,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #aabd ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #g1 #bjbe,mr4 ,huffman introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources ,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 ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,grants to conserve1 restore1 and manage kelp forest ecosystems 7a7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that the purposes of this section and the grants authorized by this section are to support native wild kelp forest ecosystems and restore native wild kelp to enable long term recovery of naturally functioning kelp forest ecosystems that do not involve commercial or mechanized harvesting4 7b7 ,establishment ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,administrator shall establish and carry out a grant program under which the ,administrator shall award grants to eligible entities described in subsection 7c7 to carry out projects described in subsection 7d7 relating to the conservation1 restoration1 or management of kelp forest ecosystems4 7c7 ,eligible entity ,to be eligible for a grant under this section1 an eligible 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 of the other entities 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 such project at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,administrator may require1 including information regarding what criteria will be used to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the project and the qualifications of the applicant to conduct1 monitor1 and evaluate the project4 7d7 ,eligible projects ,the ,administrator shall award grants to eligible entities for projects that-- 7#a7 address greatest relative regional declines in kelp forest ecosystems2 7#b7 focus on elements such as-- 7,a7 long term ecosystem 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 re-establishing or recovering natural trophic relationships and structure to support resilience of kelp forest ecosystems through actions such as predator control through targeted urchin removal and 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 7e7 ,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 a grant is awarded4 ,for the purposes of this paragraph1 the non-,federal share of project costs 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 such requirement2 7,b7 the probable benefit of such 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 7f7 ,guidelines and criteria ,the ,administrator shall-- 7#a7 issue guidelines regarding the implementation of the grant program established under subsection 7b72 and 7#b7 establish criteria based on best practices1 the best available science1 and community engagement to rank eligible projects under subsection 7d74 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,administrator to carry out this section #e1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbf through #bjcj4 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 subject to appropriations1 not less than #gej1jjj shall be made 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 7b74 7h7 ,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 such 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 such 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 ,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