(a) To stimulate the development of innovative or creative interpretive and educational projects and materials to enhance public awareness and understanding of estuarine areas, NOAA may fund special interpretive and educational projects in addition to those activities provided for in operations and management under § 921.32. Special interpretive and educational awards may be awarded under this subpart to only those designated Reserves with approved final management plans.

(b) Funds provided under this subpart may be available on a competitive basis to any state agency. However, if the applicant is other than the managing entity of a Reserve, that applicant must submit as a part of the application a letter from the Reserve manager indicating formal support of the application by the managing entity of the Reserve. These funds are provided in addition to any other funds available to a coastal state under the Act. Federal funds provided under this subpart may not exceed 70 percent of the total cost of the project, consistent with § 921.81(e)(4) (“allowable costs”), except when the financial assistance is provided from amounts recovered as a result of damage to natural resources located in the coastal zone, in which case the assistance may be used to pay 100 percent of the costs.

(c) Applicants for education/interpretive projects that NOAA determines benefit the entire National Estuarine Research Reserve System may receive Federal assistance of up to 100% of project costs.