I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9826 
To modify the boundaries of the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 
Mr. GARAMENDI (for himself, Mr. HUFFMAN, and Mr. THOMPSON of Cali-
fornia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To modify the boundaries of the San Pablo Bay National 
Wildlife Refuge, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘San Pablo Bay Na-
tional Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act of 2024’’. 
SEC. 2. BOUNDARY MODIFICATION, ACQUISITION, AND AD-
MINISTRATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There shall be included within the 
boundaries of the National Wildlife Refuge the approxi-
mately 5,658 acres of lands, marshes, tidal flats, salt 
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ponds, submerged lands, and open waters generally de-
picted on the Map as ‘‘Proposed Boundary Expansion 
Area’’. 
(b) MAP.— 
(1) CORRECTIONS.—The Secretary may make 
clerical and typographical corrections to the Map. 
(2) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY; EFFECT.—The Map 
and any corrections made to the Map under para-
graph (1) shall— 
(A) be publicly available on the website of 
the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; 
(B) be on file and available for public in-
spection in the appropriate offices of the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service, including the 
office located at 2100 Sears Point Road, 
Sonoma, California 95476; and 
(C) have the same force and effect as if in-
cluded in this Act. 
(c) ACQUISITION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may acquire 
land, water, or interests therein, including conserva-
tion easements, within the boundaries of the Na-
tional Wildlife Refuge, as modified by this Act, by 
donation, purchase from willing sellers with donated 
or appropriated funds, or exchange. 
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(2) NO USE OF CONDEMNATION OR EMINENT 
DOMAIN.—The Secretary may not acquire any of the 
land, water, or interests therein under this section or 
for the purposes of this Act by condemnation or emi-
nent domain. 
(d) ADMINISTRATION.—Subject to valid existing 
rights, the Secretary shall administer the lands, waters, 
and interests therein acquired under this section— 
(1) as part of the National Wildlife Refuge; and 
(2) in accordance with— 
(A) the National Wildlife Refuge System 
Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd 
et seq.); and 
(B) this Act. 
(e) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS REGARDING NON- 
FEDERAL LANDS.—The Secretary may enter into cooper-
ative agreements with the State of California or any agen-
cy or political subdivision thereof and with any other per-
son for the voluntary co-management of lands owned by 
such State, agency, subdivision, or person and located 
within or adjoining the boundaries of the National Wildlife 
Refuge, as modified by this Act. 
(f) TRANSFER FROM OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
Any Federal property located within or adjoining the 
boundaries of the National Wildlife Refuge, as modified 
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by this Act, that is under the administrative jurisdiction 
of a department or agency of the Federal Government 
other than the Department of the Interior may, with the 
mutual concurrence of the head of the administering de-
partment or agency and the Secretary, be transferred 
without consideration to the administrative jurisdiction of 
the Secretary for the purposes of this Act. 
(g) PRIORITY USES.—In providing opportunities for 
compatible fish and wildlife dependent recreation, the Sec-
retary, in accordance with paragraphs (3) and (4) of sec-
tion 4(a) of the National Wildlife Refuge System Adminis-
tration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)), shall ensure 
that hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, 
and environmental education and interpretation are pri-
ority public uses of the National Wildlife Refuge. 
(h) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Secretary should acquire land, water, or in-
terests therein, including conservation easements, from 
willing sellers within or adjoining the boundaries of the 
National Wildlife Refuge, as modified by this Act, includ-
ing by— 
(1) including in each annual budget submission 
of the President under section 1105(a) of title 31, 
United States Code, a request for funding for Fed-
eral purposes from the Land and Water Conserva-
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tion Fund established under section 200302 of title 
54, United States Code, for such acquisition pur-
poses; and 
(2) prioritizing using such funding made avail-
able each fiscal year for such acquisition purposes. 
(i) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary shall 
provide an opportunity for public participation in devel-
oping the land protection plan for the area generally de-
picted on the Map as ‘‘Proposed Boundary Expansion 
Area’’, giving special consideration to public and private 
entities, individuals, and residential communities located 
within Napa, Marin, Sonoma, and Solano Counties, Cali-
fornia. 
(j) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) MAP.—The term ‘‘Map’’ means the map ti-
tled ‘‘San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge 
Boundary Modification Act’’ and dated July 26, 
2024. 
(2) NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.—The term 
‘‘National Wildlife Refuge’’ means the San Pablo 
Bay National Wildlife Refuge located in Marin, 
Sonoma, Napa, and Solano Counties, California. 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di-
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