SAFE for Manatees Act

This Act may be cited as the Study and Assessment of Future Ecosystems for Manatees Act or the SAFE for Manatees Act.
The Secretary shall conduct a study on locations that could function as habitat for manatees that are currently utilizing areas in Florida around coastal industrial sites subject to decommissioning actions that will affect water temperatures in such areas.
In conducting the study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall—
identify and assess locations that could function as habitat for manatees described in subsection (a), including—
locations of natural warm water not currently used by manatees; and
locations where artificial warm water refugia for manatees could be constructed; and
develop, in consultation with the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, potential methods to create artificial warm water refugia for manatees described in subsection (a) and plans for the construction of such refugia.
In conducting the study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall coordinate with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall make publicly available a report on the results of the study conducted under subsection (a).
In this section:
The term manatee means a member of the species trichechus manatus.
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.