Competitive awards

Section 320(g) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330(g)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(4)

Competitive awards

(A)

In general

Of the amount made available under subsection (i)(2)(B), the Administrator shall make competitive awards under this paragraph. (B)

Application for awards

The Administrator shall solicit applications for awards under this paragraph from State, interstate, and regional water pollution control agencies and entities, State coastal zone management agencies, interstate agencies, other public or nonprofit private agencies, institutions, organizations, and individuals. (C)

Selection of recipients

In selecting award recipients under this paragraph, the Administrator shall select recipients that are best able to address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the ecological and economic well-being of coastal areas. Such issues shall include— (i)extensive seagrass habitat losses resulting in significant impacts on fisheries and water quality; (ii)recurring harmful algae blooms, unusual marine mammal mortalities; (iii)invasive exotic species which can threaten wastewater systems and cause other damage; (iv)jellyfish proliferation limiting community access to water during peak tourism seasons; (v)flooding which may be related to sea level rise or wetland degradation or loss; or (vi)low dissolved oxygen conditions in estuarine waters and related nutrient management.

Authorization of appropriations

Section 320 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330) is amended by striking subsection (i) and inserting the following:

(i)

Authorization of appropriations

(1)

In general

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator $27,000,000, for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018 for— (A)expenses relating to the administration of grants or awards by the Administrator under this section, including the award and oversight of grants and awards, except that such expenses shall not exceed 5 percent of the amount appropriated under this subsection; and (B)making grants and awards under subsection (g). (2)

Allocations

(A)

Conservation and management plan

The Administrator shall provide not less than 80 percent of the amounts made available for this section for each fiscal year referred to in paragraph (1) for the development, implementation, and monitoring of each conservation and management plan eligible for grant assistance under subsection (g)(2). (B)

Competitive awards

The Administrator shall provide not less than 15 percent of the amounts made available for this section in each fiscal year to make competitive awards described in subsection (g)(4).