III 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 306 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 7, 2012 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources 

AN ACT 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an 

agreement to provide for management of the free-roaming wild horses in and around the Currituck National 

Wildlife Refuge. 

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


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

HR 306 RFS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Corolla Wild Horses 

3 Protection Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. WILD HORSES IN AND AROUND THE CURRITUCK 

5 NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. 

6 (a) AGREEMENT REQUIRED.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Inte8 rior shall enter into an agreement with the Corolla 

9 Wild Horse Fund (a nonprofit corporation estab10 lished under the laws of the State of North Caro11 lina), the County of Currituck, North Carolina, and 

12 the State of North Carolina within 180 days after 

13 the date of enactment of this Act to provide for 

14 management of free-roaming wild horses in and 

15 around the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge. 

16 (2) TERMS.—The agreement shall— 

17 (A) allow a herd of not less than 110 and 

18 not more than 130 free-roaming wild horses in 

19 and around such refuge, with a target popu20 lation of between 120 and 130 free-roaming 

21 wild horses; 

22 (B) provide for cost-effective management 

23 of the horses while ensuring that natural re24 sources within the refuge are not adversely im25 pacted; 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

HR 306 RFS

1 (C) provide for introduction of a small 

2 number of free-roaming wild horses from the 

3 herd at Cape Lookout National Seashore as is 

4 necessary to maintain the genetic viability of 

5 the herd in and around the Currituck National 

6 Wildlife Refuge; and 

7 (D) specify that the Corolla Wild Horse 

8 Fund shall pay the costs associated with— 

9 (i) coordinating a periodic census and 

10 inspecting the health of the horses; 

11 (ii) maintaining records of the horses 

12 living in the wild and in confinement; 

13 (iii) coordinating the removal and 

14 placement of horses and monitoring of any 

15 horses removed from the Currituck County 

16 Outer Banks; and 

17 (iv) administering a viable population 

18 control plan for the horses including auc19 tions, adoptions, contraceptive fertility 

20 methods, and other viable options. 

21 (b) CONDITIONS FOR EXCLUDING WILD HORSES

22 FROM REFUGE.—The Secretary shall not exclude free23 roaming wild horses from any portion of the Currituck 

24 National Wildlife Refuge unless— 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

HR 306 RFS

1 (1) the Secretary finds that the presence of 

2 free-roaming wild horses on a portion of the Refuge 

3 threatens the survival of an endangered species for 

4 which such land is designated as critical habitat 

5 under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 

6 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); 

7 (2) such finding is based on a credible peer-re8 viewed scientific assessment; and 

9 (3) the Secretary provides a period of public no10 tice and comment on that finding. 

11 (c) REQUIREMENTS FOR INTRODUCTION OF HORSES

12 FROM CAPE LOOKOUT NATIONAL SEASHORE.—During 

13 the effective period of the memorandum of understanding 

14 between the National Park Service and the Foundation 

15 for Shackleford Horses, Inc. (a non-profit corporation or16 ganized under the laws of and doing business in the State 

17 of North Carolina) signed in 2007, no horse may be re18 moved from Cape Lookout National Seashore for intro19 duction at Currituck National Wildlife Refuge except— 

20 (1) with the approval of the Foundation; and 

21 (2) consistent with the terms of such memo22 randum (or any successor agreement) and the Man23 agement Plan for the Shackleford Banks Horse 

24 Herd signed in January 2006 (or any successor 

25 management plan). 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

HR 306 RFS

1 (d) NO LIABILITY CREATED.—Nothing in this sec2 tion shall be construed as creating liability for the United 

3 States for any damages caused by the free-roaming wild 

4 horses to any person or property located inside or outside 

5 the boundaries of the refuge. 

Passed the House of Representatives February 6, 

2012. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS