§ 2902. Definitions

In this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(1) Council

The term “Council” means the Estuary Habitat Restoration Council established by section 2904 of this title.

(2) Estuary

The term “estuary” means a part of a river or stream or other body of water that has an unimpaired connection with the open sea and where the sea water is measurably diluted with fresh water derived from land drainage. The term also includes near coastal waters and wetlands of the Great Lakes that are similar in form and function to estuaries, including the area located in the Great Lakes biogeographic region and designated as a National Estuarine Research Reserve under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.) as of November 7, 2000.

(3) Estuary habitat

The term “estuary habitat” means the physical, biological, and chemical elements associated with an estuary, including the complex of physical and hydrologic features and living organisms within the estuary and associated ecosystems.

(4) Estuary habitat restoration activity

(A) In general

The term “estuary habitat restoration activity” means an activity that results in improving degraded estuaries or estuary habitat or creating estuary habitat (including both physical and functional restoration), with the goal of attaining a self-sustaining system integrated into the surrounding landscape.

(B) Included activities

The term “estuary habitat restoration activity” includes—

(i) the reestablishment of chemical, physical, hydrologic, and biological features and components associated with an estuary;

(ii) except as provided in subparagraph (C), the cleanup of pollution for the benefit of estuary habitat;

(iii) the control of nonnative and invasive species in the estuary;

(iv) the reintroduction of species native to the estuary, including through such means as planting or promoting natural succession;

(v) the construction of reefs to promote fish and shellfish production and to provide estuary habitat for living resources; and

(vi) other activities that improve estuary habitat.

The term “estuary habitat restoration activity” does not include an activity that—

(i) constitutes mitigation required under any Federal or State law for the adverse effects of an activity regulated or otherwise governed by Federal or State law; or

(ii) constitutes restoration for natural resource damages required under any Federal or State law.

(5) Estuary habitat restoration project

The term “estuary habitat restoration project” means a project to carry out an estuary habitat restoration activity.

(6) Estuary habitat restoration plan

(A) In general

The term “estuary habitat restoration plan” means any Federal, State, or regional plan for restoration of degraded estuary habitat that was developed with the substantial participation of appropriate public and private stakeholders.

(B) Included plans and programs

The term “estuary habitat restoration plan” includes estuary habitat restoration components of—

(i) a comprehensive conservation and management plan approved under section 1330 of this title;

(ii) a lakewide management plan or remedial action plan developed under section 1268 of this title;

(iii) a management plan approved under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.); and

(iv) the interstate management plan developed pursuant to the Chesapeake Bay program under section 1267 of this title.

(7) Indian tribe

The term “Indian tribe” has the meaning given such term by section 450b of title 25.

(8) Non-Federal interest

The term “non-Federal interest” means a State, a political subdivision of a State, an Indian tribe, a regional or interstate agency, or, as provided in section 2903 (f)(2) of this title, a nongovernmental organization.

(9) Secretary

The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Army.

(10) State

The term “State” means the States of Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam.

U.S. Code

§ 2902. Definitions