) AUTHORIZED USES- The Fund shall be available to the Chair for the conservation, protection, and restoration of the Gulf Coast ecosystem in accordance with State Coastal Ecosystem Restoration Plans submittec by the Governors and approved by the Chair under this section. 3) DISBURSEMENT- The Chair shall disburse to each qualifying State for which the Chair has approved a State Coastal Ecosystem Restoration Plan under this section such funds as are allocated to the qualifying State under this section. 4) USE OF FUNDS BY QUALIFYING STATE- A qualifying State shall use all amounts received under this section, including any amount deposited in trust fund that is administered by the State and dedicated to uses consistent with this section, in accordance with all applicable Federal and State law, only for 1 or more of the following purposes: A) Projects and activities for the conservation, protection, or restoration of coastal areas, including wetlands. B) Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources. C) Planning assistance and the administrative costs of complying with this section. D) Implementation of a federally approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive conservation management plan c) State Coastal Ecosystem Restoration Plan- 1) SUBMISSION OF STATE PLANS- A) IN GENERAL- Not later than October if 2011, the Governor of a qualifying State shall submit to the Chair a State Coastal Ecosystem Restoration Plan. B) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION- In carrying out subparagraph ( A), the Governor shall solicit local input and provide for public participation in the development of the plan. 2) APPROVAL- http:// www. govtrack .us /congress/ billtext.xpd ?bill =h 112 -56 Read The Bill: H.R. 56 - GovTrack.us Page 4 of A) IN GENERAL- The Chair must approve a plan of a qualifying State submitted under paragraph ( 1) before disbursing any amount tc the qualifying State under this section. B) REQUIRED COMPONENTS- The Chair shall approve a plan submitted by a qualifying State under paragraph ( 1) if -- i) the Chair determines that the plan is consistent with the uses described in subsection ( b); and ii) the plan contains— I) the name of the State agency that will have the authority to represent and act on behalf of the State in dealing with the Secretary for purposes of this section; II) a program for the implementation of the plan that describes how the amounts provided under this section to the qualifying State will be used; and III) a certification by the Governor that ample opportunity has been provided for public participation in the development and revision of the plan. 3) AMENDMENTS- Any amendment to a plan submitted under paragraph ( 1) shall be -- A) developed in accordance with this subsection; and B) submitted to the Chair for approval or disapproval under paragraph ( 4). 4) PROCEDURE- Not later than 60 days after the date on which a plan or amendment to a plan is submitted under paragraph ( 1) or ( 3), respectively, the Chair shall approve or disapprove th plan or amendment. d) Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force- 1) ESTABLISHMENT- There is established the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force. 2) MEMBERSHIP- The Task Force shall consist of the following members, or in the case of a Federal agency, a designee at the level of Assistant Secretary or the equivalent: A) The Secretary. B) The Secretary of Commerce. http:// www.govtrack .us /congress/ billtext.xpd ?bill =h 112 -56 Read The Bill: H.R. 56 - GovTrack.us Page 5 o., . C) The Secretary of the Army. D) The Attorney General. E) The Secretary of Homeland Security. F) The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. G) The Commandant of the Coast Guard. H) The Secretary of Transportation. I) The Secretary of Agriculture. J) A representative of each affected Indian tribe, appointed by the Secretary based on the recommendations of the tribal chairman. K) Two representatives of each of the States of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, appointed by the Governor of each State, respectively. L) Two representatives of local