[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2462 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2462

 To provide for the establishment of the Cat Island National Wildlife 
              Refuge in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 25, 2000

  Ms. Landrieu (for herself and Mr. Breaux) introduced the following 
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment 
                            and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide for the establishment of the Cat Island National Wildlife 
              Refuge in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) as the southernmost unleveed portion of the Mississippi 
        River, Cat Island, Louisiana, is 1 of the last remaining tracts 
        in the lower Mississippi Valley that is still influenced by the 
        natural dynamics of the river;
            (2) Cat Island supports some of the highest densities of 
        virgin bald cypress trees in the Mississippi River Valley, 
        including the champion cypress tree of the United States, which 
        is 17 feet wide and has a circumference of 53 feet;
            (3) Cat Island is important habitat for several declining 
        species of forest songbirds and supports thousands of wintering 
        waterfowl;
            (4) Cat Island supports high populations of deer, turkey, 
        and furbearing mammals, such as mink and bobcats;
            (5) forested wetland on Cat Island--
                    (A) represents 1 of the most valuable and 
                productive wildlife habitats in the United States; and
                    (B) has high recreational value for hunters, 
                fishermen, birdwatchers, nature photographers, and 
                others; and
            (6) protection and enhancement of the resources of Cat 
        Island through the inclusion of Cat Island in the National 
        Wildlife Refuge System would help meet the habitat protection 
        goals of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, signed 
        by the Minister of the Environment of Canada and the Secretary 
        in May 1986.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Refuge.--The term ``Refuge'' means the Cat Island 
        National Wildlife Refuge established by section 3(a).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United 
        States Fish and Wildlife Service.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT AND ACQUISITION OF REFUGE.

    (a) In General.--There is established a unit of the National 
Wildlife Refuge System to be known as the ``Cat Island National 
Wildlife Refuge'' in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana.
    (b) Inclusions.--The Refuge shall consist of the land and waters 
(including any interest in the land or waters) acquired by the 
Secretary for the Refuge under--
            (1) subsection (d); or
            (2) any other law.
    (c) Notice of Establishment.--The Secretary shall publish a notice 
of the establishment of the Refuge--
            (1) in the Federal Register; and
            (2) in publications of local circulation in the vicinity of 
        the Refuge.
    (d) Acquisition.--The Secretary shall seek to acquire for inclusion 
in the Refuge, by purchase, exchange, or donation, approximately 36,500 
acres of land and adjacent waters (including interests in the land or 
adjacent waters) of Cat Island, Louisiana, as depicted on the map 
entitled ``Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge, Proposed'', dated 
February 8, 2000, which shall be available for inspection in the 
appropriate offices of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

SEC. 4. PURPOSES OF REFUGE.

    The purposes of the Refuge are--
            (1) to conserve, enhance, and restore the native bottomland 
        community characteristics of the lower Mississippi alluvial 
        valley (including associated fish, wildlife, and plant 
        species);
            (2) to conserve, enhance, and restore habitat to maintain 
        and assist in the recovery of animals (such as the Louisiana 
        black bear) and plants that are listed as endangered species or 
        threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 
        U.S.C. 1531 et seq.);
            (3) to conserve, enhance, and restore habitats as necessary 
        to contribute to the migratory bird population goals and 
        habitat objectives as established through the Lower Mississippi 
        Valley Joint Venture under the North American Wetlands 
        Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4401 et seq.);
            (4) to achieve the habitat objectives of the Lower 
        Mississippi River Aquatic Resources Management Plan, prepared 
        by the Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee;
            (5) to authorize the Secretary, through consultation with 
        Federal, State, and local agencies and adjacent landowners, to 
        assist in the restoration of forest habitat linkages between 
        refuge land and other land to reverse past impacts associated 
        with habitat fragmentation on wildlife and plant species;
            (6) to provide compatible opportunities for hunting, 
        fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and 
        environmental education and interpretation; and
            (7) to encourage the use of volunteers and to facilitate 
        partnerships among the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 
        local communities, conservation organizations, and other non-
        Federal entities to promote public awareness of the resources 
        of the Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge and the National 
        Wildlife Refuge System (including public participation in the 
        conservation of those resources).

SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer all land and waters 
(including any interest in land or waters) acquired under section 3(d) 
in accordance with--
            (1) the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act 
        of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.);
            (2) Public Law 87-714 (commonly known as the ``Refuge 
        Recreation Act'') (16 U.S.C. 460k et seq.); and
            (3) the purposes of the Refuge described in section 4.
    (b) Use of Other Authority.--The Secretary may use such additional 
statutory authority as is available to the Secretary to conduct 
projects and activities at the Refuge in accordance with this Act, 
including projects or activities to conserve or develop--
            (1) wildlife and natural resources;
            (2) water supplies;
            (3) water control structures;
            (4) outdoor recreational activity programs; and
            (5) interpretive education programs.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums 
as are necessary for--
            (1) the acquisition of interests in land and waters 
        described in section 3(d)(1); and
            (2) the development, operation, and maintenance of the 
        Refuge.
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