[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 116 (Thursday, August 1, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S9436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. JOHNSTON (for himself and Mr. Breaux):
  S. 2014. A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire 
property adjacent to the city of New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA, for 
inclusion in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.


         the bayou sauvage national wildlife refuge act of 1996

 Mr. JOHNSTON. Mr. President, I introduce a measure that would 
be the culmination of many years of negotiation and effort on the part 
of a number of interested individuals in my State of Louisiana.
   Mr. President, the State of Louisiana is rich in wildlife and 
wildlife habitat, the flora and fauna of legend. The State is also home 
to numerous wildlife refuges, including the Bayou Sauvage National 
Wildlife Refuge, which is the subject of my statement today.
  Bayou Sauvage is located in east Orleans Parish, LA, almost entirely 
within the corporate limits of the city of New Orleans and 
approximately 18 miles east of the central business district. It has 
the distinction of being the largest expanse of coastal wetlands in the 
United States that is easily accessible to city dwellers.
  The refuge was created in 1986 by legislation sponsored by then 
Congressman John Breaux and Representative Lindy Boggs. The measure 
authorized the refuge at 19,000 acres. In 1993, fee title had been 
acquired on 18,397 acres. An additional 4,373 acres was under 
management lease from the Conservation Fund and the city of New 
Orleans.
  After discussions with the city, the Conservation Fund and private 
individuals with interests in the additional acreage, I am pleased to 
report that a critical stage of acquisition is now ready to go forward. 
The acreage which is the subject of this legislation is key to the 
ability of the managers of Bayou Sauvage to achieve specific goals, 
including enhancing the population of migratory, shore, and wading 
birds; encouraging natural diversity of fish and wildlife species; 
protecting endangered and threatened species; and providing 
opportunities for scientific research and environmental education on 
ecological and wetland values to the public.
   Mr. President, this is an important milestone for Bayou Sauvage 
National Wildlife Refuge, and I urge this body to support the 
completion of this long effort to protect a wonderful treasure for the 
people of Louisiana, and the Nation.
   Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2014

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

     SECTION 1. REFUGE EXPANSION.

       Section 502 of the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986 
     (P.L. 99-645; 100 Stat. 3590), is amended by inserting 
     following the first sentence in subsection (b)(1) the 
     following sentence:
       ``In addition, the Secretary is authorized to acquire, 
     within such period as may be necessary, an area of 
     approximately 4,228 acres, consisting of approximately 3,928 
     acres located north of Interstate 10 between Little Woods and 
     Pointe-aux-Herbes and approximately 300 acres south of 
     Interstate 10 between the Maxent Canal and Michoud Boulevard 
     that contains the Big Oak Island archeological site, as 
     depicted upon a map entitled ``Bayou Sauvage National 
     Wildlife Refuge Expansion'', dated August, 1996 and on file 
     with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.''

     SEC. 2. NAME CHANGE.

       Section 502 of the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986 
     (P.L. 99-645; 100 Stat. 3590), is further amended by deleting 
     the word ``Urban'' wherever it appears in the 
     section.
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