[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 20983-20984]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



         CAT ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ESTABLISHMENT ACT

  Mr. MACK. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 906, H.R. 3292.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will state the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 3292) to provide for the establishment of the 
     Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge in West Feliciana Parish, 
     Louisiana.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which was reported from the Committee on Environment and Public Works, 
with amendments.
  [Omit the parts in black brackets and insert the parts printed in 
italic.]

                               H.R. 3292

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Cat Island National Wildlife 
     Refuge Establishment Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds that--
       (1) as the southernmost unleveed portion of the Mississippi 
     River, Cat Island, Louisiana, is one of the last remaining 
     tracts in the lower Mississippi Valley that is still 
     influenced by the natural dynamics of the river;
       (2) Cat Island supports one of the highest densities of 
     virgin bald cypress trees in the entire Mississippi River 
     Valley, including the Nation's champion cypress tree which is 
     17 feet wide and has a circumference of 53 feet;
       (3) Cat Island is important habitat for several declining 
     species of forest songbirds and supports thousands of 
     wintering waterfowl;
       (4) Cat Island supports high populations of deer, turkey, 
     and furbearers, such as mink and bobcats;
       (5) conservation and enhancement of this area through 
     inclusion in the National Wildlife Refuge System would help 
     meet the habitat conservation goals of the North American 
     Waterfowl Management Plan;

[[Page 20984]]

       (6) these forested wetlands represent one of the most 
     valuable and productive wildlife habitat types in the United 
     States, and have extremely high recreational value for 
     hunters, anglers, birdwatchers, nature photographers, and 
     others; and
       (7) the Cat Island area is deserving of inclusion in the 
     National Wildlife Refuge System.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       For purposes of this Act--
       (1) the term ``Refuge'' means the Cat Island National 
     Wildlife Refuge; and
       (2) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the 
     Interior.

     SEC. 4. PURPOSES.

       The purposes for which the Refuge is established and shall 
     be managed are--
       (1) to conserve, restore, and manage habitats as necessary 
     to contribute to the migratory bird population goals and 
     habitat objective as established through the Lower 
     Mississippi Valley Joint Venture;
       (2) to conserve, restore, and manage the significant 
     aquatic resource values associated with the area's forested 
     wetlands and to achieve the habitat objectives of the 
     ``Mississippi River Aquatic Resources Management Plan'';
       (3) to conserve, enhance, and restore the historic native 
     bottomland community characteristics of the lower Mississippi 
     alluvial valley and its associated fish, wildlife, and plant 
     species;
       (4) to conserve, enhance, and restore habitat to maintain 
     and assist in the recovery of endangered, and threatened 
     plants and animals; and
       [(5) to provide opportunities for priority public wildlife 
     dependent uses for compatible hunting, fishing, trapping, 
     wildlife observation and photography, and environmental 
     education and interpretation; and
       [(6)](5) to encourage the use of volunteers and facilitate 
     partnerships among the United States Fish and Wildlife 
     Service, local communities, conservation organizations, and 
     other non-Federal entities to promote public awareness of the 
     resources of the Refuge and the National Wildlife Refuge 
     System and public participation in the conservation of those 
     resources.

     SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF REFUGE.

       (a) Acquisition Boundary.--The Secretary is authorized to 
     establish the Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge, consisting 
     of approximately 36,500 acres of land and water, as depicted 
     upon a map entitled ``Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge-
     Proposed'', dated February 8, 2000, and available for 
     inspection in appropriate offices of the United States Fish 
     and Wildlife Service.
       (b) Boundary Revisions.--The Secretary may make such minor 
     revisions of the boundary designated under this section as 
     may be appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Refuge or 
     to facilitate the acquisition of property within the Refuge.
       (c) Acquisition.--The Secretary is authorized to acquire 
     the lands and waters, or interests therein, within the 
     acquisition boundary described in subsection (a) of this 
     section.
       (d) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish the 
     Refuge by publication of a notice to that effect in the 
     Federal Register and publications of local circulation 
     whenever sufficient property has been acquired to constitute 
     an area that can be efficiently managed as a National 
     Wildlife Refuge.

     SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer all lands, 
     waters, and interests therein acquired under this Act in 
     accordance with the National Wildlife Refuge System 
     Administration Act (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.). The Secretary 
     may use such additional statutory authority as may be 
     available for the conservation of fish and wildlife, and the 
     provision of fish- and wildlife-oriented recreational 
     opportunities as the Secretary considers appropriate to carry 
     out the purposes of this Act.
       (b) Priority Uses.--In providing opportunities for 
     compatible fish- and wildlife-oriented recreation, the 
     Secretary, in accordance with paragraphs (3) and (4) of 
     section 4(a) of the National Wildlife Refuge System 
     Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)), shall ensure 
     that hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, 
     and environmental education and interpretation are the 
     priority public uses of the Refuge.

     SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department 
     of the Interior--
       (1) such funds as may be necessary for the acquisition of 
     lands and waters designated in section 5(c); and
       (2) such funds as may be necessary for the development, 
     operation, and maintenance of the Refuge.


                           Amendment No. 4298

  Mr. MACK. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk and ask for 
its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Florida [Mr. Mack], for Mr. Smith of New 
     Hampshire, proposes an amendment numbered 4298.

  Mr. MACK. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the 
amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

       At the end, add the following:

     SEC. 8. DESIGNATION OF HERBERT H. BATEMAN EDUCATION AND 
                   ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER.

       (a) In General.--A building proposed to be located within 
     the boundaries of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, 
     on Assateague Island, Virginia, shall be known and designated 
     as the ``Herbert H. Bateman Education and Administrative 
     Center''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     building referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be 
     a reference to the Herbert H. Bateman Education and 
     Administrative Center.

     SEC. 9. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.

       (a) Effective on the day after the date of enactment of the 
     Act entitled, ``An Act to reauthorize the Junior Duck Stamp 
     Conservation and Design Program Act of 1994'' (106th 
     Congress), section 6 of the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation 
     and Design Program Act of 1994 (16 U.S.C. 668dd note; Public 
     Law 103-340), relating to an environmental education center 
     and refuge, is redesignated as section 7.
       (b) Effective on the day after the date of enactment of the 
     Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge Establishment Act 
     (106th Congress), section 6 of that Act is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``the Endangered Species 
     Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.)'' and inserting ``the 
     Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)''; 
     and
       (2) in paragraph (3), by striking ``section 4(a)(3) and (4) 
     of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 
     1966 (16 U.S.C. 668ee(a)(3), (4))'' and inserting 
     ``paragraphs (3) and (4) of section 4(a) of the National 
     Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 
     668dd(a))''.
       (c) Effective on the day after the date of enactment of the 
     Red River National Wildlife Refuge Act (106th Congress), 
     section 4(b)(2)(D) of that Act is amended by striking 
     ``section 4(a)(3) and (4) of the National Wildlife Refuge 
     System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668ee(a)(3), 
     (4))'' and inserting ``paragraphs (3) and (4) of section 4(a) 
     of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 
     1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd(a))''.

  Mr. MACK. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee 
amendments be agreed to, the amendment be agreed to, the bill be read 
the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and any statements relating to the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee amendments were agreed to.
  The amendment (No. 4298) was agreed to.
  The bill (H.R. 3292), as amended, was read the third time and passed.

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