16 U.S.C. § 6401: Purposes

to conserve and restore the condition of United States coral reef ecosystems challenged by natural and human-accelerated changes, including increasing ocean temperatures, changing ocean chemistry, coral bleaching, coral diseases, water quality degradation, invasive species, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; to promote the science-based management and sustainable use of coral reef ecosystems to benefit local communities and the Nation, including through improved integration and cooperation among Federal and non-Federal stakeholders responsible for managing coral reef resources; to develop sound scientific information on the condition of coral reef ecosystems, continuing and emerging threats to such ecosystems, and the efficacy of innovative tools, technologies, and strategies to mitigate stressors and restore such ecosystems, including evaluation criteria to determine the effectiveness of management interventions, and accurate mapping for coral reef restoration; to assist in the preservation of coral reefs by supporting science-based, consensus-driven, and community-based coral reef management by covered States and covered Native entities, including monitoring, conservation, and restoration projects that empower local communities, small businesses, and nongovernmental organizations; to provide financial resources, technical assistance, and scientific expertise to supplement, complement, and strengthen community-based management programs and conservation and restoration projects of non-Federal reefs; to establish a formal mechanism for collecting and allocating monetary donations from the private sector to be used for coral reef conservation and restoration projects; coral disease outbreaks; invasive or nuisance species; coral bleaching; natural disasters; and industrial or mechanical disasters, including vessel groundings, hazardous spills, and coastal construction accidents; and to serve as a model for advancing similar international efforts to monitor, conserve, and restore coral reef ecosystems. The President, after consultation with the Governor of the State of Hawaii, may designate any Northwestern Hawaiian Islands coral reef or coral reef ecosystem as a coral reef reserve to be managed by the Secretary of Commerce. take action to initiate the designation of the reserve as a National Marine Sanctuary under sections 303 and 304 of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1433 [, 1434]); establish a Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Reserve Advisory Council under section 315 of that Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1445a ), the membership of which shall include at least one representative from Native Hawaiian groups; and until the reserve is designated as a National Marine Sanctuary, manage the reserve in a manner consistent with the purposes and policies of that Act [ 16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.]. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no closure areas around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands shall become permanent without adequate review and comment. The Secretary shall work with other Federal agencies and the Director of the National Science Foundation, to develop a coordinated plan to make vessels and other resources available for conservation or research activities for the reserve. If the Secretary has not designated a national marine sanctuary in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands under sections 303 and 304 of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1433 , 1434) before October 1, 2005 , the Secretary shall conduct a review of the management of the reserve under section 304(e) of that Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1434(e) ). No later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act [ Dec. 21, 2000 ], the Secretary shall submit a report to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Resources [now Committee on Natural Resources], describing actions taken to implement this subsection, including costs of monitoring, enforcing, and addressing marine debris, and the extent to which the fiscal or other resources necessary to carry out this subsection are reflected in the Budget of the United States Government submitted by the President under section 1104 of title 31 , United States Code. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce to carry out the provisions of this subsection such sums, not exceeding $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005, as are reported under paragraph (5) [(6)] to be reflected in the Budget of the United States Government.”