II

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 1008

To conduct a comprehensive assessment of the Nation’s biological resources.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

MAY 21 (legislative day, APRIL 19), 1993

Mr. BAUCUS (for himself and Mr. CHAFEE) introduced the following bill;

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and

Public Works

A BILL

To conduct a comprehensive assessment of the Nation’s

biological resources.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Biological Survey Act

5 of 1993’’.

6 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY.

7 Section 3 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16

8 U.S.C. 742b) is amended by adding the following new sub9 section:

10 ‘‘(e) BIOLOGICAL SURVEY.—
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1 ‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of the

2 Interior shall undertake a survey of the Nation’s bio3 logical resources.

4 ‘‘(2) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the survey

5 established under paragraph (1) shall be to—

6 ‘‘(A) conduct a comprehensive baseline as7 sessment and document the status and trends

8 of the biological resources of the United States;

9 ‘‘(B) provide information to be used in

10 protecting and managing ecosystems, including

11 their plant, fish, and wildlife components;

12 ‘‘(C) provide information to be used in the

13 sustainable development of the Nation’s natural

14 resources; and

15 ‘‘(D) assist the Secretary in anticipating,

16 avoiding, or resolving conflicts arising in the

17 implementation of the Endangered Species Act

18 of 1973 and other fisheries and wildlife con19 servation laws.

20 ‘‘(3) FUNCTIONS.—In carrying out the survey

21 established under paragraph (1), the Secretary

22 shall—

23 ‘‘(A) assess and study biological resources,

24 including plants, fish, wildlife, and ecosystems

25 and their components;
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1 ‘‘(B) develop, test, and monitor methods of

2 ecosystem management in order to improve the

3 capability of the Secretary to conserve biological

4 resources and diversity;

5 ‘‘(C) collect and analyze data and informa6 tion to determine, inventory, and monitor the

7 distribution, abundance, health, status, and

8 trends of biological resources and ecosystems;

9 ‘‘(D) in consultation with State agencies

10 responsible for the management and conserva11 tion of fish, wildlife, or plant resources within

12 a State, including State natural heritage pro13 grams, and other appropriate parties, devise

14 and implement methodologies to access existing

15 sources of information on biological resources;

16 ‘‘(E) develop methods for the consistent

17 and systematic collection and analysis of data

18 on ecosystems and their components;

19 ‘‘(F) disseminate information to resource

20 managers, State agencies, scientists, and the

21 public;

22 ‘‘(G) provide technical assistance in sup23 port of legislative, regulatory, and resource

24 management decisions; and
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1 ‘‘(H) perform international activities relat2 ed to the management of biological resources.

3 ‘‘(4) OFFICE AND DIRECTOR.—

4 ‘‘(A) The Secretary of the Interior shall es5 tablish within the Department of the Interior

6 an office to assist in conducting the biological

7 survey established under paragraph (1). Such

8 office shall be headed by a Director who shall—

9 ‘‘(i) be appointed by the President, by

10 and with the advice and consent of the

11 Senate, from among individuals who, by

12 reason of scientific education and experi13 ence, have demonstrated expertise in the

14 biological sciences; and

15 ‘‘(ii) be compensated at the rate pro16 vided for level V of the Executive Schedule.

17 ‘‘(B) The Director shall be subject to the

18 supervision of the Assistant Secretary for Fish

19 and Wildlife.’’.

20 SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

21 Section 5316 of title 5, United States Code, is

22 amended by inserting after the item relating to the Direc23 tor, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Department

24 of the Interior, the following:
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1 ‘‘Director of the Biological Survey, Department

2 of the Interior’’.

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