I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3322
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to construct an education and
administrative center at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Box
Elder County, Utah.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 16, 2001
Mr. HANSEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to construct an
education and administrative center at the Bear River
Migratory Bird Refuge in Box Elder County, Utah.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Bear River Migratory
Bird Refuge Visitor Center Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The Bear River marshes have been a histor-
ical waterfowl oasis and an important inland water-
fowl flyway for thousands of years.–
(2) Congress created the Bear River Migratory
Bird Refuge as one of the first National Wildlife
Refuges, for the purpose of protecting waterfowl
habitat and migratory birds, educating the public re-
garding, and enhancing public appreciation of, wa-
terfowl habitat and migratory birds.
(3) The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge was
virtually destroyed by the devastating floods that oc-
curred between 1983 and 1985.
(4) Refuge employees, aided by volunteers, have
taken valiant actions to rebuild the Refuge by re-
storing habitat, increasing its attractiveness to wa-
terfowl, reducing waterfowl botulism, and providing
recreational and educational opportunities to the
public.
(5) The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
lacks a functional education and administrative cen-
ter.
(6) The creation of such a facility would signifi-
cantly enhance public appreciation of waterfowl and
the need to preserve waterfowl habitat.
(7) Congress has taken significant steps to pro-
vide funding for the construction of an education
and administrative center.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
For the purpose of this Act, the following definitions
apply:
(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Interior.
(2) REFUGE.—The term ‘‘Refuge’’ means the
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Box Elder
County, Utah.
(3) EDUCATION
AND
ADMINISTRATIVE
CEN-
TER.—The term ‘‘Education and Administrative
Center’’ means the facility identified in the Environ-
mental Assessment dated 1991 and entitled ‘‘Res-
toration and Expansion of the Bear River Migratory
Bird Refuge’’.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE EDU-
CATION CENTER.
(a) CONSTRUCTION.—The Secretary shall construct
the Education and Administrative Center at the Refuge
for the purposes of providing for the interpretation of re-
sources of the Refuge for the education and benefit of the
public, the advancement of research, protection, and
health of waterfowl habitat, and for the administration of
the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is
authorized to be appropriated $11,000,000 to carry out
subsection (a).
SEC. 5. MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS REQUIREMENTS.
(a) DONATION OF FUNDS AND SERVICES.—The Sec-
retary may accept donations of funds and services from
nonprofit organizations, State and local governments, and
private citizens for the construction of the Education and
Administrative Center.
(b) MATCHING FUNDS.—The Secretary may not re-
quire matching funds or contributions in kind with a com-
bined total value of more than $1,500,000 for construction
of the Education and Administrative Center.
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