Amendments to Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act

(a)

Findings

Section 2(1) of the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 6101(1)) is amended by inserting but breed in Canada and the United States after the Caribbean. (b)

Purposes

Section 3(2) of such Act (16 U.S.C. 6102(2)) is amended by inserting Canada, after United States,. (c)

Definition of Caribbean

Section 4 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 6103) is amended— (1)by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (3) and (5), respectively; (2)by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:

(2)

Caribbean

The term Caribbean includes Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands.

; and

(3)by inserting after paragraph (3), as so redesignated, the following:

(4)

Fund

The term Fund means the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund established by section 9(a).

(d)

Authorization of projects to enhance conservation in Canada

Section 5(c)(2) of such Act (16 U.S.C. 6104(c)(2)) is amended by inserting Canada, after the United States,. (e)

Cost sharing

Section 5(e) of such Act (16 U.S.C. 6104(e)) is amended— (1)in paragraph (1) by striking 25 percent and inserting 50 percent; and (2)in paragraph (2) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:

(B)

Form of payment

(i)

Projects in the United States and Canada

The non-Federal share required to be paid for a project carried out in the United States or Canada shall be paid in cash. (ii)

Projects in Latin America and the Caribbean

The non-Federal share required to be paid for a project carried out in Latin America or the Caribbean may be paid in cash or in kind.

(f)

Advisory Group

(1)

Composition

Section 7(b)(1) of such Act (16 U.S.C. 6106(b)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following: The advisory group as a whole shall have expertise in the methods and procedures set forth in section 4(2) in each country and region of the Western Hemisphere. (2)

Encouragement to convene

The Secretary of the Interior is encouraged to convene an advisory group under section 7(b)(1) of such Act by not later than 6 months after the effective date of this Act. This paragraph shall not be considered to authorize delay of the schedule previously established by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the submission, judging, and awarding of grants. (g)

Report

Section 8 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 6107) is amended by striking October 1, 2002, and inserting 2 years after the date of the enactment of the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Improvement Act of 2006. (h)

Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund

(1)

In general

Section 9 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 6108) is amended by striking so much as precedes subsection (c) and inserting the following:

Neotropical migratory bird conservation fund

(a)

Establishment

There is established in the Treasury a separate account, which shall be known as the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. The Fund shall consist of amounts deposited into the Fund by the Secretary of the Treasury under subsection (b). (b)

Deposits Into the Fund

The Secretary of the Treasury shall deposit into the Fund— (1)all amounts received by the Secretary in the form of donations under subsection (d); and (2)other amounts appropriated to the Fund.

(2)

Administrative expenses

Section 9(c)(2) of such Act (16 U.S.C. 6108(c)(2)) is amended by striking $80,000 and inserting $150,000. (3)

Conforming amendments

Such Act is amended further as follows: (A)In section 4 (16 U.S.C. 6103), by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:

(1)

Fund

The term Fund means the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund established by section 9(a).

(B)In section 9(d) (16 U.S.C. 6108(d)), by striking Account and inserting Fund. (4)

Transfer

The Secretary of the Treasury may transfer to the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund amounts that were in the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Account immediately before the enactment of this Act. (i)

Authorization of Appropriations

Section 10 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 6109) is amended to read as follows: (1)by inserting (a) In general.— before the first sentence; (2)by striking “$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 through 2005” and inserting “for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010 the amount specified for that fiscal year in subsection (b)”; and (3)by adding at the end the following:

(b)

Authorized amount

The amount referred to in subsection (a) is— (1)$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 and 2007; (2)$5,500,000 for fiscal year 2008; (3)$6,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; and (4)$6,500,000 for fiscal year 2010. (c)

Availability

Amounts appropriated under this section may remain available until expended. (d)

Allocation

Of amounts appropriated under this section for each fiscal year, not less than 75 percent shall be expended for projects carried out outside the United States.