II Calendar No. 306 112th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 1401 [Report No. 112–140] IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 21, 2011 Ms. Cantwell (for herself, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Begich, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Wyden and Mrs. Feinstein) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation January 30, 2012 Reported by Mr. Rockefeller, with an amendment Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic A BILL To conserve wild Pacific salmon, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title; table of contents
(a)
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Pacific Salmon Stronghold Conservation Act of 2011. (b)
Table of contents
The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Purposes. Sec. 3. Definitions. Sec. 4. Salmon Stronghold Partnership. Sec. 5. Information and assessment. Sec. 6. Salmon stronghold watershed grants and technical assistance program. Sec. 7. Interagency cooperation. Sec. 8. International cooperation. Sec. 9. Acquisition and transfer of real property interests. Sec. 10. Administrative provisions. Sec. 11. Limitations. Sec. 12. Reports to Congress.
2.
Purposes
The purposes of this Act are— (1)to expand Federal support and resources for the protection and restoration of the healthiest remaining salmon strongholds in North America to sustain core centers of salmon abundance, productivity, and diversity in order to ensure the long-term viability of salmon populations— (A)in the States of California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, by focusing resources on cooperative, incentive-based efforts to conserve the roughly 20 percent of salmon habitat that supports approximately two-thirds of salmon abundance; and (B)in the State of Alaska, a regional stronghold that produces more than one-third of all salmon, by increasing resources available to public and private organizations working cooperatively to conserve regional core centers of salmon abundance and diversity; (2)to maintain billions of dollars in economic activity and tens of thousands of jobs from salmon related activities that rely on healthy salmon populations and salmon stronghold habitats; (3)to maintain and enhance economic benefits related to fishing or associated with healthy salmon stronghold habitats, including flood protection, recreation, water quantity and quality, carbon sequestration, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and other ecosystem services; and (4)to complement and add to existing Federal, State, and local salmon recovery efforts by using sound science to identify and sustain core centers of salmon abundance, productivity, and diversity in the healthiest remaining salmon ecosystems throughout their range.
3.
Definitions
In this Act: (1)
Administrator
The term Administrator means the Assistant Administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2)
Board
The term Board means the Salmon Stronghold Partnership Board established under section 4. (3)
Charter
The term charter means the charter of the Board developed under section 4(g). (4)
Director
The term Director means the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. (5)
Ecosystem services
The term ecosystem services means an ecological benefit generated from a healthy, functioning ecosystem, including clean water, pollutant filtration, regulation of river flow, prevention of soil erosion, regulation of climate, and fish production. (6)
Program
Except as otherwise provided, the term program means the salmon stronghold watershed grants and technical assistance program established under section 6(a). (7)
Salmon
The term salmon means any of the wild anadromous Oncorhynchus species that occur in the Western United States, including— (A)chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta); (B)pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha); (C)sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka); (D)chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha); (E)coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch); and (F)steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). (8)
Salmon stronghold
The term salmon stronghold means status conferred to a defined geographical unit which meets biological criteria for abundance, productivity, diversity (genetic and life history), habitat quality, or other biological attributes important to sustaining viable populations of salmon throughout their range, as defined by the Board under section 4(g)(3). (9)
Salmon stronghold partnership
The term Salmon Stronghold Partnership means the Salmon Stronghold Partnership established under section 4(a)(1). (10)
Secretary
Except as otherwise provided, the term Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce.
4.
Salmon stronghold partnership
(a)
In general
(1)
Establishment
The Secretary shall establish a Salmon Stronghold Partnership that is a cooperative, incentive-based, public-private partnership among appropriate Federal, State, tribal, and local governments, private landowners, and nongovernmental organizations working across political boundaries, government jurisdictions, and land ownerships to identify and conserve salmon strongholds. (2)
Membership
To the extent possible, the membership of the Salmon Stronghold Partnership shall include each entity described under subsection (b). (3)
Leadership
The Salmon Stronghold Partnership shall be managed by a Board established by the Secretary to be known as the Salmon Stronghold Partnership Board. (b)
Salmon stronghold partnership board
(1)
In general
The Board shall consist of representatives with strong scientific or technical credentials and expertise as follows: (A)One representative from each of— (i)the National Marine Fisheries Service, as appointed by the Administrator; (ii)the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, as appointed by the Director; (iii)the Forest Service, as appointed by the Chief of the Forest Service; (iv)the Environmental Protection Agency, as appointed by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (v)the Bonneville Power Administration, as appointed by the Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration; (vi)the Bureau of Land Management, as appointed by the Director of the Bureau of Land Management; and (vii)the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, as appointed by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. (B)One representative from the natural resources staff of the office of the Governor or of an appropriate natural resource agency of a State, as appointed by the Governor, from each of the States of— (i)Alaska; (ii)California; (iii)Idaho; (iv)Oregon; and (v)Washington. (C)Not less than 3 and not more than 5 representatives from Indian tribes or tribal commissions located within the range of a salmon species, as appointed by such Indian tribes or tribal commissions, in consultation with the Board. (D)One representative from each of 3 non-governmental organizations with salmon conservation and management expertise, as selected by the Board. (E)One national or regional representative from an association of counties, as selected by the Board. (2)
Failure to appoint
If a representative described in subparagraph (B), (C), (D), or (E) of paragraph (1) is not appointed to the Board or otherwise fails to participate in the Board, the Board shall carry out its functions until such representative is appointed or joins in such participation. (c)
Meetings
(1)
Frequency
Not less frequently than 3 times each year, the Board shall meet to provide opportunities for input from a broader set of stakeholders. (2)
Notice
Prior to each meeting, the Board shall give timely notice of the meeting to the public, the government of each county, and tribal governments in which a salmon stronghold is identified by the Board. (d)
Board consultation
The Board shall seek expertise from fisheries experts, as appropriate. (e)
Chairperson
The Board shall nominate and select a Chairperson from among the members of the Board. (f)
Committee
The Board shall establish a standing science advisory committee to assist the Board in the development, collection, evaluation, and peer review of statistical, biological, economic, social, and other scientific information. (g)
Charter
The Board shall develop a written charter that— (1)provides for the members of the Board described in subsection (b); (2)may be signed by a broad range of partners, to reflect a shared understanding of the purposes, intent, and governance framework of the Salmon Stronghold Partnership; and (3)includes— (A)the defining criteria for a salmon stronghold; (B)the process for identifying salmon strongholds; and (C)the process for reviewing and awarding grants under the program, including— (i)the number of years for which such a grant may be awarded; (ii)the process for renewing such a grant; (iii)the eligibility requirements for such a grant; (iv)the reporting requirements for projects awarded such a grant; and (v)the criteria for evaluating the success of a project carried out with such a grant. (h)
Federal Advisory Committee Act
The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Board.
5.
Information and assessment
The Administrator shall carry out specific information and assessment functions associated with salmon strongholds, in coordination with other regional salmon efforts, including— (1)triennial assessment of status and trends in salmon strongholds; (2)geographic information system and mapping support to facilitate conservation planning; (3)projections of climate change impacts on habitats and life history stages of salmon; (4)development and application of models and other tools to identify salmon conservation actions projected to have the greatest positive impacts on salmon abundance, productivity, or diversity within salmon strongholds; and (5)measurement of the effectiveness of the Salmon Stronghold Partnership activities.
6.
Salmon stronghold watershed grants and technical assistance program
(a)
In general
The Administrator, in consultation with the Director, shall establish a salmon stronghold watershed grants and technical assistance program, as described in this section. (b)
Purpose
The purpose of the program shall be to support salmon stronghold protection and restoration activities, including— (1)to fund the administration of the Salmon Stronghold Partnership in carrying out the charter; (2)to encourage cooperation among the entities represented on the Board, local authorities, and private entities to establish a network of salmon strongholds, and assist locally in specific actions that support the Salmon Stronghold Partnership; (3)to support entities represented on the Board— (A)to develop strategies focusing on salmon conservation actions projected to have the greatest positive impacts on abundance, productivity, or diversity in salmon strongholds; and (B)to provide financial assistance to the Salmon Stronghold Partnership to increase local economic opportunities and resources for actions or practices that provide long-term or permanent conservation and that maintain key ecosystem services in salmon strongholds; (4)to maintain a forum to share best practices and approaches, employ consistent and comparable metrics, forecast and address climate impacts, and monitor, evaluate, and report regional status and trends of salmon ecosystems in coordination with related regional and State efforts; (5)to carry out activities and existing conservation programs in, and across, salmon strongholds on a regional scale to achieve the goals of the Salmon Stronghold Partnership; (6)to accelerate the implementation of recovery plans in salmon strongholds that have salmon populations listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); and (7)to develop and make information available to the public pertaining to the Salmon Stronghold Partnership. (c)
Selection
Projects that will be carried out with assistance from the program shall be selected and administered as follows: (1)
Site-based projects
A project that will be carried out with assistance from the program within 1 State shall be selected as follows: (A)
State selection
If a State has a competitive grant process relating to salmon conservation in effect as of the date of enactment of this Act and has a proven record of implementing an efficient, cost-effective, and competitive grant program for salmon conservation or has a viable plan to provide accountability under the program— (i)the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in consultation with the Board, shall provide program funds to the State; and (ii)the State shall select and administer projects to be carried out in such State, in accordance with subsection (d). (B)
National fish and wildlife foundation selection
If a State does not meet the criteria described in subparagraph (A)— (i)the Administrator, in consultation with the Director, shall provide funds to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; and (ii)the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in consultation with the Board, shall select and administer projects to be carried out in such State, in accordance with subsection (d). (2)
Multisite and programmatic initiatives
For a project that will be carried out with assistance from the program in more than 1 State or that is a programmatic initiative that affects more than 1 State— (A)the Administrator, in consultation with the Director, shall provide funds to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; and (B)the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in consultation with the Board, shall select and administer such projects to be carried out, in accordance with subsection (d). (d)
Criteria for approval
(1)
Criteria developed by the board
(A)
Requirement to develop
The Board shall develop and provide criteria for the prioritization of projects funded under the program in a manner that enables projects to be individually ranked in sequential order by the magnitude of the project's positive impacts on salmon abundance, productivity, or diversity. (B)
Specific requirements
The criteria required by subparagraph (A) shall require that a project that receives assistance under the program— (i)contributes to the conservation of salmon; (ii)meets the criteria for eligibility established in the charter; (iii)(I)addresses a factor limiting or threatening to limit abundance, productivity, diversity, habitat quality, or other biological attributes important to sustaining viable salmon populations within a salmon stronghold; or (II)is a programmatic action that supports the Salmon Stronghold Partnership; (iv)addresses limiting factors to healthy ecosystem processes or sustainable fisheries management; (v)has the potential for conservation benefits and broadly applicable results; and (vi)meets the requirements for— (I)cost sharing described in subsection (e); and (II)the limitation on administrative expenses described in subsection (f). (C)
Schedule for development
The Board shall— (i)develop and provide the criteria required by subparagraph (A) prior to the initial solicitation of projects under the program; and (ii)revise such criteria not less often than once each year. (e)
Cost sharing
(1)
Federal share
(A)
Non-federal land
For any fiscal year, the Federal share of the cost of a project that receives assistance under the program and that is carried out on land that is not owned by the United States shall not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the project. (B)
Federal land
For any fiscal year, the Federal share of the cost of a project that receives assistance under the program and that is carried out on land that is owned by the United States may be up to 100 percent of the total cost of the project. (2)
Non-federal share
(A)
In general
Subject to subparagraph (B), the non-Federal share of the cost of a project that receives assistance under the program may not be derived from Federal grant programs, but may include in-kind contributions. (B)
Bonneville power administration
Any amounts provided by the Bonneville Power Administration directly or through a grant to another entity used to carry out a project that receives assistance under the program shall be credited toward the non-Federal share of the cost of the project. (f)
Administrative expenses
(1)
Limit on state and national fish and wildlife foundation expenditures
Of the amount available to a State or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation under the program for each fiscal year, such State and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation shall not expend more than 5 percent of such amount for administrative and reporting expenses necessary to carry out this section. (2)
Limit on national oceanic and atmospheric administration expenditures
Of the amount available to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under the program for each fiscal year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall not expend more than 5 percent of such amount for administrative and reporting expenses necessary to carry out this section. (g)
Reports
(1)
Reports to states or nfwf
Each person who receives assistance through a State or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation under the program for a project shall provide periodic reports to the State or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, as appropriate, that include the information required by the State or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to evaluate the progress and success of the project. (2)
Reports to the administration
Not less frequently than once every 3 years, each State that is provided program funds under subsection (c)(1)(A) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation shall provide reports to the Administrator that include the information required by the Administrator to evaluate the implementation of the program.
7.
Interagency cooperation
The head of each Federal agency or department responsible for acquiring, managing, or disposing of Federal land that is within a salmon stronghold shall, to the extent consistent with the mission of the agency or department and existing law, cooperate with the Administrator and the Director— (1)to conserve the salmon strongholds; and (2)to effectively coordinate and streamline Salmon Stronghold Partnership activities and delivery of overlapping, incentive-based programs that affect the salmon stronghold.
8.
International cooperation
(a)
Authority to cooperate
The Administrator and the Board may share status and trends data, innovative conservation strategies, conservation planning methodologies, and other information with North Pacific countries, including Canada, Japan, Russia, and South Korea, and appropriate international entities to promote conservation of salmon and salmon habitat. (b)
Sense of congress
It is the sense of Congress that the Administrator and the Board, or entities that are members of the Board, should and are encouraged to provide information to North Pacific countries, including Canada, Japan, Russia, and South Korea, and appropriate international entities to support the development of a network of salmon strongholds across the nations of the North Pacific.
9.
Acquisition and transfer of real property interests
(a)
Use of real property
No project that will result in the acquisition by the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior of any land or interest in land, in whole or in part, may receive funds under this Act unless the project is consistent with the purposes of this Act. (b)
Private property protection
No Federal funds made available to carry out this Act may be used to acquire any real property or any interest in any real property without the written consent of each owner of the property or interest in property. (c)
Transfer of real property
No land or interest in land, acquired in whole or in part by the Secretary of the Interior with Federal funds made available under this Act to carry out a salmon stronghold conservation project may be transferred to a State, other public agency, or other entity unless— (1)the Secretary of the Interior determines that the State, agency, or entity is committed to manage, in accordance with this Act and the purposes of this Act, the property being transferred; and (2)the deed or other instrument of transfer contains provisions for the reversion of the title to the property to the United States if the State, agency, or entity fails to manage the property in accordance with this Act and the purposes of this Act. (d)
Requirement
Any real property interest conveyed under subsection (c) shall be subject to such terms and conditions as will ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that the interest will be administered in accordance with this Act and the purposes of this Act.
10.
Administrative provisions
(a)
Contracts, grants, and transfers of funds
In carrying out this Act, the Secretary may— (1)consistent with a recommendation of the Board and notwithstanding sections 6304 and 6305 of title 31, United States Code, and the Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999 (31 U.S.C. 6101 note), enter into cooperative agreements, contracts, and grants; (2)notwithstanding any other provision of law, apply for, accept, and use grants from any person to carry out the purposes of this Act; and (3)make funds available to any Federal agency or department to be used by the agency or department to award financial assistance for any salmon stronghold protection, restoration, or enhancement project that the Secretary determines to be consistent with this Act. (b)
Donations
(1)
In general
The Secretary may— (A)enter into an agreement with any organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to authorize the organization to carry out activities under this Act; and (B)accept donations of funds or services for use in carrying out this Act. (2)
Property
The Secretary of the Interior may accept donations of property for use in carrying out this Act. (3)
Use of donations
Donations accepted under this section— (A)shall be considered to be gifts or bequests to, or for the use of, the United States; and (B)may be used directly by the Secretary (or, in the case of donated property under paragraph (2), the Secretary of the Interior) or provided to other Federal agencies or departments through interagency agreements. (c)
Interagency financing
The Secretary may participate in interagency financing, including receiving appropriated funds from other agencies or departments to carry out this Act. (d)
Staff
Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator may hire such additional full-time employees as are necessary to carry out this Act.
11.
Limitations
Nothing in this Act may be construed— (1)to create a reserved water right, express or implied, in the United States for any purpose, or affect the management or priority of water rights under State law; (2)to affect existing water rights under Federal or State law; (3)to affect any Federal or State law in existence on the date of enactment of this Act regarding water quality or water quantity; (4)to affect the authority, jurisdiction, or responsibility of any agency or department of the United States or of a State to manage, control, or regulate fish and resident wildlife under a Federal or State law or regulation; (5)to authorize the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior to control or regulate hunting or fishing under State law; (6)to abrogate, abridge, affect, modify, supersede, or otherwise alter any right of a federally recognized Indian tribe under any applicable Federal or tribal law or regulation; or (7)to diminish or affect the ability of the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior to join the adjudication of rights to the use of water pursuant to subsections (a), (b), or (c) of section 208 of the Department of Justice Appropriation Act, 1953 (43 U.S.C. 666).
12.
Reports to congress
Not less frequently than once every 3 years, the Administrator, in consultation with the Director, shall submit to Congress a report describing the activities carried out under this Act, including the recommendations of the Administrator, if any, for legislation relating to the Salmon Stronghold Partnership.
1.
Short title; table of contents
(a)
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Pacific Salmon Stronghold Conservation Act of 2011. (b)
Table of contents
The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Purposes. Sec. 3. Definitions. Sec. 4. Salmon Stronghold Partnership. Sec. 5. Information and assessment. Sec. 6. Salmon stronghold watershed grants and technical assistance program. Sec. 7. Interagency cooperation. Sec. 8. International cooperation. Sec. 9. Acquisition and transfer of real property interests. Sec. 10. Administrative provisions. Sec. 11. Limitations. Sec. 12. Reports to Congress.
2.
Purposes
The purposes of this Act are— (1)to expand Federal support and resources for the protection and restoration of the healthiest remaining salmon strongholds in North America to sustain core centers of salmon abundance, productivity, and diversity in order to ensure the long-term viability of salmon populations— (A)in the States of California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, by focusing resources on cooperative, incentive-based efforts to conserve the roughly 20 percent of salmon habitat that supports approximately two-thirds of salmon abundance; and (B)in the State of Alaska, a regional stronghold that produces more than one-third of all salmon, by increasing resources available to public and private organizations working cooperatively to conserve regional core centers of salmon abundance and diversity; (2)to maintain billions of dollars in economic activity and tens of thousands of jobs from salmon related activities that rely on healthy salmon populations and salmon stronghold habitats; (3)to maintain and enhance economic benefits related to fishing or associated with healthy salmon stronghold habitats, including flood protection, recreation, water quantity and quality, carbon sequestration, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and other ecosystem services; and (4)to complement and add to existing Federal, State, tribal, and local salmon recovery efforts by using sound science to identify and sustain core centers of salmon abundance, productivity, and diversity in the healthiest remaining salmon ecosystems throughout their range.
3.
Definitions
In this Act: (1)
Administrator
The term Administrator means the Assistant Administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2)
Board
The term Board means the Salmon Stronghold Partnership Board established under section 4. (3)
Charter
The term charter means the charter of the Board developed under section 4(g). (4)
Director
The term Director means the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. (5)
Ecosystem services
The term ecosystem services means an ecological benefit generated from a healthy, functioning ecosystem, including clean water, pollutant filtration, regulation of river flow, prevention of soil erosion, regulation of climate, and fish production. (6)
Program
Except as otherwise provided, the term program means the salmon stronghold watershed grants and technical assistance program established under section 6(a). (7)
Salmon
The term salmon means any of the wild anadromous Oncorhynchus species that occur in the Western United States, including— (A)chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta); (B)pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha); (C)sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka); (D)chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha); (E)coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch); and (F)steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). (8)
Salmon stronghold
The term salmon stronghold means status conferred to a defined geographical unit which meets biological criteria for abundance, productivity, diversity (genetic and life history), habitat quality, or other biological attributes important to sustaining viable populations of salmon throughout their range, as defined by the Board under section 4(g)(3). (9)
Salmon stronghold partnership
The term Salmon Stronghold Partnership means the Salmon Stronghold Partnership established under section 4(a)(1). (10)
Secretary
Except as otherwise provided, the term Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce.
4.
Salmon stronghold partnership
(a)
In general
(1)
Establishment
The Secretary shall establish a Salmon Stronghold Partnership that is a cooperative, incentive-based, public-private partnership among appropriate Federal, State, tribal, and local governments, private landowners, and nongovernmental organizations working across political boundaries, government jurisdictions, and land ownerships to identify and conserve salmon strongholds. (2)
Membership
To the extent possible, the membership of the Salmon Stronghold Partnership shall include each entity described under subsection (b). (3)
Leadership
The Salmon Stronghold Partnership shall be managed by a Board established by the Secretary to be known as the Salmon Stronghold Partnership Board. (b)
Salmon stronghold partnership board
(1)
In general
The Board shall consist of representatives with strong scientific or technical credentials and expertise as follows: (A)1 representative from each of— (i)the National Marine Fisheries Service, as appointed by the Administrator; (ii)the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, as appointed by the Director; (iii)the Forest Service, as appointed by the Chief of the Forest Service; (iv)the Environmental Protection Agency, as appointed by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (v)the Bonneville Power Administration, as appointed by the Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration; (vi)the Bureau of Land Management, as appointed by the Director of the Bureau of Land Management; and (vii)the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, as appointed by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. (B)1 representative from the natural resources staff of the office of the Governor or of an appropriate natural resource agency of a State, as appointed by the Governor, from each of the States of— (i)Alaska; (ii)California; (iii)Idaho; (iv)Oregon; and (v)Washington. (C)Not less than 3 and not more than 5 representatives from Indian tribes or tribal commissions located within the range of a salmon species, as appointed by such Indian tribes or tribal commissions, in consultation with the Board. (D)1 representative from each of 3 non-governmental organizations with salmon conservation and management expertise, as selected by the Board. (E)1 national or regional representative from an association of counties, as selected by the Board. (2)
Failure to appoint
If a representative described in subparagraph (B), (C), (D), or (E) of paragraph (1) is not appointed to the Board or otherwise fails to participate in the Board, the Board shall carry out its functions until such representative is appointed or joins in such participation. (c)
Meetings
(1)
Frequency
Not less frequently than 3 times each year, the Board shall meet to provide opportunities for input from a broader set of stakeholders. (2)
Notice
Prior to each meeting, the Board shall give timely notice of the meeting to the public, the government of each county, and tribal governments in which a salmon stronghold is identified by the Board. (d)
Board consultation
The Board shall seek expertise from fisheries experts, as appropriate. (e)
Chairperson
The Board shall nominate and select a Chairperson from among the members of the Board. (f)
Committee
The Board shall establish a standing science advisory committee to assist the Board in the development, collection, evaluation, and peer review of statistical, biological, economic, social, and other scientific information. (g)
Charter
The Board shall develop a written charter that— (1)provides for the members of the Board described in subsection (b); (2)may be signed by a broad range of partners, to reflect a shared understanding of the purposes, intent, and governance framework of the Salmon Stronghold Partnership; and (3)includes— (A)the defining criteria for a salmon stronghold; (B)the process for identifying salmon strongholds; and (C)the process for reviewing and awarding grants under the program, including— (i)the number of years for which such a grant may be awarded; (ii)the process for renewing such a grant; (iii)the eligibility requirements for such a grant; (iv)the reporting requirements for projects awarded such a grant; and (v)the criteria for evaluating the success of a project carried out with such a grant. (h)
Federal Advisory Committee Act
The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Board.
5.
Information and assessment
The Administrator shall carry out specific information and assessment functions associated with salmon strongholds, in coordination with other regional salmon efforts, including— (1)triennial assessment of status and trends in salmon strongholds; (2)geographic information system and mapping support to facilitate conservation planning; (3)projections of climate change impacts on habitats and life history stages of salmon; (4)development and application of models and other tools to identify salmon conservation actions projected to have the greatest positive impacts on salmon abundance, productivity, or diversity within salmon strongholds; and (5)measurement of the effectiveness of the Salmon Stronghold Partnership activities.
6.
Salmon stronghold watershed grants and technical assistance program
(a)
In general
The Administrator, in consultation with the Director, shall establish a salmon stronghold watershed grants and technical assistance program, as described in this section. (b)
Purpose
The purpose of the program shall be to support salmon stronghold protection and restoration activities, including— (1)to fund the administration of the Salmon Stronghold Partnership in carrying out the charter; (2)to encourage cooperation among the entities represented on the Board, local authorities, and private entities to establish a network of salmon strongholds, and assist locally in specific actions that support the Salmon Stronghold Partnership; (3)to support entities represented on the Board— (A)to develop strategies focusing on salmon conservation actions projected to have the greatest positive impacts on abundance, productivity, or diversity in salmon strongholds; and (B)to provide financial assistance to the Salmon Stronghold Partnership to increase local economic opportunities and resources for actions or practices that provide long-term or permanent conservation and that maintain key ecosystem services in salmon strongholds; (4)to maintain a forum to share best practices and approaches, employ consistent and comparable metrics, forecast and address climate impacts, and monitor, evaluate, and report regional status and trends of salmon ecosystems in coordination with related regional and State efforts; (5)to carry out activities and existing conservation programs in, and across, salmon strongholds on a regional scale to achieve the goals of the Salmon Stronghold Partnership; (6)to accelerate the implementation of recovery plans in salmon strongholds that have salmon populations listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); and (7)to develop and make information available to the public pertaining to the Salmon Stronghold Partnership. (c)
Selection
Projects that will be carried out with assistance from the program shall be selected and administered as follows: (1)
Site-based projects
A project that will be carried out with assistance from the program within 1 State shall be selected as follows: (A)
State selection
If a State has a competitive grant process relating to salmon conservation in effect as of the date of enactment of this Act and has a proven record of implementing an efficient, cost-effective, and competitive grant program for salmon conservation or has a viable plan to provide accountability under the program— (i)the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in consultation with the Board, shall provide program funds to the State; and (ii)the State shall select and administer projects to be carried out in such State, in accordance with subsection (d). (B)
National fish and wildlife foundation selection
If a State does not meet the criteria described in subparagraph (A)— (i)the Administrator, in consultation with the Director, shall provide funds to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; and (ii)the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in consultation with the Board, shall select and administer projects to be carried out in such State, in accordance with subsection (d). (2)
Multisite and programmatic initiatives
For a project that will be carried out with assistance from the program in more than 1 State or that is a programmatic initiative that affects more than 1 State— (A)the Administrator, in consultation with the Director, shall provide funds to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; and (B)the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in consultation with the Board, shall select and administer such projects to be carried out, in accordance with subsection (d). (d)
Criteria for approval
(1)
Criteria developed by the board
(A)
Requirement to develop
The Board shall develop and provide criteria for the prioritization of projects funded under the program in a manner that enables projects to be individually ranked in sequential order by the magnitude of the project's positive impacts on salmon abundance, productivity, or diversity. (B)
Specific requirements
The criteria required by subparagraph (A) shall require that a project that receives assistance under the program— (i)contributes to the conservation of salmon; (ii)meets the criteria for eligibility established in the charter; (iii)(I)addresses a factor limiting or threatening to limit abundance, productivity, diversity, habitat quality, or other biological attributes important to sustaining viable salmon populations within a salmon stronghold; or (II)is a programmatic action that supports the Salmon Stronghold Partnership; (iv)addresses limiting factors to healthy ecosystem processes or sustainable fisheries management; (v)has the potential for conservation benefits and broadly applicable results; and (vi)meets the requirements for— (I)cost sharing described in subsection (e); and (II)the limitation on administrative expenses described in subsection (f). (C)
Schedule for development
The Board shall— (i)develop and provide the criteria required by subparagraph (A) prior to the initial solicitation of projects under the program; and (ii)revise such criteria not less often than once each year. (e)
Cost sharing
(1)
Federal share
(A)
Non-federal land
For any fiscal year, the Federal share of the cost of a project that receives assistance under the program and that is carried out on land that is not owned by the United States shall not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the project. (B)
Federal land
For any fiscal year, the Federal share of the cost of a project that receives assistance under the program and that is carried out on land that is owned by the United States may be up to 100 percent of the total cost of the project. (2)
Non-federal share
(A)
In general
Subject to subparagraph (B), the non-Federal share of the cost of a project that receives assistance under the program may not be derived from Federal grant programs, but may include in-kind contributions. (B)
Bonneville power administration
Any amounts provided by the Bonneville Power Administration directly or through a grant to another entity used to carry out a project that receives assistance under the program shall be credited toward the non-Federal share of the cost of the project. (f)
Administrative expenses
(1)
Limit on state and national fish and wildlife foundation expenditures
Of the amount available to a State or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation under the program for each fiscal year, such State and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation shall not expend more than 5 percent of such amount for administrative and reporting expenses necessary to carry out this section. (2)
Limit on national oceanic and atmospheric administration expenditures
Of the amount available to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under the program for each fiscal year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall not expend more than 5 percent of such amount for administrative and reporting expenses necessary to carry out this section. (g)
Reports
(1)
Reports to states or nfwf
Each person who receives assistance through a State or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation under the program for a project shall provide periodic reports to the State or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, as appropriate, that include the information required by the State or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to evaluate the progress and success of the project. (2)
Reports to the administration
Not less frequently than once every 3 years, each State that is provided program funds under subsection (c)(1)(A) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation shall provide reports to the Administrator that include the information required by the Administrator to evaluate the implementation of the program.
7.
Interagency cooperation
The head of each Federal agency or department responsible for acquiring, managing, or disposing of Federal land that is within a salmon stronghold shall, to the extent consistent with the mission of the agency or department and existing law, cooperate with the Administrator and the Director— (1)to conserve the salmon strongholds; and (2)to effectively coordinate and streamline Salmon Stronghold Partnership activities and delivery of overlapping, incentive-based programs that affect the salmon stronghold.
8.
International cooperation
(a)
Authority to cooperate
The Administrator and the Board may share status and trends data, innovative conservation strategies, conservation planning methodologies, and other information with North Pacific countries, including Canada, Japan, Russia, and South Korea, and appropriate international entities to promote conservation of salmon and salmon habitat. (b)
Sense of congress
It is the sense of Congress that the Administrator and the Board, or entities that are members of the Board, should and are encouraged to provide information to North Pacific countries, including Canada, Japan, Russia, and South Korea, and appropriate international entities to support the development of a network of salmon strongholds across the nations of the North Pacific.
9.
Acquisition and transfer of real property interests
(a)
Use of real property
No project that will result in the acquisition by the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior of any land or interest in land, in whole or in part, may receive funds under this Act unless the project is consistent with the purposes of this Act. (b)
Private property protection
No Federal funds made available to carry out this Act may be used to acquire any real property or any interest in any real property without the written consent of each owner of the property or interest in property. (c)
Transfer of real property
No land or interest in land, acquired in whole or in part by the Secretary of the Interior with Federal funds made available under this Act to carry out a salmon stronghold conservation project may be transferred to a State, other public agency, or other entity unless— (1)the Secretary of the Interior determines that the State, agency, or entity is committed to manage, in accordance with this Act and the purposes of this Act, the property being transferred; and (2)the deed or other instrument of transfer contains provisions for the reversion of the title to the property to the United States if the State, agency, or entity fails to manage the property in accordance with this Act and the purposes of this Act. (d)
Requirement
Any real property interest conveyed under subsection (c) shall be subject to such terms and conditions as will ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that the interest will be administered in accordance with this Act and the purposes of this Act.
10.
Administrative provisions
(a)
Contracts, grants, and transfers of funds
In carrying out this Act, the Secretary may— (1)consistent with a recommendation of the Board and notwithstanding sections 6304 and 6305 of title 31, United States Code, and the Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999 (31 U.S.C. 6101 note), enter into cooperative agreements, contracts, and grants; (2)notwithstanding any other provision of law, apply for, accept, and use grants from any person to carry out the purposes of this Act; and (3)make funds available to any Federal agency or department to be used by the agency or department to award financial assistance for any salmon stronghold protection, restoration, or enhancement project that the Secretary determines to be consistent with this Act. (b)
Donations
(1)
In general
The Secretary may— (A)enter into an agreement with any organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to authorize the organization to carry out activities under this Act; and (B)accept donations of funds or services for use in carrying out this Act. (2)
Property
The Secretary of the Interior may accept donations of property for use in carrying out this Act. (3)
Use of donations
Donations accepted under this section— (A)shall be considered to be gifts or bequests to, or for the use of, the United States; and (B)may be used directly by the Secretary (or, in the case of donated property under paragraph (2), the Secretary of the Interior) or provided to other Federal agencies or departments through interagency agreements. (c)
Interagency financing
The Secretary may participate in interagency financing, including receiving appropriated funds from other agencies or departments to carry out this Act. (d)
Staff
Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator may hire such additional full-time employees as are necessary to carry out this Act.
11.
Limitations
Nothing in this Act may be construed— (1)to create a reserved water right, express or implied, in the United States for any purpose, or affect the management or priority of water rights under State law; (2)to affect existing water rights under Federal or State law; (3)to affect any Federal or State law in existence on the date of enactment of this Act regarding water quality or water quantity; (4)to affect the authority, jurisdiction, or responsibility of any agency or department of the United States or of a State to manage, control, or regulate fish and resident wildlife under a Federal or State law or regulation; (5)to authorize the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior to control or regulate hunting or fishing under State law; (6)to abrogate, abridge, affect, modify, supersede, or otherwise alter any right of a federally recognized Indian tribe under any applicable treaty, or Federal or tribal law or regulation; or (7)to diminish or affect the ability of the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior to join the adjudication of rights to the use of water pursuant to subsections (a), (b), or (c) of section 208 of the Department of Justice Appropriation Act, 1953 (43 U.S.C. 666).
12.
Reports to congress
Not less frequently than once every 3 years, the Administrator, in consultation with the Director, shall submit to Congress a report describing the activities carried out under this Act, including the recommendations of the Administrator, if any, for legislation relating to the Salmon Stronghold Partnership.
January 30, 2012 Reported with an amendment