119 S1255 IS: Cormorant Relief Act of 2025 U.S. Senate 2025-04-02 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II119th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 1255IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESApril 2, 2025Mr. Cotton (for himself, Mr. Tuberville, Mrs. Britt, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, and Mr. Wicker) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public WorksA BILLTo require the Secretary of the Interior to reissue certain regulations relating to the taking of double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Cormorant Relief Act of 2025.

2.

Regulations relating to taking of double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities

(a)

Definitions

In this section:(1)

Lake manager

The term lake manager means a person that is licensed by a State regulatory agency to manage a private lake.(2)

Original depredation order

The term original depredation order means the depredation order for double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities contained in section 21.47 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on January 1, 2016).(3)

Pond manager

The term pond manager means a person that is licensed by a State regulatory agency to manage a private pond.(4)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.(b)

Reissuance required

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall reissue the original depredation order in accordance with subsection (c).(c)

Requirements

The depredation order reissued under subsection (b) shall be the same as the original depredation order, except that the depredation order reissued under that subsection shall apply—(1)to each of the States of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin in addition to, and in the same manner as, each of the States to which the original depredation order applied; and(2)to lake managers and pond managers in addition to, and in the same manner as, each of the entities to which the original depredation order applied.