16 U.S.C. § 8426 — Aquatic resource activities assistance

(a) Definitions. This section defines the words used in the rest of the law: - "Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force" means the task force set up by section 4721(a) of this title. - "Decontamination" means actions taken to remove invasive aquatic species so they don't spread to new waters. - "Federal land and water" means land and water run by the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Forest Service, or the National Park Service. - "Indian Tribe" has the meaning given in section 5304 of title 25. - "Inspection" means actions taken to find invasive aquatic species so they don't spread to new waters. - "Partner" means a Reclamation State; an Indian Tribe in a Reclamation State; a nonprofit in a Reclamation State; a local government in a Reclamation State; or a private entity. - "Reclamation State" is a list of 18 named states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. - "Reclamation project" has the meaning given in section 460l-32(3) of this title. - "Secretaries" means two officials acting through their agencies: the Secretary (through the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the National Park Service) and the Secretary of Agriculture (through the Forest Service). - "Vessel" means any watercraft or device built or used to travel on, under, or just above water. (b) Authority of the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, and Forest Service. (1) In general: Each federal land agency's head can inspect and decontaminate boats entering or leaving the federal land and water it manages. (2) Requirements: When doing this, the Secretaries must team up with at least one partner, talk with the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force about ways to do detection and management better, and, as much as possible, inspect and decontaminate boats in a way that doesn't get in the way of clean boats' access to boating and recreation. (3) Partnerships: The Secretaries may partner with a partner to lead, work alongside, or give technical help for inspecting or decontaminating boats, or for setting up an inspection and decontamination station. (4) Limitation: The Secretaries cannot block boat access just because no federal, state, or partner inspection program or station exists there. (5) Exceptions: (A) Nothing here limits the Coast Guard Commandant's power to regulate vessels under other laws. (B) These powers don't apply anywhere they would duplicate work the Coast Guard is already doing. (6) Data sharing: The Secretaries must share with a Reclamation State any relevant data gathered from inspections or decontaminations done in that state. (c) Grant program for Reclamation States. (1) Vessel inspections: If Congress provides the money, the Secretary (through the Commissioner of Reclamation) must set up a competitive grant program giving money to partners to inspect and decontaminate boats on Reclamation projects, including buying, setting up, running, or maintaining an inspection and decontamination station. (2) Cost share: The federal government can pay no more than 75 percent of a grant's cost, including staff costs. (3) Standards: Before giving a grant, the Secretary must confirm the project is workable both technically and financially. (4) Coordination: In running this grant program, the Secretary must coordinate with each Reclamation State, affected Indian Tribes, and the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force.