The Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this chapter as the “Secretary”),[1] may provide financial assistance to a State, in an amount that is in proportion to the total impacted area of such State affected by nutria, that has demonstrated to the Secretary sufficient need for a program to implement measures to eradicate or control nutria and restore marshland, public and private wetlands, and agricultural lands damaged by nutria.
In the State of Maryland, the Secretary shall require that the program consist of management, research, and public education activities carried out in accordance with the document published by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service entitled “Eradication Strategies for Nutria in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bay Watersheds”, dated March 2002.
Not more than 5 percent of financial assistance provided to a State by the Secretary under this section may be used for administrative expenses.
For financial assistance under this section, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $12,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.