I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2961
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to construct and operate the
Walter B. Jones Center for the Sounds at the Pocosin Lakes National
Wildlife Refuge.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 6, 1993
Mr. LANCASTER (for himself, Mr. STUDDS, Mr. FIELDS of Texas, Mr. YOUNG
of Alaska, Mr. ROSE, Mr. VALENTINE, Mr. HEFNER, Mr. NEAL of North
Carolina, Mrs. BENTLEY, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. MANTON, Mr. BATEMAN, Mr.
ORTIZ, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. PICKETT, Mr. HOCHBRUECKNER, Mr.
RAVENEL, Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. STUPAK, Mr. BARLOW, and Mr.
TORKILDSEN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to construct and
operate the Walter B. Jones Center for the Sounds at
the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Ref-
uge, located in northeastern North Carolina, pro-
vides unique opportunities for observing and inter-
preting the biological richness of the region’s estu-
aries and wetlands.
(2) Although there are 10 national wildlife ref-
uges in eastern North Carolina, not one has an edu-
cational or interpretative center for visitors.
(3) The State of North Carolina, Tyrrell Coun-
ty, the town of Columbia, the Conservation Fund,
and private citizens have proposed to enter into a
partnership with the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service to establish an educational and interpretative
facility to be known as the Center for the Sounds.
(4) Establishment of the Center for the Sounds
would bestow economic benefits upon Tyrrell County
and the town of Columbia.
(5) The Federal Government has designated the
Albemarle-Pamlico estuary system of northeastern
North Carolina as an estuary of national concern.
SEC. 2. FURTHER FINDINGS.
The Congress further finds and declares the follow-
ing:
(1) Throughout his congressional career, the
Honorable Walter B. Jones was a strong supporter
of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
(2) During his years of service in the House of
Representatives, Walter B. Jones supported the es-
tablishment and expansion of National Wildlife Ref-
uges in eastern North Carolina; these include 6 new
National Wildlife Refuges established in his district,
including the Alligator River National Wildlife Ref-
uge and the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge,
which are respectively the third largest and fifth
largest National Wildlife Refuges east of the Mis-
sissippi River.
(3) Walter B. Jones helped increase refuge
acreage in his district by over 303,000 acres, thus
ensuring the protection of these lands for wildlife
habitat and public recreation.
(4) Walter B. Jones’ support for reintroducing
endangered red wolves into the wild at Alligator
River National Wildlife Refuge was a major factor
in securing public acceptance of, and support for,
this first successful effort to reintroduce endangered
predators into formerly occupied habitat.
(5) Walter B. Jones devoted much of his con-
gressional career, including his years as Chairman of
the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, to
the conservation of fish and wildlife, for the benefit
of the Nation and the people of North Carolina.
(6) Walter B. Jones should most appropriately
be recognized for his work on behalf of fish and
wildlife conservation by having the Center for the
Sounds at the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Ref-
uge System named in his honor.
SEC. 3. AUTHORITY TO CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE FACIL-
ITY.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior
may, subject to the availability of appropriations, con-
struct and operate the Walter B. Jones Center for the
Sounds at the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in
Tyrrell County, North Carolina, for the following pur-
poses:
(1) Providing public opportunities, facilities,
and resources to study the natural history and natu-
ral resources of northeastern North Carolina.
(2) Offering a variety of environmental edu-
cational programs and interpretive exhibits.
(3) Fostering an awareness and understanding
of the interactions among wildlife, estuarine and
wetland ecosystems, and human activities.
(4) Providing office space and facilities for ref-
uge administration, research, education, and related
activities.
SEC. 4. DESIGN.
The Secretary of the Interior shall ensure that the
design, size, and location of a facility constructed under
this Act are consistent with the cultural and natural his-
tory of the area with which the facility will be concerned.
SEC. 5. COST SHARING.
The Secretary of the Interior may accept contribu-
tions of funds from non-Federal sources to pay the costs
of operating and maintaining the facility authorized under
this Act, and shall take appropriate steps to seek to obtain
such contributions.
SEC. 6. REPORT.
Not later than 6 months after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit
a report to the Congress on progress made in designing
and constructing a facility under this Act, including steps
taken under section 5 to obtain contributions and any
such contributions that have been pledged to or received
by the United States.
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