I 112th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5923 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 7, 2012 Mr. Hastings of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a grant program to eradicate non-native constrictor snakes from ecosystems in which they exist in sustainable populations, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Stopping Non-Native Animals from Killing Endangered Species Act.

2.

Purposes

The purposes of this Act are— (1)to eradicate non-native constrictor snakes from ecosystems in which they exist in sustainable populations; and (2)to prevent non-native constrictor snakes from establishing or expanding sustainable populations in ecosystems that can support such populations.

3.

Eradication and Control Program

(a)

Grant authority

Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of the Interior (in this Act referred to as the Secretary) shall establish a program to award grants to organizations that operate or will operate programs that use dogs that are trained to detect non-native constrictor snakes in order to carry out the purposes in section 2. (b)

Application

Any organization seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require, including a description of the program it operates or will operate to carry out the purposes in section 2. (c)

Coordination

In implementing the grant program under this section, the Secretary shall coordinate with— (1)the chief executive of the State in which any organization that receives a grant under this section operates or will operate; and (2)the head of any other appropriate entity, such as the chairperson of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force. (d)

Cost share

(1)

Federal Share

The Federal share of the costs of any program operated by an organization that receives a grant under this section to carry out the purposes in section 2 may not exceed 50 percent of the total costs of the program. (2)

In-kind contributions

The non-Federal share of the costs of the program may include in-kind contributions of materials or services. (e)

Administrative expenses

Any organization that receives a grant under this section may reserve not more than 5 percent of the grant funds for administrative expenses. (f)

Reports

(1)

Organization

Any organization that receives a grant under this section shall submit a report to the Secretary on such organization’s progress in achieving the purposes in section 2 at such time and including such additional information as the Secretary may reasonably require. (2)

Secretary

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter through fiscal year 2017, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress on the progress made by each organization receiving a grant under this section in achieving the purposes in section 2. (g)

Non-Native constrictor snakes defined

In this Act, the term non-native constrictor snakes means the following species: (1)Any species listed in section 16.15(a) of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations. (2)Python reticulates (reticulated python). (3)Eunectes murinus (green anaconda). (4)Eunectes beniensis (Beni or Bolivian anaconda). (5)Eunectes deschauenseei (DeSchauensee’s anaconda). (6)Boa constrictor.

4.

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this Act $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2013 through 2016.