IIB
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2454
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
AUGUST 3, 1999
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and
Public Works
AN ACT
To assure the long-term conservation of mid-continent light
geese and the biological diversity of the ecosystem upon
which many North American migratory birds depend,
by directing the Secretary of the Interior to implement
rules to reduce the overabundant population of mid-con-
tinent light geese.
HR 2454 RFS
(4) As a direct result of this population explo-
sion, the Hudson Bay Lowlands Salt-Marsh eco-
system in Canada is being systematically destroyed.
This ecosystem contains approximately 135,000
acres of essential habitat for migrating light geese
and many other avian species. Biologists have testi-
fied that one-third of this habitat has been de-
stroyed, one-third is on the brink of devastation, and
the remaining one-third is overgrazed.
(5) The destruction of the Arctic tundra is hav-
ing a severe negative impact on many avian species
that breed or migrate through this habitat, including
the following:
(A) Canada Goose.
(B) American Wigeon.
(C) Dowitcher.
(D) Hudsonian Godwit.
(E) Stilt Sandpiper.
(F) Northern Shoveler.
(G) Red-Breasted Merganser.
(H) Oldsquaw.
(I) Parasitic Jaeger.
(J) Whimbrel.
(K) Yellow Rail.
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(6) It is essential that the current population of
mid-continent light geese be reduced by 50 percent
by the year 2005 to ensure that the fragile Arctic
tundra is not irreversibly damaged.
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are the fol-
lowing:
(1) To reduce the population of mid-continent
light geese.
(2) To assure the long-term conservation of
mid-continent light geese and the biological diversity
of the ecosystem upon which many North American
migratory birds depend.
SEC. 3. FORCE AND EFFECT OF RULES TO CONTROL OVER-
ABUNDANT MID-CONTINENT LIGHT GEESE
POPULATIONS.
(a) FORCE AND EFFECT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The rules published by the
Service on February 16, 1999, relating to use of ad-
ditional hunting methods to increase the harvest of
mid-continent light geese (64 Fed. Reg. 7507–7517)
and the establishment of a conservation order for
the reduction of mid-continent light goose popu-
lations (64 Fed. Reg. 7517–7528), shall have the
force and effect of law.
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(2) PUBLIC
NOTICE.—The Secretary, acting
through the Director of the Service, shall take such
action as is necessary to appropriately notify the
public of the force and effect of the rules referred
to in paragraph (1).
(b) APPLICATION.—Subsection (a) shall apply only
during the period that—
(1) begins on the date of the enactment of this
Act; and
(2) ends on the latest of—
(A) the effective date of rules issued by the
Service after such date of enactment to control
overabundant mid-continent light geese popu-
lations;
(B) the date of the publication of a final
environmental impact statement for such rules
under section 102(2)(C) of the National Envi-
ronmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C.
4332(2)(C)); and
(C) May 15, 2001.
(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—This section shall not
be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary or the
Service to issue rules, under another law, to regulate the
taking of mid-continent light geese.
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SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) MID-CONTINENT LIGHT GEESE.—The term
‘‘mid-continent light geese’’ means Lesser snow
geese (Anser caerulescens caerulescens) and Ross’
geese (Anser rossii) that primarily migrate between
Canada and the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Colo-
rado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Mis-
souri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Da-
kota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee,
Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Interior.
(3) SERVICE.—The term ‘‘Service’’ means the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Passed the House of Representatives August 2,
1999.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.
By MARTHA C. MORRISON,
Deputy Clerk.