(9) Public meetings over several years have 
demonstrated strong, deep, and growing local sup-
port for a Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge, 
as demonstrated by the following: 
(A) Area landowners, business and commu-
nity leaders, media, and elected officials have 
consistently voiced their enthusiasm for a Cher-
ry Valley National Wildlife Refuge. 
(B) Numerous local communities and pub-
lic and private conservation entities share com-
plementary goals for protecting Cherry Valley 
and are energetically conserving wildlife habitat 
and farmland. Along with State land-manage-
ment agencies and the National Park Service, 
these local entities represent potential strong 
partners for the United States Fish and Wild-
life Service, and view a Cherry Valley National 
Wildlife Refuge as a complement to existing 
private, county, municipal, and State efforts. 
(C) A number of local landowners have al-
ready put their land into conservation ease-
ments or other conservation arrangements. 
(D) A voter-approved Monroe County Open 
Space Fund and a voter-approved Stroud 
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Township municipal land conservation fund 
have contributed to many of these projects. 
(10) Two federally owned parcels of land are 
contiguous to the area to be studied under this Act 
as for acquisition and inclusion in a future Cherry 
Valley National Wildlife Refuge: The Delaware 
Water Gap National Recreation Area and a 700-acre 
segment of the Appalachian Trail owned by the Na-
tional Park Service. 
SEC. 3. STUDY OF REFUGE POTENTIAL AND FUTURE REF-
UGE LAND ACQUISITION. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary shall initiate within 30 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act a study 
to evaluate the fish and wildlife habitat and aquatic and 
terrestrial communities located in Northeastern Pennsyl-
vania and identified on the map entitled, ‘‘Proposed Cher-
ry Valley National Wildlife Refuge—Authorization Bound-
ary’’, dated February 24, 2005, for their potential acquisi-
tion by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
through donation, exchange, or willing seller purchase and 
subsequent inclusion in a future Cherry Valley National 
Wildlife Refuge. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary, while con-
ducting the study required under this section, shall consult 
appropriate State and local officials, private conservation 
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organizations, major landowners and other interested per-
sons, regarding the identification of eligible lands, waters, 
and interests therein that are appropriate for acquisition 
for a national wildlife refuge and the determination of 
boundaries within which such acquisitions should be made. 
(c) COMPONENTS OF STUDY.—As part of the study 
under this section the Secretary shall do the following: 
(1) Determine if the fish and wildlife habitat 
and aquatic and terrestrial communities to be evalu-
ated are suitable for inclusion in the National Wild-
life Refuge System and management under the poli-
cies of the National Wildlife Refuge System Admin-
istration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.). 
(2) Assess the conservation benefits to be 
gained from the establishment of a Cherry Valley 
National Wildlife Refuge including— 
(A) preservation and maintenance of di-
verse populations of fish, wildlife, and plants, 
including species listed as threatened species or 
endangered species; 
(B) protection and enhancement of aquatic 
and wetland habitats; 
(C) opportunities for compatible wildlife- 
dependent recreation, scientific research, and 
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environmental education and interpretation; 
and 
(D) fulfillment of international obligations 
of the United States with respect to fish, wild-
life, and their habitats. 
(3) Provide an opportunity for public participa-
tion and give special consideration to views ex-
pressed by local public and private entities regarding 
lands, waters, and interests therein for potential fu-
ture acquisition for refuge purposes. 
(4) The total area of lands, water, and interests 
therein that may be acquired shall not in the aggre-
gate exceed 30,000 acres. 
(d) REPORT.—The Secretary shall, within 12 months 
after date of the enactment of this Act, complete the study 
required by this section and submit a report containing 
the results thereof to the Committee on Resources of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Environ-
ment and Public Works of the Senate. The report shall 
include— 
(1) a map that identifies and prioritizes specific 
lands, waters, and interests therein for future acqui-
sition, and that delineates an acquisition boundary, 
for a potential Cherry Valley National Wildlife Ref-
uge; 
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