National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Improvement Act of 1994

Summary: TABLE OF CONTENTS: 
     Title I:  Amendments to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 
          Establishment Act 
     Title II:  Brownsville Wetlands Policy Center 
     Title III:  Walter B. Jones Center for the Sounds at the 
          Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge 
Title I:  Amendments to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act
 - National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Improvement Act of 1994 - Amends the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act to:  (1) allow private funds donated to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to be utilized for activities and services of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; (2) require the Secretary of the Interior to consult with the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere before appointing any Director of the Board for the foundation; (3) expand Board membership and revise appointment and term provisions; and (4) reauthorize appropriations for such Act through FY 1998. 
Authorizes the Secretary to convey to Ohio the Senecaville National Fish Hatchery in Senecaville, Ohio, for use in its fishery resources management program. 
Title II:  Brownsville Wetlands Policy Center
 - Brownsville Wetlands Policy Act of 1994 - Establishes at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, the Brownsville Wetlands Policy Center to use the wetlands property at the Port and adjacent waters of south Texas to focus on wetland matters for the purpose of protecting, restoring, and maintaining the lagoon ecosystems of the western Gulf of Mexico region. 
Establishes a Board of Directors and provides for Center oversight.   Requires the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to make grants for center activities.  Authorizes the Director to enter into a lease with the Port for Center use of wetlands property. 
Authorizes appropriations through FY 1997.  Prohibits such funds from being used to relocate operations from the Center  for Environmental Studies and Services Building on the campus of Corpus Christi State University, Texas, to the Center. 
Title III:  Walter B. Jones Center for the Sounds at the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to construct and operate the Walter B. Jones Center for the Sounds at the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Tyrrell County, North Carolina, to:  (1) provide public opportunities, facilities, and resources to study the natural history and natural resources of northeastern North Carolina; (2) offer a variety of environmental educational programs and interpretive exhibits; (3) foster an awareness and understanding of the interactions among wildlife, estuarine and wetland ecosystems, and human activities; and (4) provide office space and facilities for refuge administration, research, education, and related activities. 
Directs the Secretary to ensure that the design, size, and location of a facility constructed under this Act are consistent with the cultural and natural history of the area with which the facility will be concerned. 
Authorizes the Secretary to accept contributions of funds from non-Federal sources to pay the costs of operating and maintaining the facility.  Directs the Secretary to take appropriate steps to obtain such contributions. 
Sets forth reporting requirements.

TITLE I_AMENDMENTS TO NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION 
                           ESTABLISHMENT ACT

SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``National Fish and Wildlife 
Foundation Improvement Act of 1994''.
    SEC. 102. COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS WITH NATIONAL OCEANIC AND 
      ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION.
    Section 2(b) of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 
Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701) is amended by inserting ``and the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration'' after ``the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service''.

SEC. 103. MEMBERSHIP OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF FOUNDATION.

    (a) Consultations Regarding Appointments._
        (1) In general._Section 3(b) of the National Fish and Wildlife 
    Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3702(b)) is amended by 
    adding at the end the following: ``The Secretary of the Interior 
    shall consult with the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
    Atmosphere before appointing any Director of the Board.''.
        (2) Application._The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall 
    apply to appointments of Directors of the Board of Directors of the 
    National Fish and Wildlife Foundation made after the date of the 
    enactment of this Act.
    (b) Expansion of Board._Section 3(a) of the National Fish and 
Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3702(a)) is amended_
        (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking ``nine'' 
    and inserting ``15''; and
        (2) in paragraph (2) by striking ``three'' and inserting ``4''.
    (c) Initial Terms._Of the Directors on the Board of Directors of 
the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation first appointed pursuant to 
the amendment made by subsection (b)(1), notwithstanding the second 
sentence of section 3(b) of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 
Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3702(b))_
        (1) 2 shall be appointed to a term of 2 years;
        (2) 2 shall be appointed to a term of 4 years; and
        (3) 2 shall be appointed to a term of 6 years;
as specified by the Secretary of the Interior at the time of 
appointment.
    (d) Completion of Appointments._The Secretary of the Interior shall 
appoint the additional members of the Board of Directors of the 
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation authorized by the amendment made 
by subsection (a), by not later than 60 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
    (e) Authority of Board Not Affected._The authority of the Board of 
Directors of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to take any 
action otherwise authorized by law shall not be affected by reason of 
the Secretary of the Interior not having completed the appointment of 
Directors of the Board of Directors of the National Fish and Wildlife 
Foundation pursuant to the amendment made by subsection (b)(1).
    SEC. 104. REAUTHORIZATION OF NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION 
      ESTABLISHMENT ACT.
    (a) Reauthorization._Section 10 of the National Fish and Wildlife 
Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3709) is amended_
        (1) in subsection (a) by striking ``not to exceed $15,000,000'' 
    and all that follows through the end of the sentence and inserting 
    ``$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 
    1998.''; and
        (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Additional Authorization._The amounts authorized to be 
appropriated under this section are in addition to any amounts provided 
or available to the Foundation under any other Federal law.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment._Section 10(b)(1) of the National Fish and 
Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3709(b)(1)) is amended 
by striking ``paragraphs (2) and (3),'' and inserting ``paragraph 
(2),''.

SEC. 105. CONVEYANCE OF SENECAVILLE NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY.

    (a) Conveyance Authorized._Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law and within 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of the Interior shall convey to the State of Ohio without 
reimbursement all right, title, and interest of the United States in 
and to the property known as the Senecaville National Fish Hatchery, 
located in Senecaville, Ohio, including_
        (1) all easements and water rights relating to that property, 
    and
        (2) all land, improvements, and related personal property 
    comprising that hatchery.
    (b) Use of Property._All property and interests conveyed under this 
section shall be used by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for 
the Ohio fishery resources management program.
    (c) Reversionary Interest._All right, title, and interest in and to 
all property and interests conveyed under this section shall revert to 
the United States on any date on which any of the property or interests 
are used other than for the Ohio fishery resources management program.

              TITLE II_BROWNSVILLE WETLANDS POLICY CENTER

SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Brownsville Wetlands Policy Act of 
1994''.
    SEC. 202. ESTABLISHMENT OF WETLANDS POLICY CENTER AT THE PORT OF 
      BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS.
    (a) Establishment of Center._For purposes of utilizing grants made 
by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service there may be established 
in accordance with this title, on property owned or held in trust by 
the Brownsville Navigation District at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, 
a wetlands policy center which shall be known as the ``Brownsville 
Wetlands Policy Center at the Port of Brownsville, Texas'' (in this 
title referred to as the ``Center''). The Center shall be operated and 
maintained by the Port of Brownsville with programs to be administered 
by the University of Texas at Brownsville.
    (b) Mission of the Center._The primary mission of the Center shall 
be to utilize the unique wetlands property at the Port of Brownsville 
and adjacent waters of South Texas to focus on wetland matters for the 
purposes of protecting, restoring, and maintaining the Lagoon 
Ecosystems of the Western Gulf of Mexico Region.
    (c) Board of Directors._The Center shall be governed by a Board of 
Directors to oversee the management and financial affairs of the 
Center. The Board of Directors shall be cochaired by the Port of 
Brownsville, the University of Texas at Brownsville, and the designee 
of the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, and shall include as 
members other representatives considered appropriate by those cochairs.
    (d) Oversight of the Center._
        (1) Annual report._The Board of Directors of the Center shall 
    prepare an annual report and submit it through the Director of the 
    United States Fish and Wildlife Service to the Congress.
        (2) Contents._Annual reports under this subsection shall cover 
    the programs, projects, activities, and accomplishments of the 
    Center. The reports shall include a review of the budget of the 
    Center, including all sources of funding received to carry out 
    Center operations.
        (3) Availability of information._The Board of Directors of the 
    Center shall make available all pertinent information and records 
    to allow preparation of annual reports under this subsection.
        (4) General accounting office._The Comptroller General of the 
    United States shall periodically submit to the Congress reports on 
    the operations of the Center.

SEC. 203. GRANTS.

    The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service shall, 
subject to the availability of appropriations, make grants to the 
Center for use for carrying out activities of the Center.

SEC. 204. LEASE.

    The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 
subject to the availability of appropriations, may enter into a long-
term lease with the Port of Brownsville for use by the Center of 
wetlands property owned by the Port of Brownsville. Terms of the lease 
shall be negotiated, and the lease shall be signed by both parties, 
prior to the disposal of any Federal funds pursuant to this title. The 
lease shall include a provision authorizing the Director to terminate 
the lease at any time.

SEC. 205. OTHER REQUIREMENTS.

    As conditions of receiving assistance under this title_
        (1) the University of Texas at Brownsville shall make available 
    to the Center for fiscal years 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997_
            (A) administrative office space;
            (B) classroom space; and
            (C) other in-kind contributions for the Center, including 
        overhead and personnel; and
        (2) the Port of Brownsville shall make available up to 7,000 
    acres of Port Property for the programs, projects, and activities 
    of the Center.
The Board of Directors of the Center shall include in their annual 
report under section 202(d) a statement of whether these conditions 
have been met.

SEC. 206. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service $5,000,000 for fiscal year 
1994, $4,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, $4,000,000 for fiscal year 1996; 
and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 1997, for making 
grants to the Center under section 203, including for use for the 
establishment, operation, maintenance, and management of the Center.
    SEC. 207. RELATIONSHIP OF CENTER WITH THE CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL 
      STUDIES AND SERVICES, CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS.
    None of the funds appropriated pursuant to this title may be used 
to relocate any of the administrative operations of the United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service from the Center for Environmental Studies and 
Services Building on the campus of Corpus Christi State University, to 
the Brownsville Wetlands Policy Center at the Port of Brownsville, 
Texas, established pursuant to this title.

 TITLE III_WALTER B. JONES CENTER FOR THE SOUNDS AT THE POCOSIN LAKES 
                        NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

SEC. 301. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
        (1) The Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, located in 
    northeastern North Carolina, provides unique opportunities for 
    observing and interpreting the biological richness of the region's 
    estuaries and wetlands.
        (2) Although there are 10 national wildlife refuges in eastern 
    North Carolina, not one has an educational or interpretative center 
    for visitors.
        (3) The State of North Carolina, Tyrrell County, the town of 
    Columbia, the Conservation Fund, and private citizens have proposed 
    to enter into a partnership with the United States Fish and 
    Wildlife Service to establish an educational and interpretative 
    facility to be known as the Center for the Sounds.
        (4) Establishment of the Center for the Sounds would bestow 
    economic benefits upon Tyrrell County and the town of Columbia.
        (5) The Federal Government has designated the Albemarle-Pamlico 
    estuary system of northeastern North Carolina as an estuary of 
    national concern.
        (6) Throughout his congressional career, the Honorable Walter 
    B. Jones was a strong supporter of the National Wildlife Refuge 
    System.
        (7) During his years of service in the House of 
    Representatives, Walter B. Jones supported the establishment and 
    expansion of National Wildlife Refuges in eastern North Carolina; 
    these include 6 new National Wildlife Refuges established in his 
    district, including the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge 
    and the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, which are 
    respectively the third largest and fifth largest National Wildlife 
    Refuges east of the Mississippi River.
        (8) Walter B. Jones helped increase refuge acreage in his 
    district by over 303,000 acres, thus ensuring the protection of 
    these lands for wildlife habitat and public recreation.
        (9) Walter B. Jones' support for reintroducing endangered red 
    wolves into the wild at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge 
    was a major factor in securing public acceptance of, and support 
    for, this first successful effort to reintroduce endangered 
    predators into formerly occupied habitat.
        (10) Walter B. Jones devoted much of his congressional career, 
    including his years as Chairman of the Merchant Marine and 
    Fisheries Committee, to the conservation of fish and wildlife, for 
    the benefit of the Nation and the people of North Carolina.
        (11) Walter B. Jones should most appropriately be recognized 
    for his work on behalf of fish and wildlife conservation by having 
    the Center for the Sounds at the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife 
    Refuge System named in his honor.

SEC. 302. AUTHORITY TO CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE FACILITY.

    The Secretary of the Interior may, subject to the availability of 
appropriations, construct and operate a facility at the Pocosin Lakes 
National Wildlife Refuge in Tyrrell County, North Carolina, which shall 
be known as the ``Walter B. Jones Center for the Sounds'', for the 
following purposes:
        (1) Providing public opportunities, facilities, and resources 
    to study the natural history and natural resources of northeastern 
    North Carolina.
        (2) Offering a variety of environmental educational programs 
    and interpretive exhibits.
        (3) Fostering an awareness and understanding of the 
    interactions among wildlife, estuarine and wetland ecosystems, and 
    human activities.
        (4) Providing office space and facilities for refuge 
    administration, research, education, and related activities.

SEC. 303. DESIGN.

    The Secretary of the Interior shall ensure that the design, size, 
and location of a facility constructed under this title are consistent 
with the cultural and natural history of the area with which the 
facility will be concerned.

SEC. 304. COST SHARING.

    The Secretary of the Interior may accept contributions of funds 
from non-Federal sources to pay the costs of operating and maintaining 
the facility authorized under this title, and shall take appropriate 
steps to seek to obtain such contributions.

SEC. 305. REPORT.

    Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit a report to the 
Congress on progress made in designing and constructing a facility 
under this title, including steps taken under section 304 to obtain 
contributions and any such contributions that have been pledged to or 
received by the United States.







                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.







                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.