A state/federal Joint Management Committee shall be established to oversee and engage in decision-making authority for the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve.

The Joint Management Committee shall be comprised of one Federal employee named by the NOAA Administrator and one state employee named by the Governor of Michigan. The Federal employee cannot be the sanctuary manager (the individual who exercises day-to-day management over the Sanctuary) and must have a civil service grade higher than that of the sanctuary manager.

The Joint Management Committee shall:

Develop a position description for, recruit prospective candidates for the position of, interview candidates for the position of, and take part in the annual performance evaluation of, the sanctuary manager;

Approve revisions to the Management Plan;

Approve annual work plans;

Approve, on an annual basis, the expenditure of allocated state and federal funds and other sources of revenue for the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve, in accordance with the Management Plan and the annual work plans; and

Make decisions on other key issues related to management of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve.

The Joint Management Committee shall meet as agreed to by the members but not less than once annually.

If the Joint Management Committee is unable to reach agreement on an issue, the members shall follow the “Consultation and Conflict Resolution” procedures set forth in the Interlocal Agreement between NOAA and the State of Michigan.

The Joint Management Committee may invite affected public parties to participate in selected aspects of Sanctuary management as:

Parties to the Interlocal Agreement pursuant to the Michigan Urban Cooperation Act of 1967, MCL 124.501 et seq.; and/or

Pursuant to the NMSA.