San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act

Bill: 118-s-5205
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
Introduced: 2024-09-25
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Latest action: action_date: 2024-09-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S6444)

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 5205 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 25, 2024 Mr. Padilla introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works A BILL To modify the boundaries of the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act . 2. San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge boundary modification, acquisition, and administration (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Map The term Map means the map entitled San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge Boundary Modification Act and dated July 24, 2024. (2) National Wildlife Refuge The term National Wildlife Refuge means the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge located in Marin, Napa, Solano, and Sonoma Counties, California. (3) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. (b) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary should acquire land, water, or interests therein, including conservation easements, from willing sellers within or adjoining the boundaries of the National Wildlife Refuge, including 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 Federal purposes from the Land and Water Conservation Fund established by section 200302(a) of title 54, United States Code, for those acquisition purposes; and (2) prioritizing using funding made available each fiscal year for those acquisition purposes. (c) Boundary modification (1) In general There shall be included within the boundaries of the National Wildlife Refuge the approximately 5,658 acres of land, marshes, tidal flats, salt ponds, submerged land, and open waters generally depicted on the Map as Proposed Boundary Expansion Area . (2) Land protection plan; public participation In developing a Land Protection Plan for the land generally depicted on the Map as Proposed Boundary Expansion Area , the Secretary shall provide an opportunity for public participation, giving special consideration to public and private entities, individuals, and residential communities located within Marin, Napa, Solano, and Sonoma Counties, California. (d) Map (1) Corrections The Secretary may make clerical and typographical corrections to the Map. (2) Public availability; effect The Map and any corrections to the Map under paragraph (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 inspection 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 included in this Act. (e) Acquisition (1) In general The Secretary may acquire land, water, or interests therein, including conservation easements, within the boundaries of the National Wildlife Refuge by donation, purchase from willing sellers with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. (2) No use of condemnation or eminent domain The Secretary may not acquire any land, water, or interests therein under this section or for the purposes of this Act by condemnation or eminent domain. (f) Administration Subject to valid existing rights, the Secretary shall administer the land, water, 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. (g) Cooperative agreements regarding non-Federal lands The Secretary may enter into a cooperative agreement with the State of California, any agency or political subdivision of the State of California, or any other person for the voluntary co-management of land— (1) owned by the State of California, agency or political subdivision of the State of California, or person; and (2) located within or adjoining the boundaries of the National Wildlife Refuge. (h) Transfer from other Federal agencies Any Federal property located within or adjoining the boundaries of the National Wildlife Refuge 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 department or agency and the Secretary, be transferred without consideration to the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary for the purposes of this Act. (i) Priority uses In providing opportunities for compatible fish and wildlife dependent recreation, the Secretary, in accordance with paragraphs (3) and (4) of section 4(a) of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 ( 16 U.S.C. 668dd(a) ), shall ensure that hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, and environmental education and interpretation are priority public uses of the National Wildlife Refuge. 3. Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge technical amendments Section 3 of Public Law 92–330 (86 Stat. 399) is amended— (1) by striking he each place it appears and inserting the Secretary ; (2) in subsection (a), in the second sentence, by striking Secertary and inserting Secretary ; and (3) in subsection (b), by striking him and inserting the Secretary .