jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Water resources development
Date: 2009-11-03 00:00:00

Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2009 - Amends the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act to require the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, to: (1) conduct forest management activities in the Lake Tahoe Basin in a manner that helps achieve and maintain the environmental threshold carrying capacities established by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (Agency) and attains multiple ecosystem benefits, unless the attainment of such benefits would excessively increase the project's cost in relation to the additional benefits gained; (2) establish post-project ground condition criteria for ground disturbance caused by forest management activities; and (3) provide for monitoring to ascertain the attainment of such conditions. Requires the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit to: (1) manage vehicular parking and traffic in the Unit; and (2) support the attainment of the environmental threshold carrying capacities. Withdraws federal land located in the Unit from: (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) disposition under all laws relating to mineral and geothermal leasing. Requires the Chair of the Lake Tahoe Federal Interagency Partnership to submit to Congress a prioritized list of all Environmental Improvement Program projects for the Basin. Authorizes: (1) the Secretary, the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement specified projects and projects included in the prioritized list that have been subject to environmental review and approval under federal and state law and the Tahoe Regional Planning Compact; and (2) funding for such projects. Requires the Director to deploy strategies that meet or exceed specified criteria for preventing the introduction of aquatic invasive species into the Lake Tahoe Basin and that apply to all watercraft to be launched on water within the Basin. Requires the Administrator to implement a Lake Tahoe Science Program that includes: (1) developing and updating an integrated multiagency programmatic assessment and monitoring plan and evaluating the effectiveness of the Agency's Environmental Improvement Program; and (2) providing support to governments in reducing pollutants that contribute to the loss of lake clarity. Provides for the establishment of a grant to develop a Basin watershed strategy.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2009-12-16 00:00:00

Federal Land Avalanche Protection Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to establish an avalanche protection program to: (1) identify the potential for avalanches on federal lands and inform the public about the probability of avalanches and their potential adverse effects; (2) carry out ongoing research to improve avalanche forecasting; and (3) reduce the risks of avalanches and mitigate their effects. Requires the Secretary: (1) to coordinate the program to ensure protection for recreational users of public land under the Secretary of the Interior's jurisdiction, using resources of the Forest Service's National Avalanche Center; (2) to establish an advisory committee to assist in program development and implementation; and (3) with the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of the Army, to establish a central depository for weapons, ammunition, and parts for avalanche control purposes.Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to carry out projects and activities to: (1) assist in the prevention, forecasting, detection, and mitigation of avalanches; (2) maintain essential transportation, utilities, and communications; (3) assist avalanche artillery users to ensure the availability of adequate supplies of artillery and explosives required for avalanche control in specified areas; and (4) assist research and development activities for alternatives to minimize reliance on military weapons for avalanche control.Directs the Secretary to give priority to projects carried out in avalanche zones with a high frequency or severity of avalanches or in which deaths, injuries, or damage to public facilities and communities have occurred. Requires the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to transfer specified property suitable for avalanche control purposes to a user of surplus ordnance.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2010-01-12 00:00:00

Great Ape Conservation Reauthorization Amendments Act of 2010 - Amends the Great Ape Conservation Act of 2000 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to award a multiyear grant to an eligible person to implement a great ape conservation project that the person demonstrates is an effective, long-term conservation strategy for great apes and their habitats. Authorizes the Secretary to implement a program of awards to acknowledge outstanding achievement in great ape conservation, to enhance great ape conservation, and to demonstrate the indebtedness of the world to the commitment made by individuals and local communities to protect and conserve populations of great apes. Requires the Secretary to convene a panel of experts to identify the greatest needs and priorities for the conservation of great apes within a year of this Act's enactment and every five years thereafter (current law authorizes the Secretary to convene a panel to consider the greatest conservation needs every two years). Requires the panel to include representatives from foreign range states with expertise in great ape conservation and to consider relevant great ape conservation plans or strategies, including scientific research and findings related to: (1) conservation needs and priorities of great apes; (2) regional or species-specific action plans or strategies; (3) applicable strategies developed or initiated by the Secretary; and (4) any other applicable conservation plan or strategy. Authorizes the Secretary to pay expenses of convening and facilitating meetings of the panel. Authorizes appropriations for the Great Ape Conservation Fund for FY2011-FY2015.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2010-01-21 00:00:00

Bunitan Tasi Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce to treat the government of Guam as a cooperating agency with responsibilities and roles similar to the government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, including with respect to membership on the Mariana Monument Advisory Council. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) enhance visitor services programs at Guam National Wildlife Refuge; and (2) initiate a comprehensive program to facilitate natural resource exploration and research, as well as encourage tourism, recreation, and economic opportunities to build public awareness and appreciation of the natural resources under the jurisdiction of the Interior and Commerce Departments. Permits, under the enhancement of such programs and the comprehensive program, the inclusion of activities for: (1) enhanced resource management, research, and visitor services programs for the promotion and interpretation of the fish and wildlife resources of Guam, including activities to improve the conservation of coral reef ecosystems and activities to conserve Guam's marine resources; and (2) the facilitation of environmental education for students on Guam in partnership with the University of Guam, Guam Community College, and the Guam Department of Education. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to accept and spend donated funds and use donated property or services from private persons and entities or from public entities to carry out this Act.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2010-01-21 00:00:00

Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Medicine Enhancement Act of 2010 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to award grants to wildlife or veterinary institutions to create additional clinical and research positions for wildlife and zoological veterinarians, with preference to institutions that will create positions in areas of need, including wildlife disease research and training, disease surveillance, ecology and wildlife population management, and conservation and management of the health of endangered, threatened, and sensitive species. Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) the Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Workforce Loan Repayment Program to repay educational loans of applicants who have received, in the previous ten years, a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine or a graduate degree in veterinary medicine after receiving such doctoral degree, or who are enrolled in an accredited school or college of veterinary medicine program that leads to such a degree, and who agree to serve for at least four consecutive years at a wildlife or veterinary institution as a wildlife or zoological veterinarian; and (2) the Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Workforce Scholarship Program to award students enrolled in an accredited school or college of veterinary medicine scholarships for up to four years in exchange for entering a contract to serve for at least four consecutive years as wildlife or zoological veterinarians at wildlife or veterinary institutions beginning no later than four years after graduation. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish a pilot program to award competitive grants to accredited schools and colleges of veterinary medicine to develop and provide new or existing curricula that specialize in wildlife or zoological veterinary medicine; and (2) award competitive grants to eligible wildlife or veterinary institutions to establish or expand training programs (i.e., externship, internship, fellowship, or residency programs) in veterinary medicine for wildlife or zoological populations, under which financial assistance will be provided to traineeship candidates (i.e., individuals who hold, or who are enrolled in a program leading to, a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine).
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2010-03-11 00:00:00

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to convey and quitclaim all interest of the United States in and to a parcel of real property, including improvements, located at 4500 Glenwood Drive in Riverside, California, and administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, to the Riverside Corona Conservation District. Requires the Conservation District to pay to the Secretary the appraised market value of the land as unimproved land, excluding all improvements other than normal utility connections such as sewer and water taps. Prohibits reservation by the Secretary of any future interest in the property to be conveyed, except that which may be acceptable to the Conservation District. Requires the Secretary, notwithstanding the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) or the Solid Waste Disposal Act, in conveying the property, to only meet the disclosure requirements for hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants, without otherwise being required to remediate or abate any such releases, including petroleum and petroleum derivatives.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2010-03-25 00:00:00

National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer Improvement Act of 2010 - Amends the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (the Act) to authorize appropriations for FY2011-FY2014 to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out certain activities and services related to fish and wildlife, including for expenses related to gift acceptance, volunteer services, community partnership projects and programs, and refuge education programs. Amends the National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer and Community Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998 to direct the Secretary, through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to carry out a National Volunteer Coordination Program within the National Wildlife Refuge System. Requires the Director to: (1) publish a national strategy for the coordination and utilization of volunteers within the System; and (2) provide at least one regional volunteer coordinator for each Service region to implement such strategy. Makes such coordinators responsible for assisting partner organizations in implementing volunteer projects and activities under cooperative agreements the Secretary may enter into pursuant to the Act. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the National Volunteer Coordination Program through FY2014. Requires the Secretary to submit a report to Congress that: (1) evaluates the accomplishments of the volunteer program, the community partnerships program, and the refuge education programs authorized under the Act, and of the National Volunteer Coordination Program and the national strategy; and (2) makes recommendations for improving the effectiveness of such programs.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2010-04-27 00:00:00

Requires the Secretary of Commerce to conduct an aerial assessment of and report to Congress on the population abundance and spatial and temporal distribution of Green, Loggerhead, Leatherback, Kemp's Ridley, and Hawksbill sea turtles in state and federal waters. Prohibits the Secretary from issuing any rule regarding incidental fisheries bycatch of any of such turtle species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) or the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act before the report is submitted. Exempts any rule to alter or restrict use of a specific gear type in a specific fishery if the Secretary certifies that the rule is an emergency rule necessary to: (1) protect such a species from being imminently determined to be endangered primarily as a result of incidental taking by that gear type in that fishery; or (2) protect such a species that is listed as an endangered species from imminent extinction primarily as a result of incidental taking of such species by that gear type in that fishery.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2010-04-29 00:00:00

Forest Ecosystem Recovery and Protection Act - Directs the Secretaries of Agriculture (USDA) and of the Interior to designate 25 demonstration project forests in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Requires the Secretaries to identify specific project sites within the project forests and to develop pine beetle prevention, mitigation, or forest restoration projects for those sites. Directs the Secretaries to enter into stewardship contracts that meet the needs of each project site. Authorizes grants to support the forest products industry: (1) participation in pine beetle prevention and mitigation and forest restoration activities at the sites, as specified; or (2) use of forest materials derived from those activities. Makes permanent the stewardship end result contracting authorities available to the Forest Service for the performance of services to achieve land management goals for the national forests that meet local and rural communities needs. Authorizes on National Forest System or public land the: (1) designation of insect or disease emergency areas from which dead and dying trees may be removed in response to threats to human health and safety; (2) use of state foresters to provide forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration and protection services; and (3) removal of dead and dying trees from rights-of-way held by a state department of transportation, state or federal public utility commission, or private utility company.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2010-05-19 00:00:00

Coastal Habitat Conservation Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to carry out within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service a Coastal Program to: (1) identify the most important natural resource problems and solutions in priority coastal ecosystems in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal governments, nongovernmental institutions, nonprofit organizations, and private individuals or corporate entities; (2) provide technical and financial support through partnerships with such governments, institutions, organizations, and private individuals for voluntary habitat assessment, protection, planning, restoration, and enhancement projects on public or private land; (3) assist in the development and implementation of monitoring protocols and adaptive management procedures so as to ensure the success of coastal ecosystem conservation and restoration measures; and (4) collaborate with partners and the public regarding methods and models for the conservation, restoration, and enhancement of coastal ecosystems. Requires the Secretary to employ youth volunteers and organizations that provide service opportunities for youths to carry out nonhazardous habitat restoration and enhancement activities.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Water resources development
Date: 2010-05-20 00:00:00

Requires the release of 5,412.5 acre-feet of water from the marketable yield pool (the portion of the regulatory capacity that is dedicated to marketing purposes) of water stored in the Ruedi Reservoir (a component of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project of the Bureau of Reclamation in western Colorado) for the benefit of endangered fish habitat in the Colorado River for 2013 and each year thereafter at the request of the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Requires such release during the late summer months to enhance low water flows in areas that comprise the endangered fish habitat in the Colorado River, unless otherwise requested by the Director. Provides that the release shall satisfy 50% of the commitment by certain water users to provide 10,825 acre-feet of water per year, as described in Appendix C of the document entitled "Final Programmatic Biological Opinion for Bureau of Reclamation's Operations and Depletions, Other Depletions, and Funding and Implementation of Recovery Program Actions in the Upper Colorado River above the Confluence with the Gunnison River." Makes this Act effective when: (1) the Secretary of the Interior issues a finding of no significant impact or a record of decision under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 regarding such release; and (2) an additional 5,412.5 acre-feet of water has been made available by means acceptable to water users to satisfy their remaining obligations.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2010-05-25 00:00:00

Polar Bear Delisting Act - Provides that the determination by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service of the threatened status of the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the listing of such species as threatened shall have no force or effect.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Energy
Date: 2010-07-01 00:00:00

Secure All Facilities to Effectively Guard the United States Against and Respond to Dangerous Spills Act of 2010 or the SAFEGUARDS Act of 2010 - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to: (1) prohibit the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) from issuing a permit or other authorization for exploration for or production of oil and gas under a lease under such Act unless an oil spill response plan for the operations of the facility on which the activity is conducted has been approved by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating as meeting requirements for such a plan under provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act); (2) require the Secretary to approve an oil and gas exploration plan within 90 (currently 30) days of submission, with a 60-day extension authorized if the Secretary certifies that it's necessary to allow adequate consideration of the plan; and (3) prohibit an exploration plan from being eligible for a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Amends the Clean Water Act to require: (1) the President to issue regulations to require owners or operators of offshore facilities to have their plans for responding to a worst case discharge of oil or a hazardous substance approved by the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating; and (2) such worst case plans of owners and operators of tank vessels, nontank vessels, offshore facilities, or onshore facilities to include plans for responding to uncontrolled or uncontained discharges from wells. Requires the National Contingency Plan for removal of oil and hazardous substances to: (1) include water quality monitoring by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of waters affected by discharges of oil or other hazardous substances that begins not later than 48 hours after such a discharge is reported; (2) include designation of the Commandant of the Coast Guard as the National Incident Commander for activities in response to a discharge that results in a substantial threat to the public health or welfare of the United States if such a discharge affects waters with respect to which the Coast Guard is responsible for response efforts under the Plan; and (3) be updated by the President every five years, including separate response plans for discharges of oil or other hazardous materials into or upon land and water.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2010-07-29 00:00:00

Endangered Species Compliance and Transparency Act of 2010 - Requires the Administrator of each of the Bonneville Power Administration, the Western Area Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, and the Southeastern Power Administration to: (1) include in monthly billing statements sent to customers estimates of each customer's share of such Administration's direct and indirect costs for compliance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973; and (2) submit an annual report estimating such costs (on a project-by-project basis for the Western Area Power Administration and on a system-wide basis for the other Administrations) to the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2010-07-30 00:00:00

Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit treatment of the Gray Wolf as an endangered or threatened species.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2010-09-15 00:00:00

Mono County Economic Development Act of 2010 - Releases the Bodie Wilderness Study Area in Mono County, California, from being subject to certain requirements under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and under the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 with regard to the management of the lands within the Study Area during the period of review of such Area for designation as wilderness. Requires the released lands to be returned immediately, without any further action by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to multiple use management as set forth in the applicable resource management plan.