16 U.S.C. § 8302: Definitions

The term “coastal ecosystem” means a biological community of organisms interacting with each other and their habitats in a coastal landscape. The term “coastal habitat assessment” means the process of evaluating the physical, chemical, and biological function of a coastal site to determine the value of the site to fish and wildlife. The term “coastal habitat enhancement” means the manipulation of the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of a coastal ecosystem to increase or decrease specific biological functions that make the ecosystem valuable to fish and wildlife. characterizes a coastal ecosystem; sets protection, restoration, or enhancement goals and identifies the priorities of those goals; describes conservation strategies and methodologies; establishes a timetable for implementation of the plan; and identifies roles of participants and stakeholders. The term “coastal habitat protection” means a long-term action to safeguard habitat of value to fish and wildlife in a coastal ecosystem. The term “coastal habitat protection” includes activities to support establishment of a conservation easement or fee title acquisition by Federal and non-Federal partners. The term “coastal habitat restoration” means the manipulation of the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of a coastal ecosystem with the goal of returning, to the maximum extent practicable, the full natural biological functions to lost or degraded native habitat. a fresh or saltwater wetland in a coastal watershed; a coastal river, stream, or waterway; a coastal bay or estuary; a seagrass bed, reef, or other nearshore marine habitat; a beach or dune system; a mangrove forest; and an associated coastal upland. a State in, or bordering on, the Atlantic, Pacific, or Arctic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Long Island Sound, or 1 or more of the Great Lakes; the District of Columbia; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; Guam; American Samoa; the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; the Federated States of Micronesia; the Republic of the Marshall Islands; the Republic of Palau; and the United States Virgin Islands. The term “Federal trust species” means migratory birds, threatened species or endangered species listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), interjurisdictional fish, and marine mammals for which the Secretary has management authority. The term “financial assistance” means Federal funding provided to Federal, State, local, or Tribal governments, nongovernmental institutions, nonprofit organizations, and private individuals and entities through a grant or cooperative agreement. The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior. The term “Service” means the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The term “technical assistance” means a collaboration, facilitation, or consulting action relating to a coastal habitat planning, coastal habitat assessment, coastal habitat protection, coastal habitat restoration, or coastal habitat enhancement project or initiative in which the Service contributes scientific knowledge, skills, and expertise to the project or initiative.