,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bhjg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #ad1 #bjbc,mr4 ,merkley 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,king1 ,mrs4 ,feinstein1 and ,mr4 ,heinrich7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,secretary of ,commerce to establish and carry out a grant program to conserve1 restore1 and manage kelp forest ecosystems1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,help ,our ,kelp ,act4 #b4 ,grants to conserve1 restore1 and manage kelp forest ecosystems 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,administrator shall establish1 not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and carry out a grant program under which the ,administrator shall award grants to eligible entities described in subsection 7b7 to carry out eligible projects described in subsection 7c7 relating to the conservation1 restoration1 or management of kelp forest ecosystems4 7b7 ,eligible entities ,to be eligible for a grant under this section1 an entity shall-- 7#a7 be-- 7,a7 a member of the fishing industry2 7,b7 an institution of higher education2 7,c7 a nonprofit organization2 7,d7 an ,indian ,tribe2 7,e7 a ,state agency2 or 7,f7 a local government2 7#b7 consult or collaborate with any other entity described in paragraph 7#a7 throughout the development or implementation of a project relating to the conservation1 restoration1 or management of kelp forest ecosystems2 and 7#c7 submit to the ,administrator an application describing that project at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,administrator may require1 including information regarding-- 7,a7 what criteria will be used to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the project2 and 7,b7 the qualifications of the applicant to conduct1 monitor1 and evaluate the project4 7c7 ,eligible projects ,the ,administrator shall award grants to eligible entities for projects that-- 7#a7 address the greatest relative regional declines in kelp forest ecosystems2 7#b7 focus on elements such as-- 7,a7 the long-term resilience of kelp forest ecosystems2 7,b7 long-term socioeconomic resilience related to kelp forest ecosystems2 7,c7 kelp forest seeding and connectivity2 7,d7 reestablishing or recovering natural trophic relationships and structure to support the resilience of kelp forest ecosystems through actions such as predator control through targeted urchin removal and the recovery of sunflower sea stars2 7,e7 monitoring and assessment of kelp forest ecosystems2 7,f7 integration of ,indigenous knowledge and cultural practices into restoration and monitoring of kelp forest ecosystems through consultation with ,indian ,tribes or promotion of ,federal or ,state co-management with ,indian ,tribes2 or 7,g7 other efforts to restore kelp forest ecosystems and prevent large scale losses of kelp forests2 or 7#c7 are identified by ,indian ,tribes or ,federal or ,state restoration or management plans as focal areas for recovery of kelp forests and associated species4 7d7 ,matching requirement 7#a7 ,in general ,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71 the amount of ,federal funding received as a grant under this section by an eligible entity may not exceed #he percent of the total cost of the project for which the grant is awarded4 ,for the purposes of this paragraph1 the non-,federal share of the costs of a project may be provided by in-kind contributions and other noncash support4 7#b7 ,waiver ,the ,administrator may waive all or part of the requirement in paragraph 7#a7 if the ,administrator determines that-- 7,a7 no reasonable means are available through which an eligible entity applying for a grant under this section can meet that requirement2 7,b7 the probable benefit of the project outweighs the public interest in such requirement2 and 7,c7 the project undertaken is established on lands owned by or held in trust for an ,indian ,tribe4 7e7 ,guidelines and criteria ,the ,administrator shall-- 7#a7 issue guidelines for implementation of the grant program established under subsection 7a72 and 7#b7 establish criteria for evaluating eligible projects based on best practices1 best available science1 and community engagement to rank eligible projects under subsection 7c74 7f7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,administrator #e1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbd through #bjbh to carry out this section4 7#b7 ,availability to ,indian ,tribes 7,a7 ,in general ,of the amount authorized to be appropriated by paragraph 7#a7 for a fiscal year1 not less than #gej1jjj shall be available to award grants under this section to eligible entities that are ,indian ,tribes4 7,b7 ,contingency2 outreach ,if no ,indian tribe is awarded a grant under this section in a fiscal year-- 7i7 for that fiscal year1 the amount described in subparagraph 7,a7 shall be made available to award grants under this section to other eligible entities2 and 7ii7 the ,administrator shall conduct outreach to inform ,indian ,tribes and organizations that work with ,indian ,tribes of the grant program established under subsection 7a74 7g7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,secretary of ,commerce1 acting through the ,administrator of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration4 7#b7 ,fishing industry ,the term fishing industry means-- 7,a7 processors2 7,b7 commercial fishermen2 and 7,c7 recreational fishermen4 7#c7 ,indian ,tribe ,the term ,indian ,tribe has the meaning given that term in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 7#d7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given that term in section #aja7;a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja7;a774 7#e7 ,kelp forest ecosystem ,the term kelp forest ecosystem means a naturally occurring1 biotic system dominated by canopy-forming1 stipitate1 or prostrate benthic macroalgae and associated taxa4 7#f7 ,local government ,the term local government means a unit of general local government1 a school district1 or other special district established under ,state law4 7#g7 ,nonprofit organization ,the term nonprofit organization means an organization-- 7,a7 described in section #eja7;c77#c7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf2 and 7,b7 exempt from tax under section #eja7;a7 of such ,code4