Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Great Cats Conservation Act of 2007

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)Many wild populations of felids, once considered common are in decline, and many have declined to the point that their long-term survival in the wild is in serious jeopardy. (2)Of the 37 wild felid species worldwide, all are currently recognized as species in need of protection under the IUCN Red List, the lists of species in CITES appendices, or the Endangered Species Act of 1973. (3)In addition to their intrinsic value, felids are important aesthetic, economic, and ecological global resources that need to be conserved. (4)Large felids are considered indicator species. Healthy populations of these species act as an important indicator of the integrity of entire ecosystems. Measures taken to benefit these keystone species will ultimately benefit a great number of other species. (5)Endangered felids face an array of threats, including loss of habitat, intentional and unintentional takings by humans, disease transmission, and a vast number of other threats. These threats need to be addressed in a coordinated fashion. (6)Conservation of endangered felid populations requires global commitment. Adequate funding for conservation is sorely lacking, and many range countries do not have adequate infrastructure to protect these species. (7)Although some protections exist to conserve endangered felid populations and their habitat, those efforts can be significantly enhanced by the infusion of targeted funding.

Purposes

The purposes of this Act are to provide financial resources and to foster international cooperation— (1)to restore and perpetuate healthy populations of great cats in the wild; and (2)to assist in the conservation of great cat populations worldwide.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

CITES

The term CITES means the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, done at Washington March 3, 1973 (27 UST 1087; TIAS 8249), including its appendices. (2)

Conservation

The term conservation— (A)means the methods and procedures necessary to bring a species of great cats to the point at which there are sufficient populations in the wild to ensure the long-term viability of the species; and (B)includes all activities associated with protection and management of a great cat population, including— (i)maintenance, management, protection, and restoration of great cat habitat; (ii)research and monitoring; (iii)law enforcement; (iv)community outreach and education; (v)conflict resolution initiatives; and (vi)strengthening the capacity of local communities, governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations and other institutions to implement conservation programs. (3)

Fund

The term Fund means the Great Cats Conservation Fund established by section 6. (4)

Great cat

The term great cat means any lion, leopard, jaguar, snow leopard, clouded leopard, cheetah, or Spanish lynx. (5)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

Great cats conservation assistance

(a)

In general

Subject to the availability of funds and in consultation with other appropriate Federal officials, the Secretary shall use amounts in the Fund to provide financial assistance for projects for the conservation of great cats for which project proposals are approved by the Secretary in accordance with this section. (b)

Project proposals

(1)

Eligible Applicants

A proposal for a project for the conservation of great cats may be submitted to the Secretary by— (A)any wildlife management authority of a country that has within its boundaries any part of the range of a great cat species; and (B)any person or group with the demonstrated expertise required for the conservation in the wild of great cats. (2)

Project proposals

To be considered for financial assistance for a project under this Act, an applicant shall submit a project proposal that includes— (A)a concise statement of the purposes of the project; (B)the name of the individual responsible for conducting the project; (C)a description of the qualifications of the individuals who will conduct the project; (D)a concise description of— (i)methods for project implementation and outcome assessment; (ii)staffing for the project; (iii)the logistics of the project; and (iv)community involvement in the project; (E)an estimate of funds and time required to complete the project; (F)evidence of support for the project by appropriate governmental entities of the countries in which the project will be conducted, if the Secretary determines that such support is required for the success of the project; (G)information regarding the source and amount of matching funding available for the project; and (H)any other information that the Secretary considers to be necessary for evaluating the eligibility of the project for funding under this Act. (c)

Project review and approval

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall— (A)not later than 30 days after receiving a project proposal, provide a copy of the proposal to the appropriate Federal officials; and (B)review each project proposal in a timely manner to determine if the proposal meets the criteria specified in subsection (d). (2)

Consultation; Approval or disapproval

Not later than 180 days after receiving a project proposal, and subject to the availability of funds, the Secretary, after consulting with other appropriate Federal officials, shall— (A)ensure the proposal contains assurances that the project will be implemented in consultation with relevant wildlife management authorities and other appropriate government officials with jurisdiction over the resources addressed by the project; (B)approve or disapprove the proposal; and (C)provide written notification of the approval or disapproval to the person who submitted the proposal, other appropriate Federal officials, and each country within whose borders the project will take place. (d)

Criteria for approval

The Secretary may approve a project proposal under this section if the project will contribute to conservation of great cats in the wild by assisting efforts to— (1)implement conservation programs; (2)address the conflicts between humans and great cats that arise from competition for the same habitat; (3)enhance compliance with CITES and other applicable laws that prohibit or regulate the taking or trade of great cats or regulate the use and management of great cat habitat; (4)develop sound scientific information on, or methods for monitoring— (A)the condition and health of great cat habitat; and (B)great cat population numbers and trends; or (5)promote cooperative projects among government entities, affected local communities, nongovernmental organizations, and other persons in the private sector. (e)

Project sustainability

In approving project proposals under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to conservation projects that are designed to ensure effective, long-term conservation of great cats and their habitats. (f)

Matching funds

In determining whether to approve project proposals under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to projects for which matching funds are available. (g)

Project reporting

(1)

In general

Each person that receives assistance under this section for a project shall submit to the Secretary periodic reports (at such intervals as the Secretary considers necessary) that include all information that the Secretary, after consultation with other appropriate government officials, determines is necessary to evaluate the progress and success of the project for the purposes of ensuring positive results, assessing problems, and fostering improvements. (2)

Availability to the public

Reports under paragraph (1), and any other documents relating to projects for which financial assistance is provided under this Act, shall be made available to the public. (h)

Advisory group

(1)

In general

To assist in carrying out this Act, the Secretary may convene an advisory group consisting of individuals representing public and private organizations actively involved in the conservation of great cats. (2)

Public participation

(A)

Meetings

The advisory group shall— (i)ensure that each meeting of the advisory group is open to the public; and (ii)provide, at each meeting, an opportunity for interested persons to present oral or written statements concerning items on the agenda. (B)

Notice

The Secretary shall provide to the public timely notice of each meeting of the advisory group, including the meeting agenda. (C)

Minutes

Minutes of each meeting of the advisory group shall be kept by the Secretary and shall be made available to the public. (3)

Exemption from Federal Advisory Committee Act

The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the advisory group.

Great Cats Conservation Fund

(a)

Establishment

There is established, in the Multinational Species Conservation Fund established in title I of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 under the heading MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND, a separate account to be known as the Great Cats Conservation Fund, consisting of— (1)amounts transferred to the Secretary of the Treasury for deposit into such account under subsection (e); (2)amounts appropriated to such account under section 7; and (3)any interest earned on investment of amounts in the account under subsection (c). (b)

Expenditures from fund

(1)

In general

Subject to paragraph (2), upon request by the Secretary, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer from the Fund to the Secretary, without further appropriation, such amounts as the Secretary determines are necessary to provide assistance under section 5. (2)

Administrative expenses

Of the amounts in the Fund available for each fiscal year, the Secretary may expend not more than three percent, or up to $80,000, whichever is greater, to pay the administrative expenses necessary to carry out this Act. (c)

Investment of amounts

(1)

In general

The Secretary of the Treasury shall invest such portion of the Fund as is not, in the judgment of the Secretary of the Treasury, required to meet current withdrawals. Investments may be made only in interest-bearing obligations of the United States. (2)

Acquisition of obligations

For the purpose of investments under paragraph (1), obligations may be acquired— (A)on original issue at the issue price; or (B)by purchase of outstanding obligations at the market price. (3)

Sale of obligations

Any obligation acquired by the Fund may be sold by the Secretary of the Treasury at the market price. (4)

Credits to fund

The interest on, and the proceeds from the sale or redemption of any obligations held in the Fund shall be credited to and form a part of the Fund. (d)

Transfers of amounts

(1)

In general

The amounts required to be transferred to the Fund under this section shall be transferred at least monthly from the general fund of the Treasury to the Fund on the basis of estimates made by the Secretary of the Treasury. (2)

Adjustments

Proper adjustment shall be made in amounts subsequently transferred to the extent prior estimates were in excess of or less than the amounts required to be transferred. (e)

Acceptance and use of donations

The Secretary may accept and use donations to provide assistance under section 5. Amounts received by the Secretary in the form of donations shall be transferred to the Secretary of the Treasury for deposit into the Fund.

Authorization of Appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Fund $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.