16 U.S.C. § 460ss–5 — Appropriations

(a) Authorization: Congress authorized $21,000,000 for the Department of the Interior, for the period from October 1, 1986, through September 30, 2006. This money pays for designing, building, running, and maintaining the program^*, and for paying travel expenses under sections 460ss–2(j) and 460ss–3(i). Money appropriated this way stays available until it's spent, or until October 1, 2006, whichever comes first.
(b) Cost-sharing:
(1) At least 50 percent of the cost of developing and running the program must come from one or more non-federal sources, in a way and on a timeline the Secretary^* considers appropriate. "Non-federal source" includes a state or local government, any private organization, and any individual.
(2) Besides cash, the Secretary must also count as a non-federal financial contribution the value of in-kind contributions and of real and personal property that a non-federal source provides to help run the program. The Secretary's valuations under this rule are final and cannot be challenged in court.
(3) In-kind contributions can include, but aren't limited to, services performed by volunteers.
(4) The Secretary must write regulations setting: (A) the training, experience, and other qualifications volunteers need for their services to count as in-kind contributions; and (B) the standards for valuing in-kind contributions and property under paragraph (2).
(5) The Secretary cannot count federal money that a state or local government spends -- directly or indirectly -- on the program as a non-federal contribution.