Sec. 7004. COASTAL LOUISIANA ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION AND RESTORATION TASK FORCE

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## SEC. 7004 COASTAL LOUISIANA ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION AND RESTORATION TASK FORCE ###

(a)Establishment There is established a task force to be known as the Coastal Louisiana Ecosystem Protection and Restoration Task Force (in this section referred to as the “Task Force”). ###

(b)Membership The Task Force shall consist of the following members (or, in the case of the head of a Federal agency, a designee of the head of the agency at the level of Assistant Secretary or an equivalent level): ####

(1)The Secretary. ####

(2)The Secretary of the Interior. ####

(3)The Secretary of Commerce. ####

(4)The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. ####

(5)The Secretary of Agriculture. ####

(6)The Secretary of Transportation. ####

(7)The Secretary of Energy. ####

(8)The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. ####

(9)The Commandant of the Coast Guard. ####

(10)The Chair of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana. ####

(11)Two representatives of the State of Louisiana selected by the Governor. ###

(c)Duties The Task Force shall make recommendations to the Secretary regarding— ####

(1)policies, strategies, plans, programs, projects, and activities for addressing conservation, protection, restoration, and maintenance of the coastal Louisiana ecosystem; ####

(2)financial participation by each agency represented on the Task Force in conserving, protecting, restoring, and maintaining the coastal Louisiana ecosystem, including recommendations— #####

(A)that identify funds from current agency missions and budgets; and #####

(B)for coordinating individual agency budget requests; and ####

(3)the comprehensive plan to be developed under section 7002(a). ###

(d)Report The Task Force shall submit to Congress a biennial report that summarizes the activities and recommendations of the Task Force. ###

(e)Working Groups ####

(1)General authority The Task Force may establish such working groups as the Task Force determines to be necessary to assist the Task Force in carrying out this section. ####

(2)Hurricanes katrina and rita #####

(A)Integration team The Task Force shall establish a working group for the purpose of advising the Task Force of opportunities to integrate the planning, engineering, design, implementation, and performance of Corps of Engineers projects for hurricane and storm damage reduction, flood damage reduction, ecosystem restoration, and navigation in those areas in Louisiana for which a major disaster has been declared by the President as a result of Hurricane Katrina or Rita. #####

(B)Expertise; representation In establishing the working group under subparagraph (A), the Task Force shall ensure that the group— ######

(i)has expertise in coastal estuaries, diversions, coastal restoration and wetlands protection, ecosystem restoration, hurricane protection, storm damage reduction systems, navigation, and ports; and ######

(ii)represents the State of Louisiana and local governments in southern Louisiana. #####

(C)Duties In developing its recommendations under this subsection, the working group shall— ######

(i)review reports relating to the performance of, and recommendations relating to the future performance of, the hurricane, coastal, and flood protection systems in southern Louisiana, including the reports issued by the Interagency Performance Evaluation Team, the National Academy of Sciences, the National Science Foundation, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and Team Louisiana for the purpose of advising the Task Force and the Secretary on opportunities to improve the performance of the protection systems; ######

(ii)assist in providing reviews under section 2035; and ######

(iii)carry out such other duties as the Task Force or the Secretary determines to be appropriate. ###

(f)Compensation Members of the Task Force and members of a working group established by the Task Force may not receive compensation for their services as members of the Task Force or working group, as the case may be. ###

(g)Travel Expenses Travel expenses incurred by members of the Task Force and members of a working group established by the Task Force, in the performance of their service on the Task Force or working group, as the case may be, shall be paid by the agency or entity that the member represents. ###

(h)Nonapplicability of FACA The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Task Force or any working group established by the Task Force.