((a)) ** Great Lakes panel**

((1)) ** In general** Not later than 30 days following , the Task Force shall request that the Great Lakes Commission (established under Article IV of the Great Lakes Compact to which the Congress granted consent in the Act of , ) convene a panel of Great Lakes region representatives from Federal, State and local agencies and from private environmental and commercial interests to—

((A)) identify priorities for the Great Lakes region with respect to aquatic nuisance species;

((B)) make recommendations to the Task Force regarding programs to carry out ;

((C)) assist the Task Force in coordinating Federal aquatic nuisance species program activities in the Great Lakes region;

((D)) coordinate, where possible, aquatic nuisance species program activities in the Great Lakes region that are not conducted pursuant to this chapter;

((E)) provide advice to public and private individuals and entities concerning methods of controlling aquatic nuisance species; and

((F)) submit annually a report to the Task Force describing activities within the Great Lakes region related to aquatic nuisance species prevention, research, and control.

((2)) ** Consultation** The Task Force shall request that the Great Lakes Fishery Commission provide information to the panel convened under this subsection on technical and policy matters related to the international fishery resources of the Great Lakes.

((3)) ** Canadian participation** The panel convened under this subsection is encouraged to invite representatives from the Federal, provincial or territorial governments of Canada to participate as observers.

((b)) ** Western regional panel** Not later than 30 days after , the Task Force shall request a Western regional panel, comprised of Western region representatives from Federal, State, and local agencies and from private environmental and commercial interests, to—

((1)) identify priorities for the Western region with respect to aquatic nuisance species;

((2)) make recommendations to the Task Force regarding an education, monitoring (including inspection), prevention, and control program to prevent the spread of the zebra mussel west of the 100th Meridian pursuant to ;

((3)) coordinate, where possible, other aquatic nuisance species program activities in the Western region that are not conducted pursuant to this chapter;

((4)) develop an emergency response strategy for Federal, State, and local entities for stemming new invasions of aquatic nuisance species in the region;

((5)) provide advice to public and private individuals and entities concerning methods of preventing and controlling aquatic nuisance species infestations; and

((6)) submit annually a report to the Task Force describing activities within the Western region related to aquatic nuisance species prevention, research, and control.

((c)) ** Additional regional panels** The Task Force shall—

((1)) encourage the development and use of regional panels and other similar entities in regions in addition to the Great Lakes and Western regions (including providing financial assistance for the development and use of such entities) to carry out, with respect to those regions, activities that are similar to the activities described in subsections (a) and (b); and

((2)) cooperate with regional panels and similar entities that carry out the activities described in paragraph (1).