[Senate Report 113-187]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                       Calendar No. 417
113th Congress   }                                        {      Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session      }                                        {     113-187

======================================================================



 
       NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION EXTENSION ACT OF 2013

                                _______
                                

                  June 5, 2014.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

    Mrs. Boxer, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 741]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was 
referred the bill (S. 741) to extend the authorization of 
appropriations to carry out approved wetlands conservation 
projects under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act 
through fiscal year 2017, having considered the same, reports 
favorably thereon with an amendment and recommends that the 
bill, as amended, do pass.

                    General Statement and Background

    The North American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act of 
2013 extends the authorization of appropriations for the North 
American Wetlands Conservation Act of 1989 (NAWCA). NAWCA 
provides matching grants to organizations and individuals who 
have developed partnerships to carry out wetlands conservation 
projects in the United States, Canada, and Mexico for the 
benefit of wetlands-associated migratory birds and other 
wildlife.
    Since its inception the program has demonstrated remarkable 
success. From September 1990 through March 2011, some 4,500 
partners in 2,067 projects have received more than $1.1 billion 
in grants. They have contributed another $2.32 billion in 
required matching funds to affect 26.5 million acres of habitat 
and $1.21 billion in additional funds to affect 234,820 acres 
of habitat.

                     Objectives of the Legislation

    The North American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act of 
2014 (S. 741), as amended, extends the authorization of 
appropriations to carry out approved wetlands conservation 
projects under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis


Section 1. Short title

    Section 1, as amended, provides that this Act may be cited 
as the `North American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act of 
2014'.

Section 2. Authorization of appropriations

    Section 2, as amended, extends the authorization of 
appropriations until FY 2019.

                          Legislative History

    S. 741 was introduced by Senators Vitter, Boxer, Inhofe, 
Baucus, Cochran, Coons, Blunt, Cardin, Crapo, Boozman, Wicker, 
and Whitehouse. The bill was received, read twice, and referred 
to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. On February 
6, 2014, the full Committee on Environment and Public Works met 
to consider the bill. Sen. Vitter offered an amendment to 
reduce the authorization of appropriations by $20 million each 
year and to extend the program's authorization through fiscal 
year 2019. The amendment was approved and the bill was ordered 
reported favorably, as amended, by voice vote.

                                Hearings

    On April 24th, 2012, the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee of 
the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a 
legislative hearing on multiple bills, including S. 2282, which 
was a similar version of this legislation introduced in the 
112th Congress.

                             Rollcall Votes

    The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to 
consider S. 741 on February 6, 2014. The bill was ordered 
reported favorably, as amended, by voice vote.

                      Regulatory Impact Statement

    In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee finds that S. 741 
does not create any additional regulatory burdens, nor will it 
cause any adverse impact on the personal privacy of 
individuals.

                          Mandates Assessment

    In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 
(Public Law 104-4), the committee noted that the Congressional 
Budget Office has found, ``S. 741 contains no intergovernmental 
or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates 
Reform Act (UMRA).''

               Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

                                                 February 28, 2014.
Hon. Barbara Boxer,
Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Madam Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 741, the North 
American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act of 2014.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jeff LaFave.
            Sincerely,
                                              Douglas W. Elmendorf.
    Enclosure.

S. 741--North American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act of 2014

    Summary: S. 741 would authorize the appropriation of $55 
million a year through 2019 for programs carried out under the 
North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). The U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service (USFWS) uses amounts appropriated under 
NAWCA primarily for grants to state, local, and tribal 
governments, nonprofit organizations, and other entities that 
carry out wetlands conservation projects.
    Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO 
estimates that implementing the legislation would cost $214 
million over the 2014-2019 period and $82 million after 2019. 
Enacting S. 741 would not affect direct spending or revenues; 
therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
    S. 741 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA).
    Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
budgetary impact of S. 741 is shown in the following table. The 
costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300 
(natural resources and environment). For this estimate, CBO 
assumes that the bill will be enacted in 2014 and that the 
authorized amounts will be appropriated for each fiscal year 
including supplemental amounts in 2014. Estimated outlays are 
based on historical spending patterns for this program.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                                                ----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019   2014-2019
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Estimated Authorization Levela.................       21       55       55       55       55       55       296
Estimated Outlays..............................        5       19       33       47       55       55      214
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
aThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service received appropriations totaling $34 million in fiscal year 2014 to carry
  out activities under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. The authorization level shown here for 2014
  is the difference between that appropriation and the amount that would be authorized by S. 741.

    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 741 
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in UMRA. Enacting this legislation would benefit state, 
local, and tribal governments because, assuming such amounts 
are appropriated, they would receive a portion of the funds 
authorized.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal costs: Jeff LaFave; Impact on 
state, local, and tribal governments: Melissa Merrell; Impact 
on the private sector: Amy Petz.
    Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Assistant Director 
for Budget Analysis.

                        Changes in Existing Law

    In compliance with section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 
Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill 
as reported are shown as follows: Existing law proposed to be 
omitted is enclosed in [black brackets], new matter is printed 
in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown 
in roman:

NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



SECTION 1. [16 U.S.C. 4401 NOTE] SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``North American Wetlands 
Conservation Act''.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 7. [16 U.S.C. 4406] AMOUNTS AVAILABLE TO CARRY OUT THIS ACT.

  (a) Aid in Wildlife Restoration.--(1) [Amends section 3 of 
the Act of September 2, 1937]
  (2) [Amends section 4(a) of the Act of September 2, 1937]
  (3) The amendments made by this subsection of this Act take 
effect October 1, 1989.
  (b) Migratory Bird Fines, Penalties, Forfeitures.--The sums 
received under section 6 of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 
U.S.C. 707) as penalties or fines, or from forfeitures of 
property are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of 
the Interior for purposes of allocation under section 8 of this 
Act. This subsection shall not be construed to require the sale 
of instrumentalities.
  (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to the 
amounts made available under subsections (a) and (b) of this 
section, there are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Department of the Interior for purposes of allocation under 
section 8 of this Act not to exceed--
          (1) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;
          (2) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
          (3) $65,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
          (4) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; [and]
          (5) $75,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 
        2012[.] ; and
          (6) $55,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 
        2019.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                                  
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