[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15480-15481]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          CAHABA RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE EXPANSION ACT

  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 4947) to expand the boundaries of the Cahaba River 
National Wildlife Refuge, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4947

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Cahaba River National 
     Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Refuge.--The term ``Refuge'' means the Cahaba River 
     National Wildlife Refuge and the lands and waters in such 
     refuge in Bibb County, Alabama, as established by the Cahaba 
     River National Wildlife Refuge Establishment Act (Public Law 
     106-331).
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.

     SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF BOUNDARIES.

       (a) Expansion.--The boundaries of the Refuge are expanded 
     to include land and water in Bibb County, Alabama, depicted 
     as ``Proposed National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Boundary'' 
     on the map entitled ``Cahaba River NWR Expansion'' and dated 
     March 14, 2006.
       (b) Availability of Map.--The Secretary shall make the map 
     referred to in subsection (a) available for inspection in 
     appropriate offices of the United States Fish and Wildlife 
     Service.

     SEC. 4. ACQUISITION OF LAND AND WATER IN EXPANDED BOUNDARIES.

       (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary 
     may acquire by donation, purchase with donated or 
     appropriated funds, or exchange the land and water, and 
     interests in land and water (including conservation 
     easements), within the boundaries of the Refuge as expanded 
     by this Act.
       (b) Manner of Acquisition.--All acquisitions of land or 
     waters under this section shall be made in a voluntary manner 
     and shall not be the result of forced takings.
       (c) Inclusion in Refuge; Administration.--Any land, water, 
     or interest acquired by the Secretary under this section--
       (1) shall be part of the Refuge; and
       (2) shall be administered by the Secretary in accordance 
     with--
       (A) the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act 
     of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.);
       (B) the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge Establishment 
     Act; and
       (C) this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Walden) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon.

[[Page 15481]]




                             General Leave

  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Oregon?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I am pleased to support H.R. 4947, introduced by our colleague, 
Congressman Spencer Bachus, to expand the boundaries of the Cahaba 
River National Wildlife Refuge in Bibb County, Alabama. This refuge was 
legislatively created in 2000, and it has done a remarkable job of 
conserving 64 rare and imperiled species and 131 species of fish. The 
Cahaba River is the longest free-flowing river in the State, and it may 
have the greatest fish biodiversity per mile of any river in the United 
States.
  Under Congressman Spencer Bachus's legislation, an additional 3,600 
acres would become eligible for acquisition. This would help to 
maximize the benefits of this refuge and ensure that unique plants like 
the beautiful Cahaba lily and the more than 60 other rare species 
survive in the future.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4947 proposes a modest increase in the size of the 
Cahaba River Refuge. It is enthusiastically supported by the local 
communities and the two major land owners. U.S. Steel and Forest 
Investment Associates have indicated that they are interested in being 
willing sellers in this expansion effort.
  I want to compliment Congressman Spencer Bachus for his tireless 
effort and effective leadership on behalf of the Cahaba River National 
Wildlife Refuge, which is a very special place in rural Alabama; and I 
would urge an ``aye'' vote on this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we support this legislation that would authorize the 
3,600-acre expansion of the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge 
located in Alabama. Witness testimony received during the May 10, 2006, 
Fisheries Subcommittee hearing on the bill demonstrated that the 
expansion of this refuge is essential towards ensuring the long-term 
protection of threatened forested bottom-land habitat and preservation 
of the river's unrivaled aquatic biodiversity.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this worthy bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the leadership, Chairman Pombo, 
Subcommittee Chairman Gilchrest and Ranking Member Pallone for allowing 
the House to consider this legislation. The bill before us today, H.R. 
4947, represents a 2nd major step by this Congress in protecting and 
preserving one of the most biologically diverse areas of the United 
States.
  In 2000, I introduced the legislation that created the Cahaba River 
National Wildlife Refuge. That bill passed this Congress and was signed 
into law. Since that time, each year the Appropriations Committee has 
dedicated funding for land acquisition. The initial 3,500 acres 
authorized in that bill have been completely purchased by the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service.
  The strong support of local elected officials and property owners, 
coupled with that of many environmental organizations such as The 
Nature Conservancy, The Cahaba River Society, and The Land Trust has 
fostered plans to expand the existing boundaries of The Cahaba River 
National Wildlife Refuge.
  Alabama is the 5th most biologically diverse State in the country, 
but it also has the unfortunate distinction of being the most 
extinction-prone State in the continental United States, with at least 
98 species extinct. The Cahaba River basin alone supports 69 rare and 
imperiled species. The river is recognized nationally for its unique 
biological diversity; the Cahaba Shiner, a federally endangered species 
is just one of more than 131 species of fish that call the Cahaba home. 
That is more species of fresh water fish than inhabit the entire State 
of California. The Cahaba's wealth of fish species is greater than any 
other river of its size in North America.
  The Cahaba River also harbors the world's largest population of the 
imperiled shoals lily, known locally as the ``Cahaba Lily.'' Recently a 
population of Cahaba pebble-snails was discovered in the refuge. Once 
thought to be extinct, this marked the first time this species had been 
seen since the 1960s, an accomplishment that can be attributed to the 
protection offered by the Cahaba's designation as a Wildlife Refuge.
  The proposed expansion of the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge 
would:
  Increase direct protection of the banks of the mainstem Cahaba River 
from the current 3.5 miles to approximately 8 miles, thereby giving 
additional protection to additional large populations of the globally 
imperiled shoals spider lily (aka Cahaba lily), and many other rare 
species.
  Provide large enough areas of forest to support viable breeding 
populations of declining Neotropical migratory birds, both in the 
longleaf pine forests (e.g. Northern Bobwhite Quail, Brown-headed 
Nuthatch) and in hardwood forests (e.g. Swainson's Warbler, Louisiana 
Waterthrush, Acadian Flycatcher).
  Provide significant increase in public access to the Cahaba River for 
canoeing, fishing and other riverine recreational activities.
  Provide a significant increase in acreage available to the public for 
hunting, hiking, birding and other outdoor wildlife-based activities 
(Alabama has only about 3 percent public land, less than most other 
States in the Nation).
  Provide a significant boost in revenue to Bibb County, one of the 
poorest counties in the Nation. Due to low prevailing property tax 
rates, the revenue to the County coffers from the Federal Refuge 
Revenue Sharing Program (payments in lieu of taxes) have averaged about 
$6 per acre per year (versus a yield of about $1 per acre per year as 
privately owned timberland).
  H.R. 4947 authorizes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to purchase 
up to an additional 3,600 acres of land and waters. This would double 
the number of protected acres of the Cahaba, all of which will be 
purchased from willing sellers. Protecting the land upstream from the 
original refuge will add to the buffer zone needed to shield this 
critical habitat and watershed.
  The bill before us will help protect one of the greatest natural 
treasures in my State of Alabama and I urge a ``yes'' vote.
  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time and encourage our Members to support this very important 
legislation brought to us by Spencer Bachus.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 4947, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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