SEC. 2. FINDINGS, PURPOSES, AND DEFINITIONS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Karst Region of the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico contains some of the largest areas of 
tropical forests in Puerto Rico with a higher density 
of tree species than any other area on the island. 
(2) The Karst Region has unique geological for-
mations that are critical to the maintenance of 
aquifers and watersheds that constitute a principal 
water supply for much of Puerto Rico. 
(3) The Karst Region is threatened by develop-
ment that, if unchecked, could permanently damage 
aquifers supplying fresh water and cause irreparable 
damage to natural and environmental assets that are 
unique to the United States and Puerto Rico. 
(4) Puerto Rico is one of the most densely pop-
ulated areas of the United States, which makes the 
protection of the Karst Region an imperative for the 
maintenance of the public health and welfare of the 
citizens of Puerto Rico. 
(5) The Karst Region possesses extraordinary 
ecological diversity, including the habitats of several 
endangered and threatened species and tropical mi-
grants, and is, therefore, an area of critical value to 
research in tropical forest management.
(6) Coordinated efforts at land protection by 
the Federal Government and the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico will be necessary to conserve the envi-
ronmentally critical Karst Region. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to authorize and support conservation ef-
forts to acquire, manage, and protect the tropical 
forest areas of the Karst Region of the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico, with particular emphasis on 
protecting water quality and the aquifers which are 
vital to the health and well being of the citizens of 
Puerto Rico; and 
(2) to promote cooperation among the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico, Federal Agencies, corpora-
tions, organizations, and individuals in such con-
servation efforts. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) COMMONWEALTH.—The term ‘‘Common-
wealth’’ means the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 
(2) KARST REGION.—The term ‘‘Karst Region’’ 
means those areas in the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Karst 
Region Conservation Area’’ and dated March, 2001. 
The map shall be on file and available for public in-
spection in the Office of the Secretary, Puerto Rico
Department of Natural and Environmental Re-
sources, and the Office of the Chief of the Forest 
Service. 
(3) LAND.—The term ‘‘land’’ includes lands, 
waters, and interests in lands and waters. 
(4) FOREST
LEGACY
PROGRAM.—The term 
‘‘Forest Legacy Program’’ means the program es-
tablished pursuant to section 7 of the Cooperative 
Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2103c). 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
SEC. 3. CONSERVATION OF KARST REGION, COMMON-
WEALTH OF PUERTO RICO. 
(a) FEDERAL COOPERATION AND ASSISTANCE.—The 
Secretary may—
(1) make grants to, and enter into contracts 
and cooperative agreements with, the Common-
wealth, other Federal agencies, organizations, cor-
porations, and individuals for the purposes of fur-
thering the acquisition, management, and protection 
of land in and adjacent to the Karst Region and im-
plementing related natural resources conservation 
strategies; and 
(2) utilize all authorities available to the Sec-
retary, including the Forest and Rangeland Renew-
able Resources Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 
1641 et. seq.), section 1472 of the National Agricul-
tural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act 
of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3318), and section 12 of the Ste-
venson–Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 
(15 U.S.C. 3710a), for such purposes. 
(b) FUNDING SOURCES.—The activities authorized 
by this section may be carried out using amounts in the 
Puerto Rico Karst Conservation Fund, the fund estab-
lished by section 4(b) of the Forest and Rangeland Renew-
able Resources Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1643(b)), 
funds appropriated from the Land and Water Conserva-
tion Fund, funds appropriated for the Forest Legacy Pro-
gram, and any other funds made available for this section. 
(c) MANAGEMENT OF ACQUIRED LANDS.—
(1) MANAGEMENT
PURPOSE.—Land acquired 
under the authority of this section or using funds 
made available under this section shall be managed 
in a manner to protect and conserve the water qual-
ity and aquifers and the geological, ecological, fish 
and wildlife, and other natural values of the Karst 
Region. Any Federal land within the Karst Region 
acquired pursuant to this section or the Forest Leg-
acy Program shall be managed by the Secretary pur-
suant to the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Re-
sources Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1641 et. 
seq.). 
(2) UNITED
STATES
INTEREST.—In deeds, 
grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements imple-
menting this section and the Forest Legacy Program 
in Puerto Rico, the Secretary may require that title 
to land acquired by the Commonwealth or other co-
operating entity under the authority of this section 
or using funds made available under this section will 
vest, at the discretion of the Secretary, in the United 
States if the land is sold or conveyed whole or part, 
or is not managed in conformity with paragraph (1). 
(d) WILLING SELLERS.—Any land acquisition by the 
Secretary within the Karst Region under the authority of 
this section and using funds made available under this sec-
tion shall be on a willing seller basis. 
(e) RELATION
TO OTHER LAND AUTHORITIES.—
Nothing in this Act shall diminish any other authority that 
the Secretary may have to acquire, manage, and protect 
lands and natural resources in the Commonwealth. 
(f) RELATION TO COMMONWEALTH WATER LAWS.—
Nothing in this section shall constitute an express or im-
plied claim or denial on the part of the Federal Govern-
ment as to exemption from Commonwealth water laws.
SEC. 4. PUERTO RICO KARST CONSERVATION FUND. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established 
on the books of the Treasury an interest bearing account 
to be known as the ‘‘Puerto Rico Karst Conservation 
Fund’’. 
(b) CREDITS TO FUNDS.—There shall be credited to 
the Fund the following: 
(1) Amounts appropriated to the Fund. 
(2) All moneys donated to the Fund. 
(3) All moneys generated from the Caribbean 
National Forest which would otherwise be deposited 
as miscellaneous receipts in the Treasury of the 
United States, but not including those moneys au-
thorized by law for payments to the Commonwealth 
of Puerto Rico or authorized by law for retention by 
the Forest Service for any purpose. 
(4) All moneys received by the Administrator of 
General Services from the disposal of surplus real 
property in Puerto Rico pursuant to title 40, United 
States Code, or any other provision of law. 
(5) Interest derived from amounts in the Fund 
and any other moneys donated for deposit in the 
Fund. 
(c) USE OF FUND.—Amounts in the Fund shall be 
available to the Secretary until expended, without further 
appropriation, to carry out section 3.
(d) DONATIONS.—
(1) ACCEPTANCE.—The Secretary may accept 
donations, including land and money, made by pub-
lic and private agencies, corporations, organizations, 
and individuals in furtherance of the purposes of 
this Act. The Secretary may accept such donations 
even though the donor is regulated by, conducts 
business with, or seeks to conduct business with, the 
Department of Agriculture or any other department 
or agency of the United States. 
(2) TREATMENT OF DONATIONS.—Public Law 
95–442 (7 U.S.C. 2269) shall apply to donations ac-
cepted by the Secretary under this subsection. 
SEC. 5. RELATION TO FOREST LEGACY PROGRAM. 
(a) INCLUSION OF KARST REGION.—All lands in the 
Karst Region shall be eligible for inclusion in the Forest 
Legacy Program. 
(b) COST SHARING.—The Secretary may credit dona-
tions made under section 4(d) to satisfy any cost sharing 
requirements of the Forest Legacy Program. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Puerto 
Rico Karst Conservation Fund such sums as may be nec-
essary to carry out this Act.
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