Sec. 509. Asian carp prevention and control pilot program

631 words·~3 min read·/bill/116/s/1811/eah/section-509

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The Secretary, in conjunction with the Tennessee Valley Authority and other relevant Federal agencies, shall carry out an Asian carp prevention pilot program to carry out projects to manage and prevent the spread of Asian carp using innovative technologies, methods, and measures. Each project under the pilot program shall be carried out in a river system or reservoir in the Cumberland River Watershed or Tennessee River Watershed in which Asian carp populations are expanding or have been documented.

In selecting projects to carry out under the pilot program, the Secretary shall consult with— applicable Federal, State, and local agencies; institutions of higher education; and relevant private organizations, including nonprofit organizations. The Secretary may select not more than 10 projects to carry out under the pilot program. Not later than September 30, 2024, the Secretary shall complete projects selected to be carried out under the pilot program. In carrying out the pilot program, to the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall consider existing best practices, such as those described in the document of the Asian Carp Working Group of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force entitled Management and Control Plan for Bighead, Black, Grass, and Silver Carps in the United States and dated November 2007.

The Federal share of the costs of a project carried out under the program may not exceed 75 percent of the total costs of the project. After the completion of a project under the pilot program, the Federal share of the costs for operation, maintenance, rehabilitation, and repair of the project shall be 100 percent. For projects carried out in reservoirs owned or managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Secretary and the Tennessee Valley Authority shall execute a memorandum of agreement establishing the framework for a partnership and the terms and conditions for sharing expertise and resources.

The Secretary is authorized to accept and expend funds from the Tennessee Valley Authority to complete any work under this section at a reservoir owned or managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the results of the pilot program, including an analysis of the effectiveness of the innovative technologies, methods, and measures used in projects carried out under the pilot program at preventing the spread, or managing the eradicating of, Asian carp.

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $25,000,000, to remain available until expended. The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, shall establish a program to provide financial assistance to States to implement measures, including for management, research, and public education activities, necessary to eradicate the Asian carp. A State is eligible to receive financial assistance under this subsection if such State has demonstrated to the Secretary of the Interior sufficient need to implement measures to eradicate the Asian carp.

In providing financial assistance under the program, the Secretary of the Interior shall give priority to States in the Cumberland River Watershed or the Tennessee River Watershed in which Asian carp populations are expanding or have been documented. The Federal share of the costs of activities carried out under the program may not exceed 80 percent of the total costs of such activities. The non-Federal share of the costs of activities carried out under the program may be provided in the form of in-kind contributions of materials or services.

Not more than 5 percent of financial assistance provided by the Secretary of the Interior under this subsection may be used for administrative expenses. There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out this subsection $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.