PUBLIC LAW 106-555 —DEC. 21, 2000 114 STAT. 2767 States under this subtitle. Each biennial report shall evaluate the success of such assistance in implementing this subtitle. TITLE II-^OHN H. PRESCOTT MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE GRANT PROGRAM Marine Mammal ASSISTANCE Assistance Act of 2000. SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE. 16 USC 1361 This title may be cited as the "Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Act of 2000". SEC. 202. JOHN H. PRESCOTT MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM. (a) IN GENERAL. —Title IV of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1371 et seq.) is amended— (1) by redesignating sections 408 and 409 as sections 409 l6 USC 142ig, and 410, respectively; and I42lh. (2) by inserting after section 407 the following: "SEC. 408. JOHN H. PRESCOTT MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM. "(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall conduct a grant program to be known as the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program, to provide grants to eligible stranding network participants for the recovery or treatment of marine mammals, the collection of data from living or dead stranded marine mammals for scientific research regarding marine mammal health, and facility operation costs that are directly related to those purposes. "(2)(A) The Secretary shall ensure that, to the greatest extent practicable, funds provided as grants under this subsection are distributed equitably among the stranding regions designated as of the date of the enactment of the Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Act of 2000, and in msiking such grants shall give preference to those facilities that have established records for rescuing or rehabilitating sick and stranded marine mammals in each of the respective regions, or subregions. "(B) In determining priorities among such regions, the Secretary may consider— "(i) any episodic stranding or any mortality event other than an event described in section 410(6), that occurred in any region in the preceding year; "(ii) data regarding average annual strandings and mortality events per region; and "(iii) the size of the marine mammal populations inhabiting a geographic area within such a region. "(b) APPLICATION.—To receive a grant under this section, a stranding network participant shall submit an application in such form and manner as the Secretary may prescribe. "(c) CONSULTATION. —The Secretary shall consult with the Marine Mammal Commission, a representative from each of the designated stranding regions, and other individusds who represent public and private organizations that are actively involved in rescue, rehabilitation, release, scientific research, marine conservation, and forensic science regarding stranded marine mammals, regarding 16 USC 4121f-l.
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