[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 591 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 591

  To authorize a feasibility study for the preservation of the Loess 
                         Hills in western Iowa.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 11, 1999

 Mr. Grassley introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize a feasibility study for the preservation of the Loess 
                         Hills in western Iowa.

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

SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the Loess Hills spread across 600,000 acres of land in 
        Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Plymouth, Pottawattamie, and 
        Woodbury counties in western Iowa;
            (2) soil deposited by wind over many centuries formed the 
        Loess Hills, which support several species of rare native 
        prairie grass;
            (3) the Loess Hills and 1 other similar formation in China 
        are the only 2 formations of their kind in the world; and
            (4) the Loess Hills are rare and valuable natural 
        formations of the State of Iowa and of the United States.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to authorize the Secretary 
of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study to determine what 
measures should be taken to preserve the Loess Hills in western Iowa.

SEC. 2. FEASIBILITY STUDY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a study to 
determine what measures may be taken to preserve the Loess Hills in 
western Iowa.
    (b) Consultation.--In completing the study under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall consult with representatives of--
            (1) State and local agencies;
            (2) nonprofit groups; and
            (3) other interested parties.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the completion of the 
study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit a report 
describing the results of the study to--
            (1) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
        Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Resources of the House of 
        Representatives.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$275,000.
                                 <all>