I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 512
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 
JANUARY 31, 2003
Mr. BISHOP of Utah 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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