Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Southern Prairie Potholes National Wildlife Refuge Act

Findings

Congress finds that—(1)the area of the State of Iowa known as the Southern Prairie Potholes and consisting primarily of the Willow Creek watershed in Greene County offers exceptional potential for restoration into a bountiful native wildlife habitat area;(2)ongoing restoration and preservation of this wildlife habitat area will significantly enhance opportunities for outdoor recreation in this region, including waterfowl and upland hunting, wildlife viewing, and hiking;(3)the Southern Prairie Potholes area is located at the southwestern edge of the Des Moines Lobe left by glaciers 12,000 years ago;(4)the sloughs and grassland offer a substantial oasis of both wetland and grassland habitat at the southwestern boundary of the most heavily cropped region in Iowa;(5)because of the location of the Southern Prairie Potholes at the edge of the multistate and international region known as the Prairie Potholes Region, and along important migratory flyways, the restoration and preservation of the area is critical to providing wildlife habitat across the full extent of the Prairie Potholes Region;(6)this 23,500-acre area has for years been designated by the Prairie Pothole Joint Venture as a priority area for restoration and preservation because of the importance of the area to wildlife, facilitating gradual public land acquisition for habitat restoration;(7)the area already includes the 2,134-acre Dunbar Slough wetland complex of Federal and State land managed as popular wildlife and hunting areas serving Carroll, Greene, and Guthrie Counties and beyond;(8)national wildlife refuges increasingly follow a mosaic pattern with a core of publicly held land surrounded by privately held land also located within the refuge boundary;(9)private ownership and uses are not affected for private land within the designated boundaries of the refuge, but private landowners may be provided increased opportunities for partnering on conservation or restoration practices;(10)restoration and preservation of the Southern Prairie Potholes area will benefit hundreds of birds, mammals, butterflies, reptiles, and amphibians that have been classified as species of greatest conservation need, including the endangered Blanding’s turtle;(11)restoration of grassland and wetland in the area will contribute to improved flood control and water quality downstream, as the Middle Raccoon River is the major water source for the Des Moines metropolitan region and other communities;(12)the Southern Prairie Potholes area offers unique recreational appeal because the area is adjacent to the existing Whiterock Conservancy, a 4,300-acre land trust dedicated to conserving and protecting the natural resources of Iowa and engaging the public with the landscape;(13)Whiterock Conservancy offers outdoor recreation and education and includes a major new Backcountry Trail complex;(14)the proximity of the Southern Prairie Potholes to the largest metropolitan area in Iowa adds to the ability of the area to provide natural resource experiences to a broad community; and(15)the area is already attracting cyclists, and that appeal will grow with ongoing development of the cross-country American Discovery Trail transecting the area.

Definitions

In this Act:(1)

Refuge

The term Refuge means the Southern Prairie Potholes National Wildlife Refuge established under section 4.(2)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

Establishment and purpose of refuge

(a)

Establishment

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall establish the Southern Prairie Potholes National Wildlife Refuge, consisting of approximately 23,500 acres of Federal land, water, and interests in land and water within the boundaries depicted on the map entitled Southern Prairie Potholes Project Area and dated August 26, 2014.(2)

Boundary revisions

The Secretary shall make such minor revisions of the boundaries of the Refuge as may be appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Refuge or to facilitate the acquisition of property within the Refuge.(3)

Availability of map

The Secretary shall keep the map referred to in paragraph (1) available for inspection in appropriate offices of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.(b)

Purposes

The purposes of the Refuge are—(1)to enhance opportunities for outdoor recreation, including waterfowl and upland hunting, hiking, native habitat exploration, and wildlife viewing;(2)to provide for the restoration or preservation of Refuge land to native wetland and grassland habitats and landscapes;(3)to provide for the restoration and conservation of native plants and animal communities on suitable sites in the Southern Prairie Potholes area, including the protection of threatened and endangered species and the restoration of extirpated species;(4)to provide critical travel and nesting habitat for migratory birds;(5)to provide opportunities to private landowners to access technical or financial assistance for the voluntary restoration of the land of the private landowners for the benefit of fish and wildlife;(6)to provide for outdoor recreation, including hunting, hiking, paddling, and wildlife viewing to the public; and(7)to facilitate the education of the public, especially young people, about nature, the environment, and the conservation of the natural resources.(c)

Effective date

(1)

In general

The establishment of the Refuge shall take effect on the date on which the Secretary publishes a notice that sufficient property has been acquired by the United States within the boundaries described in subsection (a)(1) to constitute an area that can be efficiently managed as a National Wildlife Refuge.(2)

Publication

The Secretary shall publish the notice described in paragraph (1) in the Federal Register and publications of local circulation in the vicinity of the area within the boundaries described in subsection (a)(1).

Administration of Refuge

(a)

In general

Subject to the purposes described in section 4(b), the Secretary shall administer all land, water, and interests in land and water acquired under this Act in accordance with the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.).(b)

Additional authority

The Secretary may use such additional statutory authority as may be available for the conservation of fish and wildlife, and the provision of fish- and wildlife-oriented recreational opportunities, as the Secretary considers appropriate to carry out the purposes of this Act.(c)

Priority uses

In providing opportunities for compatible fish- and wildlife-oriented recreation, the Secretary, in accordance with paragraphs (3) and (4) of section 4(a) of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)), shall ensure that hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and environmental education and interpretation are the priority public uses of the Refuge.(d)

Volunteers and partnerships

The Secretary shall encourage the use of volunteers and facilitate partnerships among the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, local communities, conservation organizations, and other non-Federal entities to promote public awareness, conservation, and priority uses of the resources of the Refuge.

Acquisition of land and water

(a)

In general

Subject to subsection (c) and the availability of appropriations, the Secretary may acquire up to 23,500 acres of land and water, or interests in land and water, within the boundaries of the Refuge as described in section 4(a)(1).(b)

Inclusion in refuge

Any land, water, or interests acquired by the Secretary under this section shall be part of the Refuge.(c)

Manner of acquisition

All acquisition of land or water under this section shall be made in a voluntary manner from willing sellers only.

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act.