During the 18-month period beginning on the date that funds are made available by appropriations pursuant to section 4741(e) of this title, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce, with the concurrence of and in cooperation with the Secretary, shall conduct a ballast water management demonstration program to demonstrate technologies and practices to prevent aquatic nonindigenous species from being introduced into and spread through ballast water in the Great Lakes and other waters of the United States.
The installation and construction of the technologies and practices used in the demonstration program conducted under this subsection shall be performed in the United States.
In selecting technologies and practices for demonstration under this subsection, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall give priority consideration to technologies and practices identified as promising by the National Research Council Marine Board of the National Academy of Sciences in its report on ships’ ballast water operations issued in July 1996.
Not later than 3 years after October 26, 1996, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall prepare and submit a report to the Congress on the demonstration program conducted pursuant to this section. The report shall include findings and recommendations of the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce concerning technologies and practices.
The Secretary of the Interior shall consult and cooperate with the International Maritime Organization and the Task Force in carrying out this section.