(d) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission
may procure temporary and intermittent services under
section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates
for individuals not to exceed $75,000 per year.
(e) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request
of the Commission, the head of any Federal department
or agency may detail, on a reimbursable or nonreimburs-
able basis, any of the personnel of that department or
agency to the Commission to assist it in carrying out its
duties under this Act.
SEC. 7. POWERS.
(a) HEARINGS
AND SESSIONS.—The Commission
may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hear-
ings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and
receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.
(b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any mem-
ber or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the
Commission, take any action which the Commission is au-
thorized to take by this section.
(c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission
may secure directly from any department or agency of the
United States information necessary to enable it to carry
out this Act. Upon request of the Chairperson of the Com-
mission, the head of that department or agency shall fur-
nish that information to the Commission.
(d) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND DEVISES.—The Commis-
sion may accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or
devises of services or property, both real and personal, for
the purpose of aiding or facilitating the work of the Com-
mission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of money and proceeds
from sales of other property received as gifts, bequests,
or devises shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be
available for disbursement upon order of the Commission.
(e) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United
States mails in the same manner and under the same con-
ditions as other departments and agencies of the United
States.
(f) ADMINISTRATIVE
AND
TECHNICAL
SUPPORT
SERVICES.—Upon the request of the Commission, the Ad-
ministrator of General Services shall provide to the Com-
mission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative and
technical support services necessary for the Commission
to carry out its responsibilities under this Act.
(g) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—From any amounts
made available to the Commission, the Commission may
provide financial assistance, with or without consideration,
to any marine resource committee established in accord-
ance with section 8 on such terms and conditions as the
Commission considers appropriate.
SEC. 8. MARINE RESOURCE COMMITTEES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The council or commission of each
of the counties referred to in section 5(a)(1) may establish
a marine resource committee in accordance with this sec-
tion for purposes of this Act. Each marine resource com-
mittee must have a balanced and technically competent
membership, and must be provided by its council or com-
mission, as applicable, with the mission and direction, ex-
pert assistance, and financial resources needed to—
(1) address marine ecosystem issues within its
county; and
(2) work to achieve the benchmarks set forth in
section 9(b)(2).
(b) REQUIRED AUTHORITY.—Each marine resource
committee established in accordance with this section
must be provided by its council or commission, as applica-
ble, sufficient legal authority to perform the following
tasks:
(1) Help assess marine resources problems in
concert with governmental agencies, tribes, and
other entities.
(2) Help identify local implications, needs, and
strategies associated with the recovery of Puget
Sound salmon and other marine species in the re-
gion of the Northwest Straits under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 in concert with governmental
agencies, tribes, and other entities.
(3) Work with the Puget Sound Ambient Mon-
itoring Program and other entities to enhance the
scientific baseline and monitoring program for the
marine environment of the Northwest Straits.
(4) Identify current actions and the need for
additional measures.
(5) Work closely with county leadership to im-
plement local marine conservation and restoration
initiatives.
(6) Coordinate with the Northwest Straits Advi-
sory Commission on marine ecosystem objectives.
(7) Reach out to the public and other key con-
stituencies on the link between healthy marine habi-
tat and healthy resources and how marine protected
areas can play an important role in habitat protec-
tion.
(c) COMPOSITION.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The membership of each
marine resource committee established in accordance
with this section must have the following attributes:
(A) Relevant scientific expertise.
(B) Balanced representation, including
representation of each of the following:
(i) Local governments, including plan-
ning staff from counties and selected cities
with marine shorelines.
(ii) Affected economic interests, such
as ports and commercial fishers.
(iii) Affected recreational interests,
such as sport fishers.
(iv) Conservation and environmental
interests.
(C) A constructive and knowledgeable
membership.
(2) TRIBAL MEMBERS.—The council or commis-
sion for each county referred to in section 5(a)(1)
shall provide to each recognized tribe that has a res-
ervation located in the county an opportunity to ap-
point a tribal representative as a member of the ma-
rine resource committee established by the county
pursuant to this section. The tribal authority of each
such tribe may make any appointment pursuant to
this paragraph.
(d) CHAIRPERSON.—Each marine resource commit-
tee established in accordance with this section shall select
a chairperson from among its membership by a majority
vote of the members of the committee.
(e) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than February 1 of
each calendar year, each marine resource committee estab-
lished in accordance with this section shall submit to the
Commission a report of the progress and activities of the
marine resource committee during the preceding calendar
year.
SEC. 9. INDEPENDENT REVIEW AND REPORT.
(a) REVIEW BY NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL.—
Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans
and Atmosphere shall request the National Research
Council to provide an independent evaluation, in consulta-
tion with appropriate entities in the Northwest Straits re-
gion, to—
(1) review the extent to which the Commission
has fulfilled the benchmarks set forth in clause (2)
of subsection (b); and
(2) submit a report on the findings of that re-
view to the Congress, the Secretary of Commerce,
the Secretary of the Interior, and the Governor of
the State of Washington.
(b) BENCHMARKS.—
(1) INTENT.—The benchmarks set forth in
clause (2) of this subsection are intended—
(A) to be realistic and achievable standards
used to measure results of activities within the
purview of the Commission; and
(B) in some cases to utilize ‘‘input’’ meas-
ures such as the formation of marine resource
committees or the establishment of marine pro-
tected areas as well as ‘‘output’’ measures such
as species recovery data.
(2) SPECIFIC BENCHMARKS.—The benchmarks
set forth in this clause are the following:
(A) Broad county participation in marine
resource committees established in accordance
with section 8.
(B) Achievement of a scientifically based,
regional system of marine protected areas.
(C) Net gain in highly ecologically produc-
tive nearshore, intertidal, and estuarine habitat
in the Northwest Straits.
(D) Prevention of significant loss of exist-
ing, high-value habitat in the Northwest
Straits.
(E) Improvement of State, tribal, and local
tools to map, assess, and protect nearshore
habitat and prevent harm from upland activi-
ties.
(F) Net reduction in shellfish harvest
areas that are closed due to contamination.
(G) Measurable increases in factors sup-
porting recovery of bottom fish, including num-
bers of fish of broodstock size and age, average
fish size, abundance of prey species, and suffi-
cient amounts and quality of protected habitat.
(H) Increases in other key marine indica-
tor species, including those identified in the re-
port titled ‘‘Protection and Restoration of Ma-
rine Life in the Inland Waters of Washington
State’’, prepared by Dr. James E. West and
published in May 1997 in the Puget Sound
Georgia Basin Environmental Report Series,
No. 6.
(I) Coordination of scientific data, includ-
ing a scientific baseline, common protocols, uni-
fied geographic information systems, and shar-
ing of ecosystem assessments and research.
(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The report under sub-
section (a)(2) shall include recommendations on a full
range of policy options to better protect the marine re-
sources of the region of the Northwest Straits.
SEC. 10. REPORTS OF COMMISSION.
(a) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than March 1 of
each calendar year, the Commission shall make available
to the public a report of the progress and activities of the
Commission during the preceding calendar year.
(b) FINAL REPORT.—Upon the termination of the
Commission, the Commission shall submit to the Presi-
dent and to the Congress a final report containing an over-
view of the work of the Commission during the life of the
Commission and containing any related information that
the Commission considers appropriate.
SEC. 11. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act, the following definitions
shall apply:
(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’
means the Northwest Straits Advisory Commission.
(2) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’
has the meaning given that term in section 4(e) of
the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assist-
ance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(e)).
(3) NORTHWEST STRAITS.—The term ‘‘North-
west Straits’’ means the marine waters of the Strait
of Juan de Fuca and of Puget Sound from the Ca-
nadian border to the south end of Whidbey Island.
SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as may be necessary to carry out this Act.
SEC. 13. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall terminate upon the expiration
of the 6-year period beginning on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, unless reauthorized by the Congress.
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