106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 701
AN ACT
To provide Outer Continental Shelf Impact Assistance to State and local
governments, to amend the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965, the
Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act of 1978, and the Federal Aid in Wildlife
Restoration Act (commonly referred to as the Pittman-Robertson Act) to establish
a fund to meet the outdoor conservation and recreation needs of the American
people, and for other purposes.
HR 701 EH
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 701
AN ACT
To provide Outer Continental Shelf Impact Assistance to State and
local governments, to amend the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965,
the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act of 1978, and the Federal Aid in
Wildlife Restoration Act (commonly referred to as the Pittman-Robertson Act) to
establish a fund to meet the outdoor conservation and recreation needs of the
American people, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Conservation and Reinvestment Act of
2000'.
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Sec. 5. Conservation and Reinvestment Act Fund.
Sec. 6. Limitation on use of available amounts for administration.
Sec. 7. Recordkeeping requirements.
Sec. 8. Maintenance of effort and matching funding.
Sec. 10. Protection of private property rights.
TITLE I--IMPACT ASSISTANCE AND COASTAL CONSERVATION
Sec. 101. Impact assistance formula and payments.
Sec. 102. Coastal State conservation and impact assistance plans.
TITLE II--LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND REVITALIZATION
Sec. 201. Amendment of Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of
1965.
Sec. 202. Extension of fund; treatment of amounts transferred from
Conservation and Reinvestment Act Fund.
Sec. 203. Availability of amounts.
Sec. 204. Allocation of Fund.
Sec. 205. Use of Federal portion.
Sec. 206. Allocation of amounts available for State purposes.
Sec. 207. State planning.
Sec. 208. Assistance to States for other projects.
Sec. 209. Conversion of property to other use.
Sec. 211. Requirements for acquisition of lands in Montana with Federal
portion.
TITLE III--WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION
Sec. 303. Treatment of amounts transferred from Conservation and
Reinvestment Act Fund.
Sec. 304. Apportionment of amounts transferred from Conservation and
Reinvestment Act Fund.
Sec. 306. Prohibition against diversion.
TITLE IV--URBAN PARK AND RECREATION RECOVERY PROGRAM AMENDMENTS
Sec. 401. Amendment of Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act of
1978.
Sec. 403. Treatment of amounts transferred from Conservation and
Reinvestment Act Fund.
Sec. 404. Authority to develop new areas and facilities.
Sec. 408. Recovery action programs.
Sec. 409. State action incentives.
Sec. 410. Conversion of recreation property.
TITLE V--HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND
Sec. 501. Treatment of amounts transferred from Conservation and
Reinvestment Act Fund.
Sec. 502. State use of historic preservation assistance for national
heritage areas and corridors.
TITLE VI--FEDERAL AND INDIAN LANDS RESTORATION
Sec. 602. Treatment of amounts transferred from Conservation and
Reinvestment Act Fund; allocation.
Sec. 603. Authorized uses of transferred amounts.
Sec. 604. Indian tribe defined.
TITLE VII--FARMLAND PROTECTION PROGRAM AND ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES
RECOVERY
Subtitle A--Farmland Protection Program
Sec. 701. Additional funding and additional authorities under farmland
protection program.
Subtitle B--Endangered and Threatened Species Recovery
Sec. 712. Treatment of amounts transferred from Conservation and
Reinvestment Act Fund.
Sec. 713. Endangered and threatened species recovery assistance.
Sec. 714. Endangered and Threatened Species Recovery Agreements.
TITLE VIII--PROTECTION OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE BENEFITS
Sec. 801. Protection of Social Security and Medicare benefits.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) The term `coastal population' means the population of all political
subdivisions, as determined by the most recent official data of the Census
Bureau, contained in whole or in part within the designated coastal boundary
of a State as defined in a State's coastal zone management program under the
Coastal Zone Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.).
(2) The term `coastal political subdivision' means a political
subdivision of a coastal State all or part of which political subdivision is
within the coastal zone (as defined in section 304 of the Coastal Zone
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1453)).
(3) The term `coastal State' has the same meaning as provided by section
304 of the Coastal Zone Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1453).
(4) The term `coastline' has the same meaning that it has in the
Submerged Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.).
(5) The term `distance' means minimum great circle distance, measured in
statute miles.
(6) The term `fiscal year' means the Federal Government's accounting
period which begins on October 1st and ends on September 30th, and is
designated by the calendar year in which it ends.
(7) The term `Governor' means the highest elected official of a State or
of any other political entity that is defined as, or treated as, a State
under the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-4 et
seq.), the Act of September 2, 1937 (16 U.S.C. 669 et seq.), commonly
referred to as the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act or the
Pittman-Robertson Act, the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act of 1978
(16 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.), the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C.
470h et seq.), or the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996
(Public Law 104-127; 16 U.S.C. 3830 note).
(8) The term `leased tract' means a tract, leased under section 6 or 8
of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1335, 1337) for the
purpose of drilling for, developing, and producing oil and natural gas
resources, which is a unit consisting of either a block, a portion of a
block, a combination of blocks or portions of blocks, or a combination of
portions of blocks, as specified in the lease, and as depicted on an Outer
Continental Shelf Official Protraction Diagram.
(9) The term `Outer Continental Shelf' means all submerged lands lying
seaward and outside of the area of `lands beneath navigable waters' as
defined in section 2(a) of the Submerged Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1301(a)), and
of which the subsoil and seabed appertain to the United States and are
subject to its jurisdiction and control.
(10) The term `political subdivision' means the local political
jurisdiction immediately below the level of State government, including
counties, parishes, and boroughs. If State law recognizes an entity of
general government that functions in lieu of, and is not within, a county,
parish, or borough, the Secretary may recognize an area under the
jurisdiction of such other entities of general government as a political
subdivision for purposes of this title.
(11) The term `producing State' means a State with a coastal seaward
boundary within 200 miles from the geographic center of a leased tract other
than a leased tract or portion of a leased tract that is located in a
geographic area subject to a leasing moratorium on January 1, 1999 (unless
the lease was issued prior to the establishment of the moratorium and was in
production on January 1, 1999).
(12) The term `qualified Outer Continental Shelf revenues' means (except
as otherwise provided in this paragraph) all moneys received by the United
States from each leased tract or portion of a leased tract lying seaward of
the zone defined and governed by section 8(g) of the Outer Continental Shelf
Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1337(g)), or lying within such zone but to which
section 8(g) does not apply, the geographic center of which lies within a
distance of 200 miles from any part of the coastline of any coastal State,
including bonus bids, rents, royalties (including payments for royalty taken
in kind and sold), net profit share payments, and related late-payment
interest from natural gas and oil leases issued pursuant to the Outer
Continental Shelf Lands Act. Such term does not include any revenues from a
leased tract or portion of a leased tract that is located in a geographic
area subject to a leasing moratorium on January 1, 1999, unless the lease
was issued prior to the establishment of the moratorium and was in
production on January 1, 1999.
(13) The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of the Interior or the
Secretary's designee, except as otherwise specifically provided.
(14) The term `Fund' means the Conservation and Reinvestment Act Fund
established under section 5.
SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORTS.
(a) STATE REPORTS- On June 15 of each year, each Governor receiving moneys
from the Fund shall account for all moneys so received for the previous fiscal
year in a written report to the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of
Agriculture, as appropriate. The report shall include, in accordance with
regulations prescribed by the Secretaries, a description of all projects and
activities receiving funds under this Act. In order to avoid duplication, such
report may incorporate by reference any other reports required to be submitted
under other provisions of law to the Secretary concerned by the Governor
regarding any portion of such moneys.
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS- On January 1 of each year the Secretary of the
Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall submit an
annual report to the Congress documenting all moneys expended by the Secretary
of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from the Fund during the
previous fiscal year and summarizing the contents of the Governors' reports
submitted to the Secretaries under subsection (a).
SEC. 5. CONSERVATION AND REINVESTMENT ACT FUND.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF FUND- There is established in the Treasury of the
United States a fund which shall be known as the `Conservation and
Reinvestment Act Fund'. In each fiscal year after the fiscal year 2000, the
Secretary of the Treasury shall deposit into the Fund the following
amounts:
(1) OCS REVENUES- An amount in each such fiscal year from qualified
Outer Continental Shelf revenues equal to the difference between
$2,825,000,000 and the amounts deposited in the Fund under paragraph (2),
notwithstanding section 9 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43
U.S.C. 1338).
(2) AMOUNTS NOT DISBURSED- All allocated but undisbursed amounts
returned to the Fund under section 101(a)(2).
(3) INTEREST- All interest earned under subsection (d) that is not made
available under paragraph (2) or (4) of that subsection.
(b) TRANSFER FOR EXPENDITURE- In each fiscal year after the fiscal year
2001, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer amounts deposited into the
Fund as follows:
(1) $1,000,000,000 to the Secretary of the Interior for purposes of
making payments to coastal States under title I of this Act.
(2) To the Land and Water Conservation Fund for expenditure as provided
in section 3(a) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16
U.S.C. 460l-6(a)) such amounts as are necessary to make the income of the
fund $900,000,000 in each such fiscal year.
(3) $350,000,000 to the Federal aid to wildlife restoration fund
established under section 3 of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act
(16 U.S.C. 669b).
(4) $125,000,000 to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out the Urban
Park and Recreation Recovery Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.).
(5) $100,000,000 to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out the
National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).
(6) $200,000,000 to the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of
Agriculture to carry out title VI of this Act.
(7) $100,000,000 to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out the
farmland protection program under section 388 of the Federal Agriculture
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-127; 16 U.S.C. 3830
note), the Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program established under
section 9 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C.
2105), and the Forest Legacy Program under section 7 of the Cooperative
Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2103c).
(8) $50,000,000 to the Secretary of the Interior to develop and
implement Endangered and Threatened Species Recovery Agreements under
subtitle B of title VII of this Act.
(c) SHORTFALL- If amounts deposited into the Fund in any fiscal year after
the fiscal year 2000 are less than $2,825,000,000, the amounts transferred
under paragraphs (1) through (8) of subsection (b) for that fiscal year shall
each be reduced proportionately.
(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of the Treasury shall invest moneys in the
Fund (including interest), and in any fund or account to which moneys are
transferred pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, in public debt
securities with maturities suitable to the needs of the Fund, as determined
by the Secretary of the Treasury, and bearing interest at rates determined
by the Secretary of the Treasury, taking into consideration current market
yields on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States of
comparable maturity. Such invested moneys shall remain invested until needed
to meet requirements for disbursement for the programs financed under this
Act.
(2) USE OF INTEREST- Except as provided in paragraphs (3) and (4),
interest earned on such moneys shall be available, without further
appropriation, for obligation or expenditure under--
(A) chapter 69 of title 31, United States Code (relating to payments
in lieu of taxes); and
(B) section 401 of the Act of June 15, 1935 (49 Stat. 383; 16 U.S.C.
715s) (relating to refuge revenue sharing).
In each fiscal year such interest shall be allocated between the
programs referred to in subparagraphs (A) and (B) in proportion to the
amounts appropriated for that fiscal year under other provisions of law for
purposes of such programs. To the extent that the total amount available for
a fiscal year under this paragraph and such other provisions of law for one
of such programs exceeds the authorized limit of that program, the amount
available under this paragraph that contributes to such excess shall be
allocated to the other such program, but not in excess of its authorized
limit. To the extent that for both such programs such total amount for each
program exceeds the authorized limit of that program, the amount available
under this paragraph that contributes to such excess shall be deposited into
the Fund and shall be considered interest for purposes of subsection (a)(3).
Interest shall cease to be available for obligation or expenditure for a
fiscal year for purposes of subparagraph (A) if the annual appropriation for
that fiscal year under other provisions of law for the program referred to
in subparagraph (A) is less than $100,000,000, and in any such case, the
allocation provisions of this paragraph shall not apply and all such
interest shall be available for purposes of the program referred to in
subparagraph (B), up to the authorized limit of such program. Interest shall
cease to be available for obligation or expenditure for a fiscal year for
purposes of subparagraph (B) if the annual appropriation for that fiscal
year under other provisions of law for the program referred to in
subparagraph (A) is less than $15,000,000, and in any such case, the
allocation provisions of this paragraph shall not apply and all such
interest shall be available for purposes of the program referred to in
subparagraph (A), up to the authorized limit of such program. Interest shall
cease to be available for obligation or expenditure for a fiscal year for
purposes of this paragraph if the annual appropriation for that fiscal year
under other provisions of law for each of the program referred to in
subparagraph (A) and the program referred to in subparagraph (B) is less
than $100,000,000 and $15,000,000, respectively, and in any such case, the
allocation provisions of this paragraph shall not apply and all such
interest shall be deposited into the Fund and be considered interest for
purposes of subsection (a)(3).
(3) CEILING ON EXPENDITURES OF INTEREST- Amounts made available under
paragraph (2) in each fiscal year shall not exceed the lesser of the
following:
(B) The total amount authorized and appropriated for that fiscal year
under other provisions of law for purposes of the programs referred to in
subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2).
(4) TITLE III INTEREST- All interest attributable to amounts transferred
by the Secretary of the Treasury to the Secretary of the Interior for
purposes of title III of this Act (and the amendments made by such title
III) shall be available, without further appropriation, for obligation or
expenditure for purposes of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act of
1989 (16 U.S.C. 4401 et seq.).
(e) REFUNDS- In those instances where through judicial decision,
administrative review, arbitration, or other means there are royalty refunds
owed to entities generating revenues under this title, refunds shall be paid
by the Secretary of the Treasury from amounts available in the Fund to the
extent that such refunds are attributable to qualified Outer Continental Shelf
revenues deposited in the Fund under this Act.
(f) INTENT OF CONGRESS TO SUPPLEMENT ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR NATIONAL
PARK SERVICE- Amounts made available by this Act are intended by the Congress
to supplement, and not detract from, annual appropriations for the National
Park Service.
(g) ENSURING SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE SOLVENCY- The Secretary of the
Treasury shall not transfer funds to the Conservation and Reinvestment Act
Fund under this Act during any fiscal year unless--
(1) the Director of the Congressional Budget Office has certified that
the House and Senate have approved legislation that--
(A) ensures that a sufficient portion of the on-budget surplus is
reserved for debt retirement to put the Government on a path to eliminate
the publicly held debt by fiscal year 2013 under current economic and
technical projections; and
(B) ensures that there is not an on-budget deficit for that fiscal
year;
(2) the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance
Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund has certified
that outlays from such trust funds are not anticipated to exceed the
revenues to such trust funds during any of the next 5 fiscal years;
and
(3) the Board of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund
has certified that the outlays from such trust fund are not anticipated to
exceed the revenues to such trust fund during any of the next 5 fiscal
years.
SEC. 6. LIMITATION ON USE OF AVAILABLE AMOUNTS FOR ADMINISTRATION.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of amounts made available by
this Act (including the amendments made by this Act) for a particular
activity, not more than 2 percent may be used for administrative expenses of
that activity. Nothing in this section shall affect the prohibition contained
in section 4(c)(3) of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (as amended
by this Act).
SEC. 7. RECORDKEEPING REQUIREMENTS.
The Secretary of the Interior in consultation with the Secretary of
Agriculture shall establish such rules regarding recordkeeping by State and
local governments and the auditing of expenditures made by State and local
governments from funds made available under this Act as may be necessary. Such
rules shall be in addition to other requirements established regarding
recordkeeping and the auditing of such expenditures under other authority of
law.
SEC. 8. MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT AND MATCHING FUNDING.
(a) IN GENERAL- It is the intent of the Congress in this Act that States
not use this Act as an opportunity to reduce State or local resources for the
programs funded by this Act. Except as provided in subsection (b), no State or
local government shall receive any funds under this Act during any fiscal year
when its expenditures of non-Federal funds for recurrent expenditures for
programs for which funding is provided under this Act will be less than its
expenditures were for such programs during the preceding fiscal year. No State
or local government shall receive funding under this Act with respect to a
program unless the Secretary is satisfied that such a grant will be so used to
supplement and, to the extent practicable, increase the level of State, local,
or other non-Federal funds available for such program.
(b) EXCEPTION- The Secretary may provide funding under this Act to a State
or local government not meeting the requirements of subsection (a) if the
Secretary determines that a reduction in expenditures--
(1) is attributable to a nonselective reduction in expenditures for the
programs of all executive branch agencies of the State or local government;
or
(2) is a result of reductions in State or local revenue as a result of a
downturn in the economy.
(c) USE OF FUND TO MEET MATCHING REQUIREMENTS- All funds received by a
State or local government under this Act shall be treated as Federal funds for
purposes of compliance with any provision in effect under any other law
requiring that non-Federal funds be used to provide a portion of the funding
for any program or project.
SEC. 9. SUNSET.
This Act, including the amendments made by this Act, shall have no force
or effect after September 30, 2015.
SEC. 10. PROTECTION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS.
(a) SAVINGS CLAUSE- Nothing in the Act shall authorize that private
property be taken for public use, without just compensation as provided by the
Fifth and Fourteenth amendments to the United States Constitution.
(b) REGULATION- Federal agencies, using funds appropriated by this Act,
may not apply any regulation on any lands until the lands or water, or an
interest therein, is acquired, unless authorized to do so by another Act of
Congress.
SEC. 11. SIGNS.
(a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall require, as a condition of any
financial assistance provided with amounts made available by this Act, that
the person that owns or administers any site that benefits from such
assistance shall include on any sign otherwise installed at that site at or
near an entrance or public use focal point, a statement that the existence or
development of the site (or both), as appropriate, is a product of such
assistance.
(b) STANDARDS- The Secretary shall provide for the design of standardized
signs for purposes of subsection (a), and shall prescribe standards and
guidelines for such signs.
TITLE I--IMPACT ASSISTANCE AND COASTAL CONSERVATION
SEC. 101. IMPACT ASSISTANCE FORMULA AND PAYMENTS.
(a) IMPACT ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS TO STATES-
(1) GRANT PROGRAM- Amounts transferred to the Secretary of the Interior
from the Conservation and Reinvestment Act Fund under section 5(b)(1) of
this Act for purposes of making payments to coastal States under this title
in any fiscal year shall be allocated by the Secretary of the Interior among
coastal States as provided in this section in each such fiscal year. In each
such fiscal year, the Secretary of the Interior shall, without further
appropriation, disburse such allocated funds to those coastal States for
which the Secretary has approved a Coastal State Conservation and Impact
Assistance Plan as required by this title. Payments for all projects shall
be made by the Secretary to the Governor of the State or to the State
official or agency designated by the Governor or by State law as having
authority and responsibility to accept and to administer funds paid
hereunder. No payment shall be made to any State until the State has agreed
to provide such reports to the Secretary, in such form and containing such
information, as may be reasonably necessary to enable the Secretary to
perform his duties under this title, and provide such fiscal control and
fund accounting procedures as may be necessary to assure proper disbursement
and accounting for Federal revenues paid to the State under this
title.
(2) FAILURE TO HAVE PLAN APPROVED- At the end of each fiscal year, the
Secretary shall return to the Conservation and Reinvestment Act Fund any
amount that the Secretary allocated, but did not disburse, in that fiscal
year to a coastal State that does not have an approved plan under this title
before the end of the fiscal year in which such grant is allocated, except
that the Secretary shall hold in escrow until the final resolution of the
appeal any amount allocated, but not disbursed, to a coastal State that has
appealed the disapproval of a plan submitted under this title.
(b) ALLOCATION AMONG COASTAL STATES-
(1) ALLOCABLE SHARE FOR EACH STATE- For each coastal State, the
Secretary shall determine the State's allocable share of the total amount of
the revenues transferred from the Fund under section 5(b)(1) for each fiscal
year using the following weighted formula:
(A) Fifty percent of such revenues shall be allocated among the
coastal States as provided in paragraph (2).
(B) Twenty-five percent of such revenues shall be allocated to each
coastal State based on the ratio of each State's shoreline miles to the
shoreline miles of all coastal States.
(C) Twenty-five percent of such revenues shall be allocated to each
coastal State based on the ratio of each State's coastal population to the
coastal population of all coastal States.
(2) OFFSHORE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF SHARE- If any portion of a
producing State lies within a distance of 200 miles from the geographic
center of any leased tract with qualified Outer Continental Shelf revenues,
the Secretary of the Interior shall determine such State's allocable share
under paragraph (1)(A) based on the formula set forth in this paragraph.
Such State share shall be calculated as of the date of the enactment of this
Act. Each such State's allocable share of the revenues disbursed under
paragraph (1)(A) shall be based on qualified Outer Continental Shelf
revenues from each leased tract or portion of a leased tract the geographic
center of which is within a distance (to the nearest whole mile) of 200
miles from the coastline of the State and shall be inversely proportional to
the distance between the nearest point on the coastline of such State and
the geographic center of each such leased tract or portion, as determined by
the Secretary. In applying this paragraph a leased tract or portion of a
leased tract shall be excluded if the tract or portion is located in a
geographic area subject to a leasing moratorium on January 1, 1999, unless
the lease was issued prior to the establishment of the moratorium and was in
production on January 1, 1999.
(A) IN GENERAL- The allocable share of revenues determined by the
Secretary under this subsection for each coastal State with an approved
coastal management program (as defined by the Coastal Zone Management Act
(16 U.S.C. 1451)), or which is making satisfactory progress toward one,
shall not be less in any fiscal year than 0.50 percent of the total amount
of the revenues transferred by the Secretary of the Treasury to the
Secretary of the Interior for purposes of this title for that fiscal year
under subsection (a). For any other coastal State the allocable share of
such revenues shall not be less than 0.25 percent of such
revenues.
(B) RECOMPUTATION- Where one or more coastal States' allocable shares,
as computed under paragraphs (1) and (2), are increased by any amount
under this paragraph, the allocable share for all other coastal States
shall be recomputed and reduced by the same amount so that not more than
100 percent of the amount transferred by the Secretary of the Treasury to
the Secretary of the Interior for purposes of this title for that fiscal
year under section 5(b)(1) is allocated to all coastal States. The
reduction shall be divided pro rata among such other coastal
States.
(c) PAYMENTS TO POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS- In the case of a producing State,
the Governor of the State shall pay 50 percent of the State's allocable share,
as determined under subsection (b), to the coastal political subdivisions in
such State. Such payments shall be allocated among such coastal political
subdivisions of the State according to an allocation formula analogous to the
allocation formula used in subsection (b) to allocate revenues among the
coastal States, except that a coastal political subdivision in the State of
California that has a coastal shoreline, that is not within 200 miles of the
geographic center of a leased tract or portion of a leased tract, and in which
there is located one or more oil refineries shall be eligible for that portion
of the allocation described in subsection (b)(1)(A) and (b)(2) in the same
manner as if that political subdivision were located within a distance of 50
miles from the geographic center of the closest leased tract with qualified
Outer Continental Shelf revenues.
(d) TIME OF PAYMENT- Payments to coastal States and coastal political
subdivisions under this section shall be made not later than December 31 of
each year from revenues received during the immediately preceding fiscal
year.
SEC. 102. COASTAL STATE CONSERVATION AND IMPACT ASSISTANCE PLANS.
(a) DEVELOPMENT AND SUBMISSION OF STATE PLANS- Each coastal State seeking
to receive grants under this title shall prepare, and submit to the Secretary,
a Statewide Coastal State Conservation and Impact Assistance Plan. In the case
of a producing State, the Governor shall incorporate the plans of the coastal
political subdivisions into the Statewide plan for transmittal to the
Secretary. The Governor shall solicit local input and shall provide for public
participation in the development of the Statewide plan. The plan shall be
submitted to the Secretary by April 1 of the calendar year after the calendar
year in which this Act is enacted.
(b) APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL-
(1) IN GENERAL- Approval of a Statewide plan under subsection (a) is
required prior to disbursement of funds under this title by the Secretary.
The Secretary shall approve the Statewide plan if the Secretary determines,
in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, that the plan is consistent
with the uses set forth in subsection (c) and if the plan contains each of
the following:
(A) The name of the State agency that will have the authority to
represent and act for the State in dealing with the Secretary for purposes
of this title.
(B) A program for the implementation of the plan which shall include
(i) a description of how the plan will address environmental concerns,
(ii) for producing States, a description of how funds will be used to
address the impacts of oil and gas production from the Outer Continental
Shelf, and (iii) a description of how the State will evaluate the
effectiveness of the plan.
(C) Certification by the Governor that ample opportunity has been
accorded for public participation in the development and revision of the
plan.
(D) Measures for taking into account other relevant Federal resources
and programs. The plan shall be correlated so far as practicable with
other State, regional, and local plans.
(2) PROCEDURE AND TIMING; REVISIONS- The Secretary shall approve or
disapprove each plan submitted in accordance with this section. If a State
first submits a plan by not later than 90 days before the beginning of the
first fiscal year to which the plan applies, the Secretary shall approve or
disapprove the plan by not later than 30 days before the beginning of that
fiscal year.
(3) AMENDMENT OR REVISION- Any amendment to or revision of the plan
shall be prepared in accordance with the requirements of this subsection and
shall be submitted to the Secretary for approval or disapproval. Any such
amendment or revision shall take effect only for fiscal years after the
fiscal year in which the amendment or revision is approved by the
Secretary.
(c) AUTHORIZED USES OF STATE GRANT FUNDING- The funds provided under this
title to a coastal State and for coastal political subdivisions are authorized
to be used in compliance with Federal and State law only for one or more of
the following purposes:
(1) Data collection, including but not limited to fishery or marine
mammal stock surveys in State waters or both, cooperative State, interstate,
and Federal fishery or marine mammal stock surveys or both, cooperative
initiatives with university and private entities for fishery and marine
mammal surveys, activities related to marine mammal and fishery
interactions, and other coastal living marine resources surveys.
(2) The conservation, restoration, enhancement, or creation of coastal
habitats.
(3) Cooperative Federal or State enforcement of marine resources
management statutes.
(4) Fishery observer coverage programs in State or Federal waters.
(5) Invasive, exotic, and nonindigenous species identification and
control.
(6) Coordination and preparation of cooperative fishery conservation and
management plans between States including the development and implementation
of population surveys, assessments and monitoring plans, and the preparation
and implementation of State fishery management plans developed by interstate
marine fishery commissions.
(7) Preparation and implementation of State fishery or marine mammal
management plans that comply with bilateral or multilateral international
fishery or marine mammal conservation and management agreements or
both.
(8) Coastal and ocean observations necessary to develop and implement
real time tide and current measurement systems.
(9) Implementation of federally approved marine, coastal, or
comprehensive conservation and management plans.
(10) Mitigating marine and coastal impacts of Outer Continental Shelf
activities including impacts on onshore infrastructure.
(11) Projects that promote research, education, training, and advisory
services in fields related to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes
resources.
(d) COMPLIANCE WITH AUTHORIZED USES- Based on the annual reports submitted
under section 4 of this Act and on audits conducted by the Secretary under
section 7, the Secretary shall review the expenditures made by each State and
coastal political subdivision from funds made available under this title. If
the Secretary determines that any expenditure made by a State or coastal
political subdivision of a State from such funds is not consistent with the
authorized uses set forth in subsection (c), the Secretary shall not make any
further grants under this title to that State until the funds used for such
expenditure have been repaid to the Conservation and Reinvestment Act Fund.
TITLE II--LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND REVITALIZATION
SEC. 201. AMENDMENT OF LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND ACT OF 1965.
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this title an
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a
section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a
section or other provision of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965
(16 U.S.C. 460l-4 et seq.).
SEC. 202. EXTENSION OF FUND; TREATMENT OF AMOUNTS TRANSFERRED FROM
CONSERVATION AND REINVESTMENT ACT FUND.
Section 2(c) is amended to read as follows:
`(c) AMOUNTS TRANSFERRED FROM CONSERVATION AND REINVESTMENT ACT FUND- In
addition to the sum of the revenues and collections estimated by the Secretary
of the Interior to be covered into the fund pursuant to subsections (a) and
(b) of this section, there shall be covered into the fund all amounts
transferred to the fund under section 5(b)(2) of the Conservation and
Reinvestment Act of 2000.'.
SEC. 203. AVAILABILITY OF AMOUNTS.
Section 3 (16 U.S.C. 460l-6) is amended to read as follows:
`APPROPRIATIONS
`SEC. 3. (a) IN GENERAL- There are authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary from the fund to carry out this Act not more than $900,000,000 in
any fiscal year after the fiscal year 2001. Amounts transferred to the fund
from the Conservation and Reinvestment Act Fund and amounts covered into the
fund under subsections (a) and (b) of section 2 shall be available to the
Secretary in fiscal years after the fiscal year 2001 without further
appropriation to carry out this Act.
`(b) OBLIGATION AND EXPENDITURE OF AVAILABLE AMOUNTS- Amounts available
for obligation or expenditure from the fund or from the special account
established under section 4(i)(1) may be obligated or expended only as
provided in this Act.'.
SEC. 204. ALLOCATION OF FUND.
Section 5 (16 U.S.C. 460l-7) is amended to read as follows:
`ALLOCATION OF FUNDS
`SEC. 5. Of the amounts made available for each fiscal year to carry out
this Act--
`(1) 50 percent shall be available for Federal purposes (in this Act
referred to as the `Federal portion'); and
`(2) 50 percent shall be available for grants to States.'.
SEC. 205. USE OF FEDERAL PORTION.
Section 7 (16 U.S.C. 460l-9) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
`(d) USE OF FEDERAL PORTION-
`(1) APPROVAL BY CONGRESS REQUIRED- The Federal portion (as that term is
defined in section 5(1)) may not be obligated or expended by the Secretary
of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture for any acquisition except
those specifically referred to, and approved by the Congress, in an Act
making appropriations for the Department of the Interior or the Department
of Agriculture, respectively.
`(2) WILLING SELLER REQUIREMENT- The Federal portion may not be used to
acquire any property unless--
`(A) the owner of the property concurs in the acquisition; or
`(B) acquisition of that property is specifically approved by an Act
of Congress.
`(e) LIST OF PROPOSED FEDERAL ACQUISITIONS-
`(1) RESTRICTION ON USE- The Federal portion for a fiscal year may not
be obligated or expended to acquire any interest in lands or water unless
the lands or water were included in a list of acquisitions that is approved
by the Congress.
`(2) TRANSMISSION OF LIST- (A) The Secretary of the Interior and the
Secretary of Agriculture shall jointly transmit to the appropriate
authorizing and appropriations committees of the House of Representatives
and the Senate for each fiscal year, by no later than the submission of the
budget for the fiscal year under section 1105 of title 31, United States
Code, a list of the acquisitions of interests in lands and water proposed to
be made with the Federal portion for the fiscal year.
`(B) In preparing each list under subparagraph (A), the Secretary
shall--
`(i) seek to consolidate Federal landholdings in States with
checkerboard Federal land ownership patterns;
`(ii) consider the use of equal value land exchanges, where feasible
and suitable, as an alternative means of land acquisition;
`(iii) consider the use of permanent conservation easements, where
feasible and suitable, as an alternative means of acquisition;
`(iv) identify those properties that are proposed to be acquired from
willing sellers and specify any for which adverse condemnation is
requested; and
`(v) establish priorities based on such factors as important or
special resource attributes, threats to resource integrity, timely
availability, owner hardship, cost escalation, public recreation use
values, and similar considerations.
`(C) The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture
shall each--
`(i) transmit, with the list transmitted under subparagraph (A), a
separate list of those lands under the administrative jurisdiction of the
Secretary that have been identified in applicable land management plans as
surplus and eligible for disposal as provided for by law; and
`(ii) update each list to be transmitted under clause (i) as land
management plans are amended or revised.
`(3) INFORMATION REGARDING PROPOSED ACQUISITIONS- Each list under
paragraph (2)(A) shall include, for each proposed acquisition included in
the list--
`(A) citation of the statutory authority for the acquisition, if such
authority exists; and
`(B) an explanation of why the particular interest proposed to be
acquired was selected.
`(f) NOTIFICATION TO AFFECTED AREAS REQUIRED- The Federal portion for a
fiscal year may not be used to acquire any interest in land unless the
Secretary administering the acquisition, by not later than 30 days after the
date the Secretaries submit the list under subsection (e)(2)(A) for the fiscal
year, provides notice of the proposed acquisition--
`(1) in writing to each Member of and each Delegate and Resident
Commissioner to the Congress elected to represent any area in which is
located--
`(B) any part of any federally designated unit that includes the
land;
`(2) in writing to the Governor of the State in which the land is
located;
`(3) in writing to each State political subdivision having jurisdiction
over the land; and
`(4) by publication of a notice in a newspaper that is widely
distributed in the area under the jurisdiction of each such State political
subdivision, that includes a clear statement that the Federal Government
intends to acquire an interest in land.
`(g) COMPLIANCE WITH REQUIREMENTS UNDER FEDERAL LAWS-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Federal portion for a fiscal year may not be used
to acquire any interest in land or water unless the following have
occurred:
`(A) All actions required under Federal law with respect to the
acquisition have been complied with.
`(B) A copy of each final environmental impact statement or
environmental assessment required by law, and a summary of all public
comments regarding the acquisition that have been received by the agency
making the acquisition, are submitted to the Committee on Resources of the
House of Representatives, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of
the Senate, and the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and of the Senate.
`(C) A notice of the availability of such statement or assessment and
of such summary is provided to--
`(i) each Member of and each Delegate and Resident Commissioner to
the Congress elected to represent the area in which the land is
located;
`(ii) the Governor of the State in which the land is located;
and
`(iii) each State political subdivision having jurisdiction over the
land.
`(2) LIMITATION ON APPLICATION- Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any
acquisition that is specifically authorized by a Federal law.'.
SEC. 206. ALLOCATION OF AMOUNTS AVAILABLE FOR STATE PURPOSES.
(a) IN GENERAL- Section 6(b) (16 U.S.C. 460l-8(b)) is amended to read as
follows:
`(b) DISTRIBUTION AMONG THE STATES- (1) Sums in the fund available each
fiscal year for State purposes shall be apportioned among the several States
by the Secretary, in accordance with this subsection. The determination of the
apportionment by the Secretary shall be final.
`(2) Subject to paragraph (3), of sums in the fund available each fiscal
year for State purposes--
`(A) 30 percent shall be apportioned equally among the several States;
and
`(B) 70 percent shall be apportioned so that the ratio that the amount
apportioned to each State under this subparagraph bears to the total
amount apportioned under this subparagraph for the fiscal year is equal to
the ratio that the population of the State bears to the total population
of all States.
No amount may be apportioned under this paragraph to any State (herein
referred to as an `unfunded State') that has not established a dedicated State
land acquisition fund that is funded through the State's budget process. The
amount that would have been apportioned to any such unfunded State under this
paragraph shall be reapportioned to other States in accordance with
subparagraphs (A) and (B).
`(3) The total allocation to an individual State for a fiscal year under
paragraph (2) shall not exceed 10 percent of the total amount allocated to the
several States under paragraph (2) for that fiscal year.
`(4) The Secretary shall notify each State of its apportionment, and the
amounts thereof shall be available thereafter to the State for planning,
acquisition, or development projects as hereafter described. Any amount of any
apportionment under this subsection that has not been paid or obligated by the
Secretary during the fiscal year in which such notification is given and the
two fiscal years thereafter shall be reapportioned by the Secretary in
accordance with paragraph (2), but without regard to the 10 percent limitation
to an individual State specified in paragraph (3).
`(5)(A) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(A)--
`(i) the District of Columbia shall be treated as a State; and
`(ii) Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa--
`(I) shall be treated collectively as one State; and
`(II) shall each be allocated an equal share of any amount distributed
to them pursuant to clause (i).
`(B) Each of the areas referred to in subparagraph (A) shall be treated as
a State for all other purposes of this Act.'.
(b) TRIBES AND ALASKA NATIVE CORPORATIONS- Section 6(b)(5) (16 U.S.C.
460l-8(b)(5)) is further amended by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
`(C) For the purposes of paragraph (1), all federally recognized Indian
tribes, or in the case of Alaska, Native Corporations (as defined in section 3
of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602)), shall be
eligible to receive shares of the apportionment under paragraph (1) in
accordance with a competitive grant program established by the Secretary by
rule. The total apportionment available to such tribes, or in the case of
Alaska, Native Corporations shall be equivalent to the amount available to a
single State. No single tribe, nor in the case of Alaska, Native Corporation
shall receive a grant that constitutes more than 10 percent of the total
amount made available to all tribes and Alaska Native Corporations pursuant to
the apportionment under paragraph (1). Funds received by a tribe, or in the
case of Alaska, Native Corporation under this subparagraph may be expended
only for the purposes specified in clauses (1) and (3) of subsection (a).'.
(c) LOCAL ALLOCATION- Section 6(b) (16 U.S.C. 460l-8(b)) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
`(6) Absent some compelling and annually documented reason to the contrary
acceptable to the Secretary of the Interior, each State (other than an area
treated as a State under paragraph (5)) shall make available as grants to
local governments, at least 50 percent of the annual State apportionment, or
an equivalent amount made available from other sources.'.
(d) STATE PROJECTS OF REGIONAL OR NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE- Section 6(b) (16
U.S.C. 460l-8(b)) is amended by adding the following at the end:
`(7)(A) Any amounts available in addition to those amounts made available
under section 5 of the Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 2000 in a fiscal
year shall be available without further appropriation to the Secretary of the
Interior to be distributed among the several States under a competitive grant
program for State projects as authorized under section 6(e)(1) of national or
regional significance involving one or more States.
`(B) The Secretary shall award grants only to projects that would conserve
open space and either conserve wildlife habitat, protect water quality, or
otherwise enhance the environment, or that would protect areas that have
historic or cultural value. The Secretary shall give preference to projects
that would be most likely to have the greatest benefit to the environment
regionally or nationally and would maintain or enhance recreational
opportunities.'.
SEC. 207. STATE PLANNING.
(a) STATE ACTION AGENDA REQUIRED-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 6(d) (16 U.S.C. 460l-8(d)) is amended to read as
follows:
`(d) STATE ACTION AGENDA REQUIRED- (1) Each State may define its own
priorities and criteria for selection of outdoor conservation and recreation
acquisition and development projects eligible for grants under this Act, so
long as the priorities and criteria defined by the State are consistent with
the purposes of this Act, the State provides for public involvement in this
process, and the State publishes an accurate and current State Action Agenda
for Community Conservation and Recreation (in this Act referred to as the
`State Action Agenda') indicating the needs it has identified and the
priorities and criteria it has established. In order to assess its needs and
establish its overall priorities, each State, in partnership with its local
governments and Federal agencies, and in consultation with its citizens, shall
develop, within 5 years after the enactment of the Conservation and
Reinvestment Act of 2000, a State Action Agenda that meets the following
requirements:
`(A) The agenda must be strategic, originating in broad-based and
long-term needs, but focused on actions that can be funded over the next 5
years.
`(B) The agenda must be updated at least once every 5 years and
certified by the Governor that the State Action Agenda conclusions and
proposed actions have been considered in an active public involvement
process.
`(2) State Action Agendas shall take into account all providers of
conservation and recreation lands within each State, including Federal,
regional, and local government resources, and shall be correlated whenever
possible with other State, regional, and local plans for parks, recreation,
open space, and wetlands conservation. Recovery action programs developed by
urban localities under section 1007 of the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery
Act of 1978 shall be used by a State as a guide to the conclusions,
priorities, and action schedules contained in State Action Agenda. Each State
shall assure that any requirements for local outdoor conservation and
recreation planning, promulgated as conditions for grants, minimize redundancy
of local efforts by allowing, wherever possible, use of the findings,
priorities, and implementation schedules of recovery action programs to meet
such requirements.'.
(2) EXISTING STATE PLANS- Comprehensive State Plans developed by any
State under section 6(d) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965
before the date that is 5 years after the enactment of this Act shall remain
in effect in that State until a State Action Agenda has been adopted
pursuant to the amendment made by this subsection, but no later than 5 years
after the enactment of this Act.
(b) MISCELLANEOUS- Section 6(e) (16 U.S.C. 460l-8(e)) is amended as
follows:
(1) In the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking `State
comprehensive plan' and inserting `State Action Agenda'.
(2) In paragraph (1) by striking `comprehensive plan' and inserting
`State Action Agenda'.
SEC. 208. ASSISTANCE TO STATES FOR OTHER PROJECTS.
Section 6(e) (16 U.S.C. 460l-8(e)) is amended--
(1) in subsection (e)(1) by striking `, but not including incidental
costs relating to acquisition'; and
(2) in subsection (e)(2) by inserting before the period at the end the
following: `or to enhance public safety within a designated park or
recreation area'.
SEC. 209. CONVERSION OF PROPERTY TO OTHER USE.
Section 6(f)(3) (16 U.S.C. 460l-8(f)(3)) is amended--
(1) by inserting `(A)' before `No property'; and
(2) by striking the second sentence and inserting the following:
`(B) The Secretary shall approve such conversion only if the State
demonstrates no prudent or feasible alternative exists with the exception of
those properties that no longer meet the criteria within the State Plan or
Agenda as an outdoor conservation and recreation facility due to changes in
demographics or that must be abandoned because of environmental contamination
which endangers public health and safety. Any conversion must satisfy such
conditions as the Secretary deems necessary to assure the substitution of
other conservation and recreation properties of at least equal fair market
value and reasonably equivalent usefulness and location and which are
consistent with the existing State Plan or Agenda; except that wetland areas
and interests therein as identified in the wetlands provisions of the action
agenda and proposed to be acquired as suitable replacement property within
that same State that is otherwise acceptable to the Secretary shall be
considered to be of reasonably equivalent usefulness with the property
proposed for conversion.'.
SEC. 210. WATER RIGHTS.
Title I is amended by adding at the end the following:
`WATER RIGHTS
`SEC. 14. Nothing in this title--
`(1) invalidates or preempts State or Federal water law or an interstate
compact governing water;
`(2) alters the rights of any State to any appropriated share of the
waters of any body of surface or ground water, whether determined by past or
future interstate compacts or by past or future legislative or final
judicial allocations;
`(3) preempts or modifies any Federal or State law, or interstate
compact, dealing with water quality or disposal; or
`(4) confers on any non-Federal entity the ability to exercise any
Federal right to the waters of any stream or to any ground water
resource.'.
SEC. 211. REQUIREMENTS FOR ACQUISITION OF LANDS IN MONTANA WITH FEDERAL
PORTION.
Section 7 (16 U.S.C. 460l-9) is further amended by adding at the end the
following:
`(h) REQUIREMENTS FOR ACQUISITION OF LANDS IN MONTANA- The Secretary of
the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall jointly develop and issue
a plan for acquisition and disposal of lands in the State of Montana that will
result in consolidation of private lands and Federal public lands. The plan
shall be designed to ensure that--
`(1) acquisitions of lands with the Federal portion consolidate Federal
ownership of lands in Montana under the administrative jurisdiction of the
Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture; and
`(2) any increase in the total acreage of lands in Montana under the
administrative jurisdictions of those Departments that results from
acquisitions of lands with the Federal portion is de minimis.'.
TITLE III--WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION
SEC. 301. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this title are--
(1) to extend financial and technical assistance to the States under the
Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration Act for the benefit of a diverse array
of wildlife and associated habitats, including species that are not hunted
or fished, to fulfill unmet needs of wildlife within the States in
recognition of the primary role of the States to conserve all
wildlife;
(2) to assure sound conservation policies through the development,
revision, and implementation of a comprehensive wildlife conservation and
restoration plan;
(3) to encourage State fish and wildlife agencies to participate with
the Federal Government, other State agencies, wildlife conservation
organizations, Indian tribes, and in the case of Alaska, Alaska Native
Corporations, and outdoor recreation and conservation interests through
cooperative planning and implementation of this title; and
(4) to encourage State fish and wildlife agencies to provide for public
involvement in the process of development and implementation of a wildlife
conservation and restoration program.
SEC. 302. DEFINITIONS.
(a) REFERENCE TO LAW- In this title, the term `Federal Aid in Wildlife
Restoration Act' means the Act of September 2, 1937 (16 U.S.C. 669 et seq.),
commonly referred to as the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act or the
Pittman-Robertson Act.
(b) WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION PROGRAM- Section 2 of the
Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669a) is amended by
inserting after `shall be construed' the first place it appears the following:
`to include the wildlife conservation and restoration program and'.
(c) STATE AGENCIES- Section 2 of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration
Act (16 U.S.C. 669a) is amended by inserting `or State fish and wildlife
department' after `State fish and game department'.
(d) DEFINITIONS- Section 2 of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act
(16 U.S.C. 669a) is amended by striking the period at the end thereof,
substituting a semicolon, and adding the following: `the term `conservation'
shall be construed to mean the use of methods and procedures necessary or
desirable to sustain healthy populations of wildlife including all activities
associated with scientific resources management such as research, census,
monitoring of populations, acquisition, improvement and management of habitat,
live trapping and transplantation, wildlife damage management, and periodic or
total protection of a species or population as well as the taking of
individuals within wildlife stock or population if permitted by applicable
State and Federal law; the term `wildlife conservation and restoration
program' means a program developed by a State fish and wildlife department and
approved by the Secretary under section 4(d), the projects that constitute
such a program, which may be implemented in whole or part through grants and
contracts by a State to other State, Federal, or local agencies (including
those that gather, evaluate, and disseminate information on wildlife and their
habitats), wildlife conservation organizations, and outdoor recreation and
conservation education entities from funds apportioned under this title, and
maintenance of such projects; the term `wildlife' shall be construed to mean
any species of wild, free-ranging fauna including fish, and also fauna in
captive breeding programs the object of which is to reintroduce individuals of
a depleted indigenous species into previously occupied range; the term
`wildlife-associated recreation' shall be construed to mean projects intended
to meet the demand for outdoor activities associated with wildlife including,
but not limited to, hunting and fishing, wildlife observation and photography,
such projects as construction or restoration of wildlife viewing areas,
observation towers, blinds, platforms, land and water trails, water access,
trail heads, and access for such projects; and the term `wildlife conservation
education' shall be construed to mean projects, including public outreach,
intended to foster responsible natural resource stewardship.'.
SEC. 303. TREATMENT OF AMOUNTS TRANSFERRED FROM CONSERVATION AND
REINVESTMENT ACT FUND.
Section 3 of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669b)
is amended--
(1) in subsection (a) by inserting `(1)' after `(a)', and by adding at
the end the following:
`(2) There is established in the Federal aid to wildlife restoration fund
a subaccount to be known as the `wildlife conservation and restoration
account'. Amounts transferred to the fund for a fiscal year under section
5(b)(3) of the Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 2000 shall be deposited in
the subaccount and shall be available without further appropriation, in each
fiscal year, for apportionment in accordance with this Act to carry out State
wildlife conservation and restoration programs.'; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
`(c) Amounts transferred to the fund from the Conservation and
Reinvestment Act Fund and apportioned under subsection (a)(2) shall
supplement, but not replace, existing funds available to the States from the
sport fish restoration account and wildlife restoration account and shall be
used for the development, revision, and implementation of wildlife
conservation and restoration programs and should be used to address the unmet
needs for a diverse array of wildlife and associated habitats, including
species that are not hunted or fished, for wildlife conservation, wildlife
conservation education, and wildlife-associated recreation projects. Such
funds may be used for new programs and projects as well as to enhance existing
programs and projects.
`(d)(1) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of this section, with
respect to amounts transferred to the fund from the Conservation and
Reinvestment Act Fund so much of such amounts as is apportioned to any State
for any fiscal year and as remains unexpended at the close thereof shall
remain available for expenditure in that State until the close of--
`(A) the fourth succeeding fiscal year, in the case of amounts
transferred in any of the first 10 fiscal years beginning after the date of
the enactment of the Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 2000; or
`(B) the second succeeding fiscal year, in the case of amounts
transferred in a fiscal year beginning after the 10-fiscal year period
referred to in subparagraph (A).
`(2) Any amount apportioned to a State under this subsection that is
unexpended or unobligated at the end of the period during which it is
available under paragraph (1) shall be reapportioned to all States during the
succeeding fiscal year.'.
SEC. 304. APPORTIONMENT OF AMOUNTS TRANSFERRED FROM CONSERVATION AND
REINVESTMENT ACT FUND.
(a) IN GENERAL- Section 4 of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act
(16 U.S.C. 669c) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
`(c) AMOUNTS TRANSFERRED FROM CONSERVATION AND REINVESTMENT ACT FUND- (1)
The Secretary of the Interior shall make the following apportionment from the
amount transferred to the fund from the Conservation and Reinvestment Act Fund
for each fiscal year:
`(A) To the District of Columbia and to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
each a sum equal to not more than one-half of 1 percent thereof.
`(B) To Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands, each a sum equal to not more than one-sixth
of 1 percent thereof.
`(2)(A) The Secretary of the Interior, after making the apportionment
under paragraph (1), shall apportion the remainder of the amount transferred
to the fund from the Conservation and Reinvestment Act Fund for each fiscal
year among the States in the following manner:
`(i) One-third of which is based on the ratio to which the land area of
such State bears to the total land area of all such States.
`(ii) Two-thirds of which is based on the ratio to which the population
of such State bears to the total population of all such States.
`(B) The amounts apportioned under this paragraph shall be adjusted
equitably so that no such State shall be apportioned a sum which is less than
one-half of 1 percent of the amount available for apportionment under this
paragraph for any fiscal year or more than 5 percent of such amount.
`(3) Amounts transferred to the fund from the Conservation and
Reinvestment Act Fund shall not be available for any expenses incurred in the
administration and execution of programs carried out with such amounts.
`(d) WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION PROGRAMS- (1) Any State,
through its fish and wildlife department, may apply to the Secretary of the
Interior for approval of a wildlife conservation and restoration program, or
for funds to develop a program. To apply, a State shall submit a comprehensive
plan that includes--
`(A) provisions vesting in the fish and wildlife department of the State
overall responsibility and accountability for the program;
`(B) provisions for the development and implementation of--
`(i) wildlife conservation projects that expand and support existing
wildlife programs, giving appropriate consideration to all
wildlife;
`(ii) wildlife-associated recreation projects; and
`(iii) wildlife conservation education projects pursuant to programs
under section 8(a); and
`(C) provisions to ensure public participation in the development,
revision, and implementation of projects and programs required under this
paragraph.
`(2) A State shall provide an opportunity for public participation in the
development of the comprehensive plan required under paragraph (1).
`(3) If the Secretary finds that the comprehensive plan submitted by a
State complies with paragraph (1), the Secretary shall approve the wildlife
conservation and restoration program of the State and set aside from the
apportionment to the State made pursuant to subsection (c) an amount that
shall not exceed 75 percent of the estimated cost of developing and
implementing the program.
`(4)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), after the Secretary
approves a State's wildlife conservation and restoration program, the
Secretary may make payments on a project that is a segment of the State's
wildlife conservation and restoration program as the project progresses. Such
payments, including previous payments on the project, if any, shall not be
more than the United States pro rata share of such project. The Secretary,
under such regulations as he may prescribe, may advance funds representing the
United States pro rata share of a project that is a segment of a wildlife
conservation and restoration program, including funds to develop such
program.
`(B) Not more than 10 percent of the amounts apportioned to each State
under this section for a State's wildlife conservation and restoration program
may be used for wildlife-associated recreation.
`(5) For purposes of this subsection, the term `State' shall include the
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands,
Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands.'.
(b) FACA- Coordination with State fish and wildlife agency personnel or
with personnel of other State agencies pursuant to the Federal Aid in Wildlife
Restoration Act or the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act shall not be
subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.). Except for the
preceding sentence, the provisions of this title relate solely to wildlife
conservation and restoration programs and shall not be construed to affect the
provisions of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act relating to wildlife
restoration projects or the provisions of the Federal Aid in Sport Fish
Restoration Act relating to fish restoration and management projects.
SEC. 305. EDUCATION.
Section 8(a) of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C.
669g(a)) is amended by adding the following at the end thereof: `Funds
available from the amount transferred to the fund from the Conservation and
Reinvestment Act Fund may be used for a wildlife conservation education
program, except that no such funds may be used for education efforts,
projects, or programs that promote or encourage opposition to the regulated
taking of wildlife.'.
SEC. 306. PROHIBITION AGAINST DIVERSION.
No designated State agency shall be eligible to receive matching funds
under this title if sources of revenue available to it after January 1, 1999,
for conservation of wildlife are diverted for any purpose other than the
administration of the designated State agency, it being the intention of
Congress that funds available to States under this title be added to revenues
from existing State sources and not serve as a substitute for revenues from
such sources. Such revenues shall include interest, dividends, or other income
earned on the forgoing.
TITLE IV--URBAN PARK AND RECREATION RECOVERY PROGRAM
AMENDMENTS
SEC. 401. AMENDMENT OF URBAN PARK AND RECREATION RECOVERY ACT OF 1978.
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this title an
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a
section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a
section or other provision of the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act of
1978 (16 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.).
SEC. 402. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this title is to provide a dedicated source of funding to
assist local governments in improving their park and recreation systems.
SEC. 403. TREATMENT OF AMOUNTS TRANSFERRED FROM CONSERVATION AND
REINVESTMENT ACT FUND.
Section 1013 (16 U.S.C. 2512) is amended to read as follows:
`TREATMENT OF AMOUNTS TRANSFERRED FROM CONSERVATION AND REINVESTMENT ACT
FUND
`SEC. 1013. (a) IN GENERAL- Amounts transferred to the Secretary of the
Interior under section 5(b)(4) of the Conservation and Reinvestment Act of
2000 in a fiscal year shall be available to the Secretary without further
appropriation to carry out this title. Any amount that has not been paid or
obligated by the Secretary before the end of the second fiscal year beginning
after the first fiscal year in which the amount is available shall be
reapportioned by the Secretary among grantees under this title.
`(b) LIMITATIONS ON ANNUAL GRANTS- Of the amounts available in a fiscal
year under subsection (a)--
`(1) not more that 3 percent may be used for grants for the development
of local park and recreation recovery action programs pursuant to sections
1007(a) and 1007(c);
`(2) not more than 10 percent may be used for innovation grants pursuant
to section 1006; and
`(3) not more than 15 percent may be provided as grants (in the
aggregate) for projects in any one State.
`(c) LIMITATION ON USE FOR GRANT ADMINISTRATION- The Secretary shall
establish a limit on the portion of any grant under this title that may be
used for grant and program administration.'.
SEC. 404. AUTHORITY TO DEVELOP NEW AREAS AND FACILITIES.
Section 1003 (16 U.S.C. 2502) is amended by inserting `development of new
recreation areas and facilities, including the acquisition of lands for such
development,' after `rehabilitation of critically needed recreation areas,
facilities,'.
SEC. 405. DEFINITIONS.
Section 1004 (16 U.S.C. 2503) is amended as follows:
(1) In paragraph (j) by striking `and' after the semicolon.
(2) In paragraph (k) by striking the period at the end and inserting a
semicolon.
(3) By adding at the end the following:
`(l) `development grants'--
`(1) subject to subparagraph (2) means matching capital grants to
units of local government to cover costs of development, land acquisition,
and construction on existing or new neighborhood recreation sites,
including indoor and outdoor recreational areas and facilities, support
facilities, and landscaping; and
`(2) does not include routine maintenance, and upkeep activities;
and
`(m) `Secretary' means the Secretary of the Interior.'.
SEC. 406. ELIGIBILITY.
Section 1005(a) (16 U.S.C. 2504(a)) is amended to read as follows:
`(a) Eligibility of general purpose local governments to compete for
assistance under this title shall be based upon need as determined by the
Secretary. Generally, eligible general purpose local governments shall include
the following:
`(1) All political subdivisions of Metropolitan, Primary, or
Consolidated Statistical Areas, as determined by the most recent
Census.
`(2) Any other city, town, or group of cities or towns (or both) within
such a Metropolitan Statistical Area, that has a total population of 50,000
or more as determined by the most recent Census.
`(3) Any other county, parish, or township with a total population of
250,000 or more as determined by the most recent Census.'.
SEC. 407. GRANTS.
Section 1006 (16 U.S.C. 2505) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4);
and
(2) by striking so much as precedes subsection (a)(4) (as so
redesignated) and inserting the following:
`GRANTS
`SEC. 1006. (a)(1) The Secretary may provide 70 percent matching grants
for rehabilitation, development, acquisition, and innovation purposes to any
eligible general purpose local government upon approval by the Secretary of an
application submitted by the chief executive of such government.
`(2) At the discretion of such an applicant, a grant under this section
may be transferred in whole or part to independent special purpose local
governments, private nonprofit agencies, or county or regional park
authorities, if--
`(A) such transfer is consistent with the approved application for the
grant; and
`(B) the applicant provides assurance to the Secretary that the
applicant will maintain public recreation opportunities at assisted areas
and facilities in accordance with section 1010.
`(3) Payments may be made only for those rehabilitation, development, or
innovation projects that have been approved by the Secretary. Such payments
may be made from time to time in keeping with the rate of progress toward
completion of a project, on a reimbursable basis.'.
SEC. 408. RECOVERY ACTION PROGRAMS.
Section 1007(a) (16 U.S.C. 2506(a)) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a) in the first sentence by inserting `development,'
after `commitments to ongoing planning,'; and
(2) in subsection (a)(2) by inserting `development and' after `adequate
planning for'.
SEC. 409. STATE ACTION INCENTIVES.
Section 1008 (16 U.S.C. 2507) is amended--
(1) by inserting `(a) IN GENERAL- ' before the first sentence; and
(2) by striking the last sentence of subsection (a) (as designated by
paragraph (1) of this section) and inserting the following:
`(b) COORDINATION WITH LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND ACTIVITIES- (1)
The Secretary and general purpose local governments are encouraged to
coordinate preparation of recovery action programs required by this title with
State Plans or Agendas required under section 6 of the Land and Water
Conservation Fund Act of 1965, including by allowing flexibility in
preparation of recovery action programs so they may be used to meet State and
local qualifications for local receipt of Land and Water Conservation Fund
grants or State grants for similar purposes or for other conservation or
recreation purposes.
`(2) The Secretary shall encourage States to consider the findings,
priorities, strategies, and schedules included in the recovery action programs
of their urban localities in preparation and updating of State plans in
accordance with the public coordination and citizen consultation requirements
of subsection 6(d) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965.'.
SEC. 410. CONVERSION OF RECREATION PROPERTY.
Section 1010 (16 U.S.C. 2509) is amended to read as follows:
`CONVERSION OF RECREATION PROPERTY
`SEC. 1010. (a)(1) No property developed, acquired, or rehabilitated under
this title shall, without the approval of the Secretary, be converted to any
purpose other than public recreation purposes.
`(2) Paragraph (1) shall apply to--
`(A) property developed with amounts provided under this title;
and
`(B) the park, recreation, or conservation area of which the property is
a part.
`(b)(1) The Secretary shall approve such conversion only if the grantee
demonstrates no prudent or feasible alternative exists.
`(2) Paragraph (1) shall apply to property that is no longer a viable
recreation facility due to changes in demographics or that must be abandoned
because of environmental contamination which endangers public health or
safety.
`(c) Any conversion must satisfy any conditions the Secretary considers
necessary to assure substitution of other recreation property that is--
`(1) of at least equal fair market value, and reasonably equivalent
usefulness and location; and
`(2) in accord with the current recreation recovery action program of
the grantee.'.
SEC. 411. REPEAL.
Section 1015 (16 U.S.C. 2514) is repealed.
TITLE V--HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND
SEC. 501. TREATMENT OF AMOUNTS TRANSFERRED FROM CONSERVATION AND
REINVESTMENT ACT FUND.
Section 108 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470h) is
amended--
(1) by inserting `(a)' before the first sentence;
(2) in subsection (a) (as designated by paragraph (1) of this section)
by striking all after the first sentence; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
`(b) Amounts transferred to the Secretary under section 5(b)(5) of the
Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 2000 in a fiscal year shall be deposited
into the Fund and shall be available without further appropriation to carry
out this Act.
`(c) At least one-half of the funds obligated or expended each fiscal year
under this Act shall be used in accordance with this Act for preservation
projects on historic properties. In making such funds available, the Secretary
shall give priority to the preservation of endangered historic
properties.'.
SEC. 502. STATE USE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE FOR NATIONAL
HERITAGE AREAS AND CORRIDORS.
Title I of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470a et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
`SEC. 114. STATE USE OF ASSISTANCE FOR NATIONAL HERITAGE AREAS AND
CORRIDORS.
`In addition to other uses authorized by this Act, amounts provided to a
State under this title may be used by the State to provide financial
assistance to the management entity for any national heritage area or national
heritage corridor established under the laws of the United States, to support
cooperative historic preservation planning and development.'.
TITLE VI--FEDERAL AND INDIAN LANDS RESTORATION
SEC. 601. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this title is to provide a dedicated source of funding for
a coordinated program on Federal and Indian lands to restore degraded lands,
protect resources that are threatened with degradation, and protect public
health and safety.
SEC. 602. TREATMENT OF AMOUNTS TRANSFERRED FROM CONSERVATION AND
REINVESTMENT ACT FUND; ALLOCATION.
(a) IN GENERAL- Amounts transferred to the Secretary of the Interior and
the Secretary of Agriculture under section 5(b)(6) of this Act in a fiscal
year shall be available without further appropriation to carry out this
title.
(b) ALLOCATION- Amounts referred to in subsection (a) year shall be
allocated and available as follows:
(1) DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR- Sixty percent shall be allocated and
available to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out the purpose of this
title on lands within the National Park System, lands within the National
Wildlife Refuge System, and public lands administered by the Bureau of Land
Management.
(2) DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE- Thirty percent shall be allocated and
available to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out the purpose of this
title on lands within the National Forest System.
(3) INDIAN TRIBES- Ten percent shall be allocated and available to the
Secretary of the Interior for competitive grants to qualified Indian tribes
under section 603(b).
SEC. 603. AUTHORIZED USES OF TRANSFERRED AMOUNTS.
(a) IN GENERAL- Funds made available to carry out this title shall be used
solely for restoration of degraded lands, resource protection, maintenance
activities related to resource protection, or protection of public health or
safety.
(b) COMPETITIVE GRANTS TO INDIAN TRIBES-
(1) GRANT AUTHORITY- The Secretary of the Interior shall administer a
competitive grant program for Indian tribes, giving priority to projects
based upon the protection of significant resources, the severity of damages
or threats to resources, and the protection of public health or
safety.
(2) LIMITATION- The amount received for a fiscal year by a single Indian
tribe in the form of grants under this subsection may not exceed 10 percent
of the total amount available for that fiscal year for grants under this
subsection.
(c) PRIORITY LIST- The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of
Agriculture shall each establish priority lists for the use of funds available
under this title. Each list shall give priority to projects based upon the
protection of significant resources, the severity of damages or threats to
resources, and the protection of public health or safety.
(d) COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE PLANS- Any project carried out on Federal
lands with amounts provided under this title shall be carried out in
accordance with all management plans that apply under Federal law to the
lands.
(e) TRACKING RESULTS- Not later than the end of the first full fiscal year
for which funds are available under this title, the Secretary of the Interior
and the Secretary of Agriculture shall jointly establish a coordinated program
for--
(1) tracking the progress of activities carried out with amounts made
available by this title; and
(2) determining the extent to which demonstrable results are being
achieved by those activities.
SEC. 604. INDIAN TRIBE DEFINED.
In this title, the term `Indian tribe' means an Indian or Alaska Native
tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the Secretary of the
Interior recognizes as an Indian tribe under section 104 of the Federally
Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a-1).
TITLE VII--FARMLAND PROTECTION PROGRAM AND ENDANGERED AND THREATENED
SPECIES RECOVERY
Subtitle A--Farmland Protection Program
SEC. 701. ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND ADDITIONAL AUTHORITIES UNDER FARMLAND
PROTECTION PROGRAM.
Section 388 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996
(Public Law 104-127; 16 U.S.C. 3830 note) is amended to read as follows:
`SEC. 388. FARMLAND PROTECTION PROGRAM.
`(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE- The Secretary of Agriculture shall carry
out a farmland protection program for the purpose of protecting farm, ranch,
and forest lands with prime, unique, or other productive uses by limiting the
nonagricultural uses of the lands. Under the program, the Secretary may
provide matching grants to eligible entities described in subsection (d) to
facilitate their purchase of--
`(1) permanent conservation easements in such lands; or
`(2) conservation easements or other interests in such lands when the
lands are subject to a pending offer from a State or local government.
`(b) CONSERVATION PLAN- Any highly erodible land for which a conservation
easement or other interest is purchased using funds made available under this
section shall be subject to the requirements of a conservation plan that
requires, at the option of the Secretary of Agriculture, the conversion of the
cropland to less intensive uses.
`(c) MAXIMUM FEDERAL SHARE- The Federal share of the cost of purchasing a
conservation easement described in subsection (a)(1) may not exceed 50 percent
of the total cost of purchasing the easement.
`(d) ELIGIBLE ENTITY DEFINED- In this section, the term `eligible entity'
means any of the following:
`(1) An agency of a State or local government.
`(2) A federally recognized Indian tribe.
`(3) Any organization that is organized for, and at all times since its
formation has been operated principally for, one or more of the conservation
purposes specified in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of section 170(h)(4)(A) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and--
`(A) is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Code;
`(B) is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of the Code;
and
`(C) is described in paragraph (2) of section 509(a) of the Code, or
paragraph (3) of such section, but is controlled by an organization
described in paragraph (2) of such section.
`(e) TITLE; ENFORCEMENT- Any eligible entity may hold title to a
conservation easement purchased using grant funds provided under subsection
(a)(1) and enforce the conservation requirements of the easement.
`(f) STATE CERTIFICATION- As a condition of the receipt by an eligible
entity of a grant under subsection (a)(1), the attorney general of the State
in which the conservation easement is to be purchased using the grant funds
shall certify that the conservation easement to be purchased is in a form that
is sufficient, under the laws of the State, to achieve the purposes of the
farmland protection program and the terms and conditions of the grant.
`(g) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE- To provide technical assistance to carry out
this section, the Secretary of Agriculture may not use more than 10 percent of
the amount made available for any fiscal year under section 702 of the
Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 2000.'.
SEC. 702. FUNDING.
Amounts transferred to the Secretary of Agriculture under section 5(b)(7)
of this Act in a fiscal year shall be available to the Secretary of
Agriculture, without further appropriation, to carry out--
(1) the farmland protection program under section 388 of the Federal
Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-127; 16
U.S.C. 3830 note);
(2) the Forest Legacy Program under section 7 of the Cooperative
Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2103c); and
(3) the Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program established
under section 9 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16
U.S.C. 2105).
Subtitle B--Endangered and Threatened Species Recovery
SEC. 711. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this subtitle are the following:
(1) To provide a dedicated source of funding to the United States Fish
and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service for the
purpose of implementing an incentives program to promote the recovery of
endangered species and threatened species and the habitat upon which they
depend.
(2) To promote greater involvement by non-Federal entities in the
recovery of the Nation's endangered species and threatened species and the
habitat upon which they depend.
SEC. 712. TREATMENT OF AMOUNTS TRANSFERRED FROM CONSERVATION AND
REINVESTMENT ACT FUND.
Amounts transferred to the Secretary of the Interior under section 5(b)(8)
of this Act in a fiscal year shall be available to the Secretary of the
Interior without further appropriation to carry out this subtitle.
SEC. 713. ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES RECOVERY ASSISTANCE.
(a) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE- The Secretary may use amounts made available
under section 712 to provide financial assistance to any person for
development and implementation of Endangered and Threatened Species Recovery
Agreements entered into by the Secretary under section 714.
(b) PRIORITY- In providing assistance under this section, the Secretary
shall give priority to the development and implementation of species recovery
agreements that--
(1) implement actions identified under recovery plans approved by the
Secretary under section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16
U.S.C. 1533(f));
(2) have the greatest potential for contributing to the recovery of an
endangered or threatened species; and
(3) to the extent practicable, require use of the assistance on land
owned by a small landowner.
(c) PROHIBITION ON ASSISTANCE FOR REQUIRED ACTIVITIES- The Secretary may
not provide financial assistance under this section for any action that is
required by a permit issued under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1539(a)(1)(B)) or an incidental take statement
issued under section 7 of that Act (16 U.S.C. 1536), or that is otherwise
required under that Act or any other Federal law.
(d) PAYMENTS UNDER OTHER PROGRAMS-
(1) OTHER PAYMENTS NOT AFFECTED- Financial assistance provided to a
person under this section shall be in addition to, and shall not affect, the
total amount of payments that the person is otherwise eligible to receive
under the conservation reserve program established under subchapter B of
chapter 1 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16
U.S.C. 3831 et seq.), the wetlands reserve program established under
subchapter C of that chapter (16 U.S.C. 3837 et seq.), or the Wildlife
Habitat Incentives Program established under section 387 of the Federal
Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 3836a).
(2) LIMITATION- A person may not receive financial assistance under this
section to carry out activities under a species recovery agreement in
addition to payments under the programs referred to in paragraph (1) made
for the same activities, if the terms of the species recovery agreement do
not require financial or management obligations by the person in addition to
any such obligations of the person under such programs.
SEC. 714. ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES RECOVERY AGREEMENTS.
(a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary may enter into Endangered and Threatened
Species Recovery Agreements for purposes of this subtitle in accordance with
this section.
(b) REQUIRED TERMS- The Secretary shall include in each species recovery
agreement provisions that--
(A) to carry out on real property owned or leased by the person
activities not otherwise required by law that contribute to the recovery
of an endangered or threatened species;
(B) to refrain from carrying out on real property owned or leased by
the person otherwise lawful activities that would inhibit the recovery of
an endangered or threatened species; or
(C) to do any combination of subparagraphs (A) and (B);
(2) describe the real property referred to in paragraph (1)(A) and (B)
(as applicable);
(3) specify species recovery goals for the agreement, and measures for
attaining such goals;
(4) require the person to make measurable progress each year in
achieving those goals, including a schedule for implementation of the
agreement;
(5) specify actions to be taken by the Secretary or the person (or both)
to monitor the effectiveness of the agreement in attaining those recovery
goals;
(6) require the person to notify the Secretary if--
(A) any right or obligation of the person under the agreement is
assigned to any other person; or
(B) any term of the agreement is breached by the person or any other
person to whom is assigned a right or obligation of the person under the
agreement;
(7) specify the date on which the agreement takes effect and the period
of time during which the agreement shall remain in effect;
(8) provide that the agreement shall not be in effect on and after any
date on which the Secretary publishes a certification by the Secretary that
the person has not complied with the agreement; and
(9) allocate financial assistance provided under this subtitle for
implementation of the agreement, on an annual or other basis during the
period the agreement is in effect based on the schedule for implementation
required under paragraph (4).
(c) REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF PROPOSED AGREEMENTS- Upon submission by any
person of a proposed species recovery agreement under this section, the
Secretary--
(1) shall review the proposed agreement and determine whether it
complies with the requirements of this section and will contribute to the
recovery of endangered or threatened species that are the subject of the
proposed agreement;
(2) propose to the person any additional provisions necessary for the
agreement to comply with this section; and
(3) if the Secretary determines that the agreement complies with the
requirements of this section, shall approve and enter with the person into
the agreement.
(d) MONITORING IMPLEMENTATION OF AGREEMENTS- The Secretary shall--
(1) periodically monitor the implementation of each species recovery
agreement entered into by the Secretary under this section; and
(2) based on the information obtained from that monitoring, annually or
otherwise disburse financial assistance under this subtitle to implement the
agreement as the Secretary determines is appropriate under the terms of the
agreement.
SEC. 715. DEFINITIONS.
(1) ENDANGERED OR THREATENED SPECIES- The term `endangered or threatened
species' means any species that is listed as an endangered species or
threatened species under section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16
U.S.C. 1533).
(2) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of the Interior
or the Secretary of Commerce, in accordance with section 3 of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1532).
(3) SMALL LANDOWNER- The term `small landowner' means an individual who
owns 50 acres or fewer of land.
(4) SPECIES RECOVERY AGREEMENT- The term `species recovery agreement'
means an Endangered and Threatened Species Recovery Agreement entered into
by the Secretary under section 714.
TITLE VIII--PROTECTION OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE
BENEFITS
SEC. 801. PROTECTION OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE BENEFITS.
No funds shall be expended under this Act if such expenditure diminishes
benefit obligations of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund,
the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, the Hospital Insurance Trust
Fund, or the Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund.
Passed the House of Representatives May 11, 2000.
Attest:
Clerk.
END