§ 6405. Coral reef stewardship partnerships

• (a) To further community-based stewardship of coral reefs, coral reef stewardship partnerships for Federal and non-Federal coral reefs may be established in accordance with this section.
• (b) The Administrator shall develop and adopt—
  • (1) standards for identifying individual coral reefs and ecologically significant units of coral reefs; and
  • (2) processes for adjudicating multiple applicants for stewardship of the same coral reef or ecologically significant unit of a reef to ensure no geographic overlap in representation among stewardship partnerships authorized by this section.
• (c) A coral reef stewardship partnership that has identified, as the subject of its stewardship activities, a coral reef or ecologically significant unit of a coral reef that is fully or partially under the management jurisdiction of any Federal agency specified in section 6402(c) of this title shall, at a minimum, include the following:
  • (1) That Federal agency, a representative of which shall serve as chairperson of the coral reef stewardship partnership.
  • (2) A State or county’s resource management agency to the extent that such partnership covers a reef within such States or county’s jurisdiction.
  • (3) A coral reef research center designated under section 6411(b) of this title .
  • (4) A nongovernmental organization.
  • (5) A covered Native entity culturally affiliated with the subject reef or ecologically significant unit, if any.
  • (6) Such other members as the partnership considers appropriate, such as interested stakeholder groups and covered Native entities.
• (d)
  • (1) A coral reef stewardship partnership that has identified, as the subject of its stewardship activities, a coral reef or ecologically significant component of a coral reef that is not under the management jurisdiction of any Federal agency specified in section 6402(c) of this title shall, at a minimum, include the following:
    • (A) A State or county’s resource management agency or a covered Native entity, a representative of which shall serve as the chairperson of the coral reef stewardship partnership.
    • (B) A coral reef research center designated under section 6411(b) of this title .
    • (C) A nongovernmental organization.
    • (D) Such other members as the partnership considers appropriate, such as interested stakeholder groups.
  • (2)
    • (A) Subject to subparagraph (B), a coral reef stewardship partnership described in paragraph (1) may also include representatives of one or more Federal agencies.
    • (B) A representative of a Federal agency described in subparagraph (A) may become a member of a coral reef stewardship partnership described in paragraph (1) if—
      • (i) the representative submits a request to become a member to the chairperson of the partnership referred to in paragraph (1)(A); and
      • (ii) the chairperson consents to the request.
• (e) The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) 1 1 See References in Text note below. shall not apply to coral reef stewardship partnerships under this section.