(a) Grant authority

(1) In general

Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall provide financial assistance to any city government, village corporation, or tribal council of St. George, Alaska, or St. Paul, Alaska.

(2) Use for matching

Notwithstanding any other provision of law relating to matching funds, funds provided by the Secretary as assistance under this subsection may be used by the entity as non-Federal matching funds under any Federal program that requires such matching funds.

(3) Restriction on use

The Secretary may not use financial assistance authorized by this chapter—

(A) to settle any debt owed to the United States;

(B) for administrative or overhead expenses; or

(C) for contributions sought or required from any person for costs or fees to clean up any matter that was caused or contributed to by such person on or after March 15, 2000.

(4) Funding instruments and procedures

In providing assistance under this subsection the Secretary shall transfer any funds appropriated to carry out this section to the Secretary of the Interior, who shall obligate such funds through instruments and procedures that are equivalent to the instruments and procedures required to be used by the Bureau of Indian Affairs pursuant to title IV of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act [25 U.S.C. 5361 et seq.].

(5) Pro rata distribution of assistance

In any fiscal year for which less than all of the funds authorized under subsection (c)(1) are appropriated, such funds shall be distributed under this subsection on a pro rata basis among the entities referred to in subsection (c)(1) in the same proportions in which amounts are authorized by that subsection for grants to those entities.

(b) Solid waste assistance

(1) In general

Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall provide assistance to the State of Alaska for designing, locating, constructing, redeveloping, permitting, or certifying solid waste management facilities on the Pribilof Islands to be operated under permits issued to the City of St. George and the City of St. Paul, Alaska, by the State of Alaska under section 46.03.100 of the Alaska Statutes.

(2) Transfer

The Secretary shall transfer any appropriations received under paragraph (1) to the State of Alaska for the benefit of rural and Native villages in Alaska for obligation under section 1263a of title 33, except that subsection (b) of that section shall not apply to those funds.

(3) Limitation

In order to be eligible to receive financial assistance under this subsection, not later than 180 days after December 23, 2000, each of the Cities of St. Paul and St. George shall enter into a written agreement with the State of Alaska under which such City shall identify by its legal boundaries the tract or tracts of land that such City has selected as the site for its solid waste management facility and any supporting infrastructure.

(c) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary—

(1) for assistance under subsection (a), for fiscal years 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 a total not to exceed—

(A) $9,000,000, for grants to the City of St. Paul;

(B) $6,300,000, for grants to the Tanadgusix Corporation;

(C) $1,500,000, for grants to the St. Paul Tribal Council;

(D) $6,000,000, for grants to the City of St. George;

(E) $4,200,000, for grants to the St. George Tanaq Corporation; and

(F) $1,000,000, for grants to the St. George Tribal Council; and

(2) for assistance under subsection (b), for fiscal years 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 a total not to exceed—

(A) $6,500,000 for the City of St. Paul; and

(B) $3,500,000 for the City of St. George.

(d) Limitation on use of assistance for lobbying activities

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None of the funds authorized by this section may be available for any activity a purpose of which is to influence legislation pending before the Congress, except that this subsection shall not prevent officers or employees of the United States or of its departments, agencies, or commissions from communicating to Members of Congress, through proper channels, requests for legislation or appropriations that they consider necessary for the efficient conduct of public business.

(e) Immunity from liability

Neither the United States nor any of its agencies, officers, or employees shall have any liability under this chapter or any other law associated with or resulting from the designing, locating, contracting for, redeveloping, permitting, certifying, operating, or maintaining any solid waste management facility on the Pribilof Islands as a consequence of—

(1) having provided assistance to the State of Alaska under subsection (b); or

(2) providing funds for, or planning, constructing, or operating, any interim solid waste management facilities that may be required by the State of Alaska before permanent solid waste management facilities constructed with assistance provided under subsection (b) are complete and operational.

(f) Report on expenditures

Each entity which receives assistance authorized under subsection (c) shall submit an audited statement listing the expenditure of that assistance to the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, on the last day of fiscal years 2002, 2004, and 2006.

(g) Congressional intent

Amounts authorized under subsection (c) are intended by Congress to be provided in addition to the base funding appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in fiscal year 2000.