Topic: Agriculture — Fisheries & Fishing
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2014-03-05 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

National Fish Habitat Conservation Act - (Sec. 4) Establishes the National Fish Habitat Board to: (1) promote, oversee, and coordinate the implementation of this Act and the National Fish Habitat Action Plan; (2) establish national goals and priorities for fish habitat conservation; (3) approve Fish Habitat Conservation Partnerships; and (4) review and make recommendations regarding fish habitat conservation projects.

(Sec. 5) Permits the Board to designate such Partnerships in order to: (1) coordinate the implementation of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan at a regional level, (2) identify strategic priorities for fish habitat conservation, (3) recommend to the Board fish habitat conservation projects that address a strategic priority of the Board, and (4) develop and carry out fish habitat conservation projects.

Establishes Partnership approval criteria, including that a Partnership identify representatives to support the Partnership, identify priorities for a Partnership area, is able to address issues and priorities on a nationally significant scale, and develop or complete a strategic plan to address the decline in fish populations.

(Sec. 6) Requires each Partnership to annually submit to the Board a list of fish habitat conservation projects recommended by the Partnership for annual funding under this Act.

 Requires property acquired for a project to be open to the public for compatible fish and wildlife-dependent recreation and be closed only to protect public safety, the property, or the habitat.

 (Sec. 7) Requires the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to establish the National Fish Habitat Conservation Partnership Program. Establishes the duties of the Program, including to: (1) provide funding for the operational needs of the Partnerships, (2) facilitate the cooperative development and approval of Partnerships, (3) facilitate the consideration of fish habitat conservation projects by the Board, (4) coordinate technical and scientific reporting, and (5) provide support to the Board for national communication and outreach efforts that promote public awareness of fish habitat conservation.

Requires the Director of USFWS to develop an interagency operational plan for the National Fish Habitat Conservation Partnership Program that describes the needs of the Program and any interagency agreements to address those needs.

(Sec. 8) Requires the Director of USFWS, the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Director of the United States Geological Survey to provide scientific and technical assistance to the Partnerships, participants in fish habitat conservation projects, and the Board.

(Sec. 9) Authorizes the head of each federal agency, to the extent consistent with its mission and authority, to coordinate with the Assistant Administrator f and the Director to promote healthy fish populations and fish habitats on federal lands.

(Sec. 10) Requires the Secretary to notify and cooperate with the appropriate state agency or tribal agency within the boundaries of planned activities.

(Sec. 11) Sets forth reporting requirements for the Board.

(Sec. 12) Sets forth provisions stating the effect of this Act on water rights, states, and Indian tribes.

Prohibits using funds made available to carry out this Act for fish and wildlife mitigation purposes under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act), the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (WRDA), or any federal law or court settlement.

(Sec. 14) Sets forth provisions permitting agreements and grants and the acceptance of donations to carry out this Act.