[106th Congress Public Law 369]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


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[DOCID: f:publ369.106]


[[Page 114 STAT. 1417]]

Public Law 106-369
106th Congress

                                 An Act


 
  To provide for the establishment of the Cat Island National Wildlife 
      Refuge in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. <<NOTE: Oct. 27, 
                         2000 -  [H.R. 3292]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Cat Island 
National Wildlife Refuge Establishment Act. Conservation.>> 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. <<NOTE: 16 USC 668dd note.>> 

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

SEC. 2. FINDINGS. <<NOTE: 16 USC 668dd note.>> 

    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;
            (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. <<NOTE: 16 USC 668dd note.>> 

    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. <<NOTE: 16 USC 668dd note.>> 

    The purposes for which the Refuge is established and shall be 
managed are--

[[Page 114 STAT. 1418]]

        (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 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. <<NOTE: 16 USC 668dd note.>> 

    (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) <<NOTE: Federal Register, publication.>>  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. <<NOTE: 16 USC 668dd note.>> 

    (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.

[[Page 114 STAT. 1419]]

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. <<NOTE: 16 USC 668dd note.>> 

    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.

SEC. 8. <<NOTE: Virginia. 16 USC 459f-5 note.>>  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. <<NOTE: Effective dates. 16 USC 668dd note.>>  TECHNICAL 
            CORRECTIONS.

    (a) Effective on the day after the date of the 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 the 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 the enactment of the Red 
River National Wildlife Refuge Act (106th Congress), section 4(b)(2)(D) 
of that Act <<NOTE: Ante, p. 1056.>>  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

[[Page 114 STAT. 1420]]

(3) and (4) of section 4(a) of the National Wildlife Refuge System 
Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd(a))''.

    Approved October 27, 2000.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 3292:
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 106-659 (Comm. on Resources).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 106-459 (Comm. on Environment and Public Works).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 146 (2000):
            June 19, considered and passed House.
            Oct. 5, considered and passed Senate, amended.
            Oct. 12, House concurred in Senate amendments.

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