Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program Act of 2009

Congress finds that—

(1) wetlands in Louisiana provide substantial cultural, economic, and ecological benefits to the United States and is essential to protecting coastal communities from flooding;

(2) nonnative invasive feral swine populations in coastal Louisiana are increasing and severely impacting wetlands, especially acreages recovering from the negative impacts of nutria herbivory;

(3) Louisiana State University researchers have determined that feral swine damage to coastal wetlands is very similar to nutria damage but is more severe and may exceed the 90,000 acres previously impacted by nutria; and

(4) methodologies developed for the State of Louisiana under the Coastwide Nutria Control Program established under the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 3951 et seq.) may provide the basis for the effective control and restoration of wetlands damage caused by feral swine.

The purpose of this Act is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance to the State of Louisiana for a pilot program to develop measures to eradicate or control feral swine and to assess and restore wetlands damaged by feral swine.

Subject to the availability of appropriations under subsection (e), the Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this section as the Secretary) may provide financial assistance to the State of Louisiana to pay the Federal share of the cost of carrying out a pilot program—

(1) to study and assess the nature and extent of damage to wetlands in the State caused by feral swine;

(2) to develop methods to eradicate or control feral swine in the State that may also be used in other States; and

(3) to develop methods to restore wetlands damaged by feral swine.

In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall ensure that the pilot program consider and use, as appropriate, the knowledge and expertise gained through the activities carried out under—

(1) the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 3951 et seq.); and

(2) the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003 (Public Law 108–16; 117 Stat. 621).

The Federal share of the costs of the pilot program under this section may not exceed 75 percent of the total costs of carrying out the pilot program.

The non-Federal share of the costs of the pilot program may be provided in the form of in-kind contributions of materials or services.

Not more than 10 percent of financial assistance provided by the Secretary under this section may be used for administrative expenses.

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2013.