SEC. 3. ACTIONS BY BUREAU OF RECLAMATION TO PRO-
TECT WHITE BLUFFS, WASHINGTON.
(a) WASTEWAY MODIFICATIONS.—The Secretary of
the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation—
(1) may construct a channel for the Wahluke
Branch 10 Wasteway of the Columbia Basin Project,
that will effectively drain all standing water above
the White Bluffs within the Wahluke Slope Habitat
Management Area, Washington; and
(2) may take such steps as are necessary to
eliminate the White Bluffs Wasteway.
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the
Interior, to remain available until expended—
(1) $4,000,000 to carry out subsection (a)(1);
and
(2) $1,000,000 to carry out subsection (a)(2).
SEC. 4. STUDY OF THE WAHLUKE SLOPE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior
shall enter into an agreement with the National Academy
of Sciences to conduct a study of the land use options for
the land owned by the Department of Energy within the
Hanford Reservation known as Wahluke Slope in the
State of Washington.
(b) STUDY CONTENTS.—The study under subsection
(a) shall include the following:
(1) Examination of the potential environmental,
economic, and cultural impacts of various land use
options for the Wahluke Slope region, such as agri-
culture (including grazing, mining, and farming), in-
dustry, recreation, specific preservation, and use as
a buffer zone for the Department of Energy’s radio-
active waste management efforts.
(2) Review of existing land use plans, environ-
mental impact studies, and scientific and technical
literature.
(3) Convening of workshops, as necessary, to
assess the following impacts (positive or negative)
for each option:
(A) The impact on current water rights,
future water needs, and water management al-
ternatives.
(B) The impact on habitat and federally
protected species.
(C) The impact on the White Bluffs.
(D) The impact on the local economy.
(E) The Impact of existing archeological
resources.
(c) REPORT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after
the date on which the Secretary of the Interior en-
ters into the agreement under subsection (a), the
National Academy of Sciences shall submit a report
concerning the study to the Committee on Resources
of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.
(2) USE OF PREVIOUS STUDIES.—The report
under paragraph (1) may be based in part on, but
may not be limited to, the work and scope of pre-
vious studies, including any of the following:
(A) The Hanford Reach of the Columbia
River comprehensive conservation study and en-
vironmental impact statement.
(B) The Hanford Reach protection and
management program’s interim action plan.
(C) The study known as the ‘‘Red Zone’’
study.
(D) The Hanford remedial action and land
use.
(E) The Wahluke 2000 proposal.
(F) The Nature Conservancy biological in-
ventories.
(3) REQUIREMENT.—The report under para-
graph (1) shall set forth the findings, conclusions,
and recommendations of the National Academy of
Sciences regarding future land use options, including
the need for any congressional action.
(d) SUSPENSION OF CHANGES IN MANAGEMENT OR
USE OF WAHLUKE SLOPE.—No change may be made in
the management or use of the Wahluke Slope before the
expiration of the one-year period beginning on the date
of the submission of the report under subsection (c).
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the
Interior $600,000 for the study under this section.
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