[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 672 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 672

    To protect the critical aquifers and watersheds that serve as a 
principal water source for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, to protect 
 the tropical forests of the Karst Region of the Commonwealth, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 24, 2007

 Mr. Fortuno introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
  Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on 
   Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To protect the critical aquifers and watersheds that serve as a 
principal water source for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, to protect 
 the tropical forests of the Karst Region of the Commonwealth, and for 
                            other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Puerto Rico Karst 
Conservation Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings and purposes.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Conservation of the Karst Region.
Sec. 5. Puerto Rico Karst Conservation Fund.
Sec. 6. Miscellaneous provisions.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) In the Karst Region of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico 
        there are--
                    (A) some of the largest areas of tropical forests 
                in Puerto Rico, with a higher density of tree species 
                than any other area in the Commonwealth; and
                    (B) unique geological formations that are critical 
                to the maintenance of aquifers and watersheds that 
                constitute a principal water supply for much of the 
                Commonwealth.
            (2) The Karst Region is threatened by development that, if 
        unchecked, could permanently damage the aquifers and cause 
        irreparable damage to natural and environmental assets that are 
        unique to the United States.
            (3) The Commonwealth has one of the highest population 
        densities in the United States, which makes the protection of 
        the Karst Region imperative for the maintenance of the public 
        health and welfare of the citizens of the Commonwealth.
            (4) The Karst Region--
                    (A) possesses extraordinary ecological diversity, 
                including the habitats of several endangered and 
                threatened species and tropical migrants; and
                    (B) is an area of critical value to research in 
                tropical forest management.
            (5) Coordinated efforts at land protection by the Federal 
        Government and the Commonwealth are necessary to conserve the 
        environmentally critical Karst Region.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to authorize and support conservation efforts to 
        acquire, manage, and protect the tropical forest areas of the 
        Karst Region, with particular emphasis on water quality and the 
        protection of the aquifers that are vital to the health and 
        well-being of the citizens of the Commonwealth; and
            (2) to promote cooperation among the Commonwealth, Federal 
        agencies, corporations, organizations, and individuals in those 
        conservation efforts.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Commonwealth.--The term ``Commonwealth'' means the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
            (2) Forest legacy program.--The term ``Forest Legacy 
        Program'' means the program established under section 7 of the 
        Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2103c).
            (3) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Puerto Rico Karst 
        Conservation Fund established by section 5.
            (4) Karst region.--The term ``Karst Region'' means the 
        areas in the Commonwealth generally depicted on the map 
        entitled ``Karst Region Conservation Area'' and dated March 
        2001, which shall be on file and available for public 
        inspection in--
                    (A) the Office of the Secretary, Puerto Rico 
                Department of Natural and Environmental Resources; and
                    (B) the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service.
            (5) Land.--The term ``land'' includes land, water, and an 
        interest in land or water.
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.

SEC. 4. CONSERVATION OF THE KARST REGION.

    (a) Federal Cooperation and Assistance.--In furtherance of the 
acquisition, protection, and management of land and forest resources in 
and adjacent to the Karst Region, and in furtherance of the 
implementation of related natural resource conservation strategies, the 
Secretary may--
            (1) make grants to and enter into contracts and cooperative 
        agreements with the Commonwealth, other Federal agencies, 
        organizations, corporations, and individuals; and
            (2) use all authorities available to the Secretary, 
        including--
                    (A) the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources 
                Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1641 et seq.);
                    (B) section 1472 of the National Agricultural 
                Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 
                U.S.C. 3318);
                    (C) section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology 
                Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a); and
                    (D) the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 
                (16 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.).
    (b) Funding Sources.--The activities authorized by this section may 
be carried out using--
            (1) amounts in the Fund;
            (2) amounts in the fund established by section 4(b) of the 
        Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978 
        (16 U.S.C. 1643(b));
            (3) funds appropriated from the Land and Water Conservation 
        Fund;
            (4) funds appropriated for the Forest Legacy Program; and
            (5) any other funds made available for those activities.
    (c) Management.--
            (1) Principal management objectives.--Land acquired under 
        the authority of this section or using funds made available 
        under this section shall be managed in a manner to protect and 
        conserve the water quality and aquifers and the geological, 
        ecological, fish and wildlife, and other natural values of the 
        Karst Region.
            (2) Other uses.--The resulting owner of land acquired under 
        the authority of this section or using funds made available 
        under this section may permit public recreation and other uses 
        of the acquired land to the extent that the owner determines 
        that the recreation or other use is compatible with and does 
        not impair the principal management objectives specified in 
        paragraph (1). The owner shall make a determination under this 
        subsection in consultation with the Department of Natural 
        Resources of the Commonwealth and the Secretary.
            (3) Failure to manage as required.--In any deed, grant, 
        contract, or cooperative agreement implementing this Act and 
        the Forest Legacy Program in the Commonwealth, the Secretary 
        may require that, if land acquired by the Commonwealth or other 
        cooperating entity under this Act is sold or conveyed in whole 
        or part, or is not managed in conformity with paragraph (1), 
        title to the land shall, at the discretion of the Secretary, 
        vest in the United States.
            (4) Federally owned land.--Any federally owned land 
        acquired by the Secretary in the Karst Region shall be managed 
        by the Secretary in accordance with paragraphs (1) and (2) and 
        the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 
        1978 (16 U.S.C. 1641 et seq.).
    (d) Willing Sellers.--Any land acquired by the Secretary in the 
Karst Region shall be acquired only from a willing seller.
    (e) Relation to Other Authorities.--Nothing in this Act--
            (1) diminishes any other authority that the Secretary may 
        have to acquire, protect, and manage land and natural resources 
        in the Commonwealth; or
            (2) exempts the Federal Government from Commonwealth water 
        laws.
    (f) Land Valuation.--Notwithstanding any land valuation provision 
of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition 
Policies Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.), or regulations issued 
thereunder, land acquired by the Secretary, or by a non-Federal entity 
using amounts from the Fund or appropriated for the purposes of this 
Act, shall be valued--
            (1) in accordance with appraisals prepared in conformity 
        with the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land 
        Acquisitions; or
            (2) in accordance with market surveys approved by the Chief 
        Appraiser of the Forest Service, for areas of land where 
        elements of value, such as physical characteristics and other 
        amenities, are readily apparent and substantially similar.

SEC. 5. PUERTO RICO KARST CONSERVATION FUND.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury an 
interest bearing account to be known as the ``Puerto Rico Karst 
Conservation Fund''.
    (b) Credits to Funds.--There shall be credited to the Fund--
            (1) amounts appropriated to the Fund;
            (2) amounts donated to the Fund; and
            (3) interest derived from amounts in the Fund.
    (c) Use of Fund.--Amounts in the Fund shall be available to the 
Secretary until expended, without further appropriation, to carry out 
section 4.

SEC. 6. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

    (a) Donations.--
            (1) Authority to accept.--The Secretary may accept 
        donations, including land and money, made by public and private 
        agencies, corporations, organizations, and individuals in 
        furtherance of the purposes of this Act.
            (2) Treatment of donors.--The Secretary may accept 
        donations even if the donor conducts business with or is 
        regulated by the Department of Agriculture or any other Federal 
        agency.
            (3) Treatment of donations.--A donation of land, property 
        and money accepted by the Secretary under the authority of this 
        Act shall be considered as a gift, bequest, or devise to the 
        United States in the same manner as provided in Public Law 95-
        442 (7 U.S.C. 2269).
    (b) Relation to Forest Legacy Program.--
            (1) In general.--All land in the Karst Region shall be 
        eligible for inclusion in the Forest Legacy Program.
            (2) Cost sharing.--The Secretary may credit donations made 
        under subsection (a) to satisfy any cost-sharing requirements 
        of the Forest Legacy Program.
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