‘‘(B) The Secretary shall prepare a comprehensive con-
servation plan under this subsection for each refuge within
15 years after the date of enactment of the National Wildlife
Refuge Improvement Act of 1995.
‘‘(C) The Secretary shall manage each refuge or plan-
ning unit under plans in effect on the date of enactment
of the National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act of 1995,
to the extent such plans are consistent with this Act, until
such plans are revised or superseded by new comprehensive
conservation plans issued under this subsection.
‘‘(D) Uses or activities consistent with this Act may
occur on any refuge or planning unit before existing plans
are revised or new comprehensive conservation plans are
issued under this subsection.
‘‘(E) Upon completion of a comprehensive conservation
plan under this subsection for a refuge or planning unit,
the Secretary shall manage the refuge or planning unit in
a manner consistent with the plan and shall revise the plan
at any time if the Secretary determines that conditions that
affect the refuge or planning unit have changed signifi-
cantly.
‘‘(2) In developing each comprehensive conservation
plan under this subsection for a planning unit, the Sec-
retary, acting through the Director, shall identify and de-
scribe—
‘‘(A) the purposes of each refuge comprising the
planning unit and the purposes of the System appli-
cable to those refuges;
‘‘(B) the distribution, migration patterns, and
abundance of fish, wildlife, and plant populations
and related habitats within the planning unit;
‘‘(C) the archaeological and cultural values of the
planning unit;
‘‘(D) such areas within the planning unit that
are suitable for use as administrative sites or visitor
facilities;
‘‘(E) significant problems that may adversely af-
fect the populations and habitats of fish, wildlife, and
plants within the planning unit and the actions nec-
essary to correct or mitigate such problems consistent
with the purposes of each refuge comprising the plan-
ning unit; and
‘‘(F) the opportunities for fish- and wildlife-de-
pendent recreation, including fishing and hunting,
wildlife observation, environmental education, inter-
pretation of the resources and values of the planning
unit, and other uses that may contribute to refuge
management.
‘‘(3) In preparing each comprehensive conservation
plan under this subsection, and any revision to such a plan,
the Secretary, acting through the Director, shall, to the
maximum extent practicable and consistent with this Act—
‘‘(A) consult with adjoining Federal, State, local,
and private landowners and affected State conserva-
tion agencies; and
‘‘(B) coordinate the development of the conserva-
tion plan or revision of the plan with relevant State
conservation plans for fish and wildlife and their
habitats.
‘‘(4)(A) In accordance with subparagraph (B), the Sec-
retary shall develop and implement a process to ensure an
opportunity for active public involvement in the prepara-
tion and revision of comprehensive conservation plans
under this subsection. At a minimum, the Secretary shall
require that publication of any final plan shall include a
summary of the comments made by States, adjacent or po-
tentially affected landowners, local governments, and any
other affected parties, together with a statement of the dis-
position of concerns expressed in those comments.
‘‘(B) Prior to the adoption of each comprehensive con-
servation plan under this subsection, the Secretary shall
issue public notice of the draft proposed plan, make copies
of the plan available at the affected field and regional offices
of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and provide
opportunity for public comment.’’.
SEC. 7. EMERGENCY POWER; STATE AUTHORITY; WATER
RIGHTS; COORDINATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 4 (16 U.S.C. 668dd) is fur-
ther amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
sections:
‘‘(k) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act
the Secretary may temporarily suspend, allow, or initiate
any activity in a refuge in the System in the event of any
emergency that constitutes an imminent danger to the
health and safety of the public or any fish or wildlife popu-
lation.
‘‘(l) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize
the Secretary to control or regulate hunting or fishing of
fish and resident wildlife on lands or waters not within
the System.
‘‘(m) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting
the authority, jurisdiction, or responsibility of the several
States to manage, control, or regulate fish and resident
wildlife under State law or regulations in any area within
the System. Regulations permitting hunting or fishing of
fish and resident wildlife within the System shall be, to the
extent practicable, consistent with State fish and wildlife
laws, regulations, or management plans.
‘‘(n)(1) Nothing in this Act shall—
‘‘(A) create a reserved water right, express or im-
plied, in the United States for any purpose;
‘‘(B) affect any water right in existence on the
date of enactment of the National Wildlife Refuge Im-
provement Act of 1995; or
‘‘(C) affect any Federal or State law in existence
on the date of the enactment of the National Wildlife
Refuge Improvement Act of 1995 this Act regarding
water quality or water quantity.
‘‘(2) Nothing in this Act shall diminish or affect the
ability to join the United States in the adjudication of
rights to the use of water pursuant to the McCarran Act
(43 U.S.C. 666).
‘‘(o) Coordination with State fish and wildlife agency
personnel or with personnel of other affected State agencies
pursuant to this Act shall not be subject to the Federal Advi-
sory Committee Act.
‘‘(p) Contracts for leasing land authorized by Public
Law 88–567 shall require that lessees comply with an inte-
grated pest management (IPM) plan, as that term is de-
fined in the Settlement Agreement entered in the litigation
entitled Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides
et al. v. Babbit, No. 94–6339–TC, United States District
Court for the District of Oregon. Contracts for leasing such
land shall not be subject to regulations or policies (includ-
ing pesticide use proposals) related to the use of chemicals
and pest management on lands in the System or lands ad-
ministered by the Department of the Interior, that are more
restrictive than the requirements of applicable State and
Federal laws related to the use of chemicals and pest man-
agement practices on non-Federal lands.’’.
(b) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 4(c) (16
U.S.C. 668dd(c)) is amended by striking the last sentence.
SEC. 8. STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this Act is intended to affect—
(1) the provisions for subsistence uses in Alaska
set forth in the Alaska National Interest Lands Con-
servation Act (Public Law 96–487), including those
in titles III and VIII of that Act;
(2) the provisions of section 102 of the Alaska
National Interest Lands Conservation Act, the juris-
diction over subsistence uses in Alaska, or any asser-
tion of subsistence uses in the Federal courts; and
(3) the manner in which section 810 of the Alas-
ka National Interest Lands Conservation Act is im-
plemented in refuges in Alaska, and the determina-
tion of compatible use as it relates to subsistence uses
in these refuges.
SEC. 9. NEW REFUGES.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no funds
may be expended from the Land and Water Conservation
Fund established by Public Law 88–578, for the creation
of 1966 is deemed to refer to section 2 of that Act, as redesig-
nated by subsection (a)(4) of this section.
HR 1675 RH——2