Southern Prairie Potholes National Wildlife Refuge Act

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Southern Prairie Potholes National 
Wildlife Refuge Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the area of the State of Iowa known as the Southern 
        Prairie Potholes and consisting primarily of the Willow Creek 
        watershed in Greene County offers exceptional potential for 
        restoration into a bountiful native wildlife habitat area;
            (2) ongoing restoration and preservation of this wildlife 
        habitat area will significantly enhance opportunities for 
        outdoor recreation in this region, including waterfowl and 
        upland hunting, wildlife viewing, and hiking;
            (3) the Southern Prairie Potholes area is located at the 
        southwestern edge of the Des Moines Lobe left by glaciers 
        12,000 years ago;
            (4) the sloughs and grassland offer a substantial oasis of 
        both wetland and grassland habitat at the southwestern boundary 
        of the most heavily cropped region in Iowa;
            (5) because of the location of the Southern Prairie 
        Potholes at the edge of the multistate and international region 
        known as the Prairie Potholes Region, and along important 
        migratory flyways, the restoration and preservation of the area 
        is critical to providing wildlife habitat across the full 
        extent of the Prairie Potholes Region;
            (6) this 23,500-acre area has for years been designated by 
        the Prairie Pothole Joint Venture as a priority area for 
        restoration and preservation because of the importance of the 
        area to wildlife, facilitating gradual public land acquisition 
        for habitat restoration;
            (7) the area already includes the 2,134-acre Dunbar Slough 
        wetland complex of Federal and State land managed as popular 
        wildlife and hunting areas serving Carroll, Greene, and Guthrie 
        Counties and beyond;
            (8) national wildlife refuges increasingly follow a mosaic 
        pattern with a core of publicly held land surrounded by 
        privately held land also located within the refuge boundary;
            (9) private ownership and uses are not affected for private 
        land within the designated boundaries of the refuge, but 
        private landowners may be provided increased opportunities for 
        partnering on conservation or restoration practices;
            (10) restoration and preservation of the Southern Prairie 
        Potholes area will benefit hundreds of birds, mammals, 
        butterflies, reptiles, and amphibians that have been classified 
        as species of greatest conservation need, including the 
        endangered Blanding's turtle;
            (11) restoration of grassland and wetland in the area will 
        contribute to improved flood control and water quality 
        downstream, as the Middle Raccoon River is the major water 
        source for the Des Moines metropolitan region and other 
        communities;
            (12) the Southern Prairie Potholes area offers unique 
        recreational appeal because the area is adjacent to the 
        existing Whiterock Conservancy, a 4,300-acre land trust 
        dedicated to conserving and protecting the natural resources of 
        Iowa and engaging the public with the landscape;
            (13) Whiterock Conservancy offers outdoor recreation and 
        education and includes a major new Backcountry Trail complex;
            (14) the proximity of the Southern Prairie Potholes to the 
        largest metropolitan area in Iowa adds to the ability of the 
        area to provide natural resource experiences to a broad 
        community; and
            (15) the area is already attracting cyclists, and that 
        appeal will grow with ongoing development of the cross-country 
        American Discovery Trail transecting the area.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Refuge.--The term ``Refuge'' means the Southern Prairie 
        Potholes National Wildlife Refuge established under section 4.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE OF REFUGE.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish the Southern 
        Prairie Potholes National Wildlife Refuge, consisting of 
        approximately 23,500 acres of Federal land, water, and 
        interests in land and water within the boundaries depicted on 
        the map entitled ``Southern Prairie Potholes Project Area'' and 
        dated August 26, 2014.
            (2) Boundary revisions.--The Secretary shall make such 
        minor revisions of the boundaries of the Refuge as may be 
        appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Refuge or to 
        facilitate the acquisition of property within the Refuge.
            (3) Availability of map.--The Secretary shall keep the map 
        referred to in paragraph (1) available for inspection in 
        appropriate offices of the United States Fish and Wildlife 
        Service.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Refuge are--
            (1) to enhance opportunities for outdoor recreation, 
        including waterfowl and upland hunting, hiking, native habitat 
        exploration, and wildlife viewing;
            (2) to provide for the restoration or preservation of 
        Refuge land to native wetland and grassland habitats and 
        landscapes;
            (3) to provide for the restoration and conservation of 
        native plants and animal communities on suitable sites in the 
        Southern Prairie Potholes area, including the protection of 
        threatened and endangered species and the restoration of 
        extirpated species;
            (4) to provide critical travel and nesting habitat for 
        migratory birds;
            (5) to provide opportunities to private landowners to 
        access technical or financial assistance for the voluntary 
        restoration of the land of the private landowners for the 
        benefit of fish and wildlife;
            (6) to provide for outdoor recreation, including hunting, 
        hiking, paddling, and wildlife viewing to the public; and
            (7) to facilitate the education of the public, especially 
        young people, about nature, the environment, and the 
        conservation of the natural resources.
    (c) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--The establishment of the Refuge shall take 
        effect on the date on which the Secretary publishes a notice 
        that sufficient property has been acquired by the United States 
        within the boundaries described in subsection (a)(1) to 
        constitute an area that can be efficiently managed as a 
        National Wildlife Refuge.
            (2) Publication.--The Secretary shall publish the notice 
        described in paragraph (1) in the Federal Register and 
        publications of local circulation in the vicinity of the area 
        within the boundaries described in subsection (a)(1).

SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION OF REFUGE.

    (a) In General.--Subject to the purposes described in section 4(b), 
the Secretary shall administer all land, water, and interests in land 
and water acquired under this Act in accordance with the National 
Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et 
seq.).
    (b) Additional Authority.--The Secretary may use such additional 
statutory authority as may be available for the conservation of fish 
and wildlife, and the provision of fish- and wildlife-oriented 
recreational opportunities, as the Secretary considers appropriate to 
carry out the purposes of this Act.
    (c) Priority Uses.--In providing opportunities for compatible fish- 
and wildlife-oriented recreation, the Secretary, in accordance with 
paragraphs (3) and (4) of section 4(a) of the National Wildlife Refuge 
System Administration Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)), shall ensure 
that hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and 
environmental education and interpretation are the priority public uses 
of the Refuge.
    (d) Volunteers and Partnerships.--The Secretary shall encourage the 
use of volunteers and facilitate partnerships among the United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service, local communities, conservation 
organizations, and other non-Federal entities to promote public 
awareness, conservation, and priority uses of the resources of the 
Refuge.

SEC. 6. ACQUISITION OF LAND AND WATER.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (c) and the availability of 
appropriations, the Secretary may acquire up to 23,500 acres of land 
and water, or interests in land and water, within the boundaries of the 
Refuge as described in section 4(a)(1).
    (b) Inclusion in Refuge.--Any land, water, or interests acquired by 
the Secretary under this section shall be part of the Refuge.
    (c) Manner of Acquisition.--All acquisition of land or water under 
this section shall be made in a voluntary manner from willing sellers 
only.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
to carry out this Act.

Summary: Southern Prairie Potholes National Wildlife Refuge Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish the approximately 23,500-acre Southern Prairie Potholes National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa. Authorizes the Secretary to acquire land and water within the boundaries of the Refuge from willing sellers. Lists as purposes of the Refuge to: (1) enhance opportunities for outdoor recreation; (2) provide for the restoration or preservation of Refuge land to native wetland and grassland habitats and landscapes; (3) provide for the restoration and conservation of native plants and animal communities; (4) provide critical travel and nesting habitat for migratory birds; (5) provide opportunities to private landowners to access assistance for the voluntary restoration of land for the benefit of fish and wildlife; and (6) facilitate the education of the public about nature, the environment, and the conservation of the natural resources. Directs the Secretary to: (1) administer all land, water, and interests therein acquired under this Act in accordance with the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966; (2) ensure that hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and environmental education and interpretation are the priority public uses of the Refuge; and (3) encourage the use of volunteers and facilitate partnerships to promote public awareness, conservation, and priority uses of Refuge resources. .