,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #agdg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,august #c1 #bjag ,mr4 ,nelson introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to authorize research and recovery activities to provide for the protection1 conservation1 and recovery of the ,florida manatee1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,florida ,manatee ,research and ,recovery ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,florida manatee ,the term ,florida manatee means the subspecies ,trichechus manatus latirostris4 7#b7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior1 acting through the ,director of the ,united ,states ,fish and ,wildlife ,service4 #c4 ,manatee research and recovery 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall begin to carry out research and recovery activities specific to ,florida manatee populations in the ,united ,states4 7b7 ,requirements ,the research and recovery activities under subsection 7a7 shall-- 7#a7 be informed by-- 7,a7 the prioritized research and recovery recommendations of-- 7i7 the ,florida ,manatee ,recovery ,plan 7,trichechus manatus latirostris7 ,third ,revision1 published by the ,united ,states ,fish and ,wildlife ,service and dated ,october #cj1 #bjja1 or any subsequent revision published after the date of enactment of this ,act2 and 7ii7 any other recovery1 research1 or conservation plan that supersedes or supplements the plan referred to in clause 7i71 adopted by the ,united ,states ,fish and ,wildlife ,service after the date of enactment of this ,act in accordance with applicable law2 7,b7 the research and recovery recommendations of the ,state of ,florida and other ,states1 the waters of which serve as ,florida manatee habitat2 and 7,c7 the research and recovery recommendations of the ,marine ,mammal ,commission under section #d2 7#b7 include-- 7,a7 monitoring1 analyzing1 and assessing ,florida manatee population demographics1 health1 causes of mortality1 and life history parameters1 including range-wide population surveys2 and 7,b7 developing and implementing measures to mitigate or eliminate factors that limit ,florida manatee recovery1 including factors relating to marine ecosystem health and to human activity2 and 7#c7 comply with the prohibitions and permitting requirements of the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aeca et seq471 the ,marine ,mammal ,protection ,act of #aigb 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #acfa et seq471 and any other applicable law4 #d4 ,marine ,mammal ,commission recommendations ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,marine ,mammal ,commission shall recommend to the ,secretary such steps as the ,commission considers necessary or desirable for the protection1 conservation1 and recovery of ,florida manatee populations in the ,united ,states4 #e4 ,florida manatee research and recovery grants 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish a peer-reviewed1 merit-based process to award competitive grants for-- 7#a7 research regarding ,florida manatees2 and 7#b7 recovery activities that assist in or promote the protection1 conservation1 and recovery of ,florida manatees4 7b7 ,peer review panel ,the ,secretary shall establish as necessary a peer review panel to provide scientific advice and guidance in prioritizing proposals for grants under this section4 7c7 ,research grant subjects ,research funded by grants awarded under this section-- 7#a7 shall be in accordance with the research recommendations under section #c2 and 7#b7 may include research on topics such as-- 7,a7 causes of ,florida manatee mortality2 7,b7 ,florida manatee demographics and natural history2 7,c7 sources and effects of poor water quality on ,florida manatees1 including pollutants1 nutrients1 and toxicants2 7,d7 methods and mechanisms to address the sources and effects described in subparagraph 7,c72 7,e7 sources and effects of diseases and parasites affecting ,florida manatees2 7,f7 limitations on the availability of food resources for ,florida manatees and the impacts of food limitation on ,florida manatee carrying capacity2 7,g7 interactions between ,florida manatees and human activities in the marine environment2 7,h7 assessment of the ecological role of ,florida manatees in coastal marine ecosystems1 including as it may pertain to human welfare1 resource use1 and ecosystem services2 7,i7 assessment of the adequacy of response and contingency plans for emergencies involving ,florida manatees2 and 7,j7 assessment of the impacts of climate change on ,florida manatees4 7d7 ,recovery grant subjects ,recovery activities funded with grants under this section-- 7#a7 shall be conducted in accordance with-- 7,a7 the recovery recommendations under section #c2 and 7,b7 the findings of the research conducted under this section2 and 7#b7 may include activities-- 7,a7 to protect1 conserve1 and recover ,florida manatees2 7,b7 to reduce1 mitigate1 or eliminate potential factors limiting ,florida manatee populations that are related to human activities1 including-- 7i7 factors contributing to mortality1 adversely affecting health1 or restricting distribution and abundance2 and 7ii7 factors that harm or reduce the quality of ,florida manatee habitat or the health of coastal marine ecosystems2 and 7,c7 to implement emergency response and contingency plans4 #f4 ,report to ,congress ,the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 submit to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives a report on-- 7,a7 the status of ,florida manatee populations2 7,b7 the research and recovery activities under this ,act2 7,c7 the grant review and award process authorized by this ,act2 and 7,d7 any relevant formal consultations conducted during the #b years preceding the date of enactment of this ,act1 and any other consultations the ,secretary determines to be relevant1 under section #g of the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecf7 with respect to the ,florida manatee2 and 7#b7 not later than #c years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 and every #e years thereafter1 submit to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives and make available to the public a report that includes-- 7,a7 an evaluation of-- 7i7 ,florida manatee health2 7ii7 causes of ,florida manatee mortality2 and 7iii7 the interactions of ,florida manatees with coastal and inland aquatic ecosystems2 7,b7 an evaluation of actions taken-- 7i7 to improve ,florida manatee health2 7ii7 to reduce ,florida manatee mortality2 and 7iii7 to improve and protect ,florida manatee habitat2 7,c7 recommendations for actions that may be taken under current law-- 7i7 to improve ,florida manatee health2 7ii7 to reduce the occurrence of human-related ,florida manatee mortality2 and 7iii7 to improve the health of the coastal marine ecosystems that serve as ,florida manatee habitat2 7,d7 recommendations for funding to carry out this ,act2 and 7,e7 a description of any formal consultations that the ,secretary determines to be relevant to the research and recovery activities authorized by this ,act conducted in accordance with section #g of the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecf7 after the date of enactment of this ,act4 #g4 ,authorization of appropriations 7a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out the provisions of this ,act #e1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjah through #bjbb4 7b7 ,administrative expenses ,of the amounts made available each fiscal year under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary may expend not more than the greater of #g percent of the amounts or #aej1jjj to pay the administrative expenses incurred carrying out this ,act4