SEC. 8. STEWARDSHIP SITES. 
(a) APPLICATION FOR IDENTIFICATION AS A STEW-
ARDSHIP SITE.—Subsequent to the identification of the 
initial stewardship sites under subsection (c), owners of 
sites may submit applications to the Committee in accord-
ance with subsection (d) to have the sites identified as 
stewardship sites. 
(b) IDENTIFICATION.—The Committee shall review 
the applications submitted by owners of potential steward-
ship sites to determine whether the sites shall be identified 
as exhibiting values consistent with the purposes of this 
Act. 
(c) INITIAL SITES.—
(1) INDENTIFICATION.—
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Committee shall 
identify 20 initial Long Island Sound steward-
ship sites from applications to the Committee 
that the Committee has determined—
(i)(I) 
are 
natural 
resource-based 
recreation areas; or 
(II) are exemplary natural areas with 
ecological value; and 
(ii) best promote the purposes of this 
Act.
(B) EXEMPTION.—Applications under sub-
paragraph (A) shall not be subject to the site 
identification process under subsection (d). 
(2) EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS FOR 
INITIAL
SITES.—In identifying initial sites under 
paragraph (1), the Committee shall exert due dili-
gence to recommend an equitable distribution of 
funds between the States for the initial sites. 
(d) SITE IDENTIFICATION PROCESS.—
(1) NATURAL
RESOURCE-BASED
RECREATION 
AREAS.—The Committee shall identify additional 
recreation areas with potential as stewardship sites 
using a selection technique that includes—
(A) public access; 
(B) community support; 
(C) areas with high population density; 
(D) environmental justice (as defined in 
section 385.3 of title 33, Code of Federal Regu-
lations (or successor regulations)); 
(E) connectivity to existing protected areas 
and open spaces; 
(F) cultural, historic, and scenic areas; and 
(G) other criteria developed by the Com-
mittee.
(2) 
NATURAL
AREAS
WITH
ECOLOGICAL 
VALUE.—The Committee shall identify additional 
natural areas with ecological value and potential as 
stewardship sites—
(A) based on measurable conservation tar-
gets for the Region; and 
(B) following a process for prioritizing new 
sites using systematic site selection, which shall 
include—
(i) ecological uniqueness; 
(ii) species viability; 
(iii) habitat heterogeneity; 
(iv) size; 
(v) quality; 
(vi) connectivity to existing protected 
areas and open spaces; 
(vii) land cover; 
(viii) scientific, research, or edu-
cational value; 
(ix) threats; and 
(x) other criteria developed by the 
Committee. 
(3) DEVIATION FROM PROCESS.—
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Committee may 
identify as a potential stewardship site, a site
that does not meet the criteria in paragraph (1) 
or (2) or reject a site selected under paragraph 
(1) or (2), if the Committee—
(i) chooses a site that makes signifi-
cant ecological or recreational contribu-
tions to the Region; and 
(ii) publishes the reasons that the 
Committee decided to deviate from the sys-
tematic site selection process. 
(4) PUBLIC COMMENT.—In identifying potential 
stewardship sites, the Committee may consider pub-
lic comments. 
(e) GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR MANAGEMENT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Committee shall use an 
adaptive management framework to identify the best 
policy initiatives and actions through—
(A) definition of strategic goals; 
(B) definition of policy options for methods 
to achieve strategic goals; 
(C) establishment of measures of success; 
(D) identification of uncertainties; 
(E) development of informative models of 
policy implementation; 
(F) separation of the landscape into geo-
graphic units;
(G) monitoring key responses at different 
spatial and temporal scales; and 
(H) evaluation of outcomes and incorpora-
tion into management strategies. 
(2) APPLICATION OF ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT 
FRAMEWORK.—The Committee shall apply the 
adaptive management framework to the process for 
updating the list of recommended stewardship sites. 
SEC. 9. REPORTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—For each of fiscal years 2006 
through 2013, the Committee shall submit to the Adminis-
trator an annual report that contains—
(1) a detailed statement of the findings and 
conclusions of the Committee since the last report; 
(2) a description of all sites recommended by 
the Committee to be approved as stewardship sites; 
(3) the recommendations of the Committee for 
such legislation and administrative actions as the 
Committee considers appropriate; and 
(4) in accordance with subsection (b), the rec-
ommendations of the Committee for the awarding of 
grants. 
(b) GENERAL
GUIDELINES
FOR
RECOMMENDA-
TIONS.—