An act to provide for the establishment of the Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, Coos County, State of Oregon, and for other purposes.
PL 97-137 (H.R.2241), enacted 12/29/1981

PUBLIC LAW 97-137—DEC. 29, 1981 
95 STAT. 1709 
Public Law 97-137 
97th Congress 
An Act 
To provide for the establishment of the Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, 
Coos County, State of Oregon, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of 
America in Congress assembled, 
TITLE I—BANDON MARSH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 
PURPOSES OF REFUGE 
SEC. 101. For the preservation and enhancement of the highly 
significant wildlife h£d[>itat of the area known as Bandon Marsh, in 
the estuary of the CSoquille River in the State of Oregon, for the 
protection of migratory waterfowl, numerous species of shorebirds 
and fish, including Chinook and silver salmon, and to provide 
opportunity for wildlife-oriented recreation and nature study on the 
marsh, the Secretary of 
the Interior (hereinafter iti this title referred 
to as the "Secretaiy") shall establish as part of the national wildlife 
refuge system a national wildlife refuge to be known as the Bandon 
Marsh National Wildlife Refuge Oiiereinafter in this title referred to 
as the "refuge"). 
BOUNDARIES OF THE REFUGE 
SEC. 102. There shall be included within the boundaries of the 
refuge those lands and waters generally depicted on the map entitled 
''Bandon Marsh National WUdlife Reluge", dated September 1980, 
comprising approximately three hundred acres. The map shall be on 
file and available for public infection in the office of the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of 
the Interior. 
ACQUisrnoN 
SBO. 103. The Secretary may acquire lands or waters, or interests 
therein, within the boundaries of the refuge by donation, purchase 
with donated or appropriated fimds, or exchange. Any lands, waters, 
or interests therein owned by the State of Oregon or by any political 
subdivision thereof may be acquired only with the consent of the 
owner thereof. 
BSTABUSHMENT 
SBC. 104. The Secretary shall establish the refiige by publication of 
a notice to that effect in the Federal Register at such time as he 
determines that lands, waters, and interests therein sufficient to 
constitute an efficiently administrable refuge have been acquired. 
Dec. 29, 1981 
[H.R. 2241] 
Bandon Marsh 
National 
Wildlife 
Refuge. 
Establishment. 
16 use 668dd 
note. 
Publication in 
Federal 
Register. 
95 STAT. 1710 
PUBLIC LAW 97-137—DEC. 29, 1981 
ADMINISTRATION 
SEC. 105. The Secretary shall administer the lands, waters, and 
interests therein acquired for the refuge in accordance with the 
National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 
U.S.C. 668dd and 668ee). The Secretary may utilize, to the extent he 
deems appropriate to cany out the purposes of this title, such 
additional statutory authority as may be available to him for (1) the 
development of outdoor recreation opportunities compatible with the 
wildlife resources of the refuge, and (2) interpretive education. 
AUTHORIZATION OP APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 106. Beginning October 1, 1982, there are authorized to be 
appropriated $270,000 for the acquisition of lands, waters, or interests 
therein, for the refuge. 
TITLE II-FALLS OF THE OHIO NATIONAL WILDLIFE 
CONSERVATION AREA 
CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS 
1
6 use 668dd 
SEC. 201. The Congress finds that— 
"°*®- 
(1) the area along the Ohio River near the city of Louisville, 
Kentucky, contains highly significant and varied wildlife and 
supports important aquatic nurseries; 
(2) the area includes a unique and world-renowned three-
hundred-million-year-old fossilized coral reef which is the only 
place where the Ohio River 
flows 
over bedrock; 
(3) the wetlands of this area represent one of the most valuable 
and unique wildlife habitat tvpes in the United States and have 
extremely high value for fisnermen, birdwatchers, nature pho-
tographers, paleontologists, and others; and 
(4) this area should be preserved to ensure the well-being of 
these species, to provide wildlife-oriented recreation for the 
public and encourage the study of fossils. 
DEFINrnONS 
SEC. 202. For purposes of this title: 
(1) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Interior. 
(2) The term "selection area" means those lands and waters 
near the McAlpine Dam in the Ohio River located in Jefferson 
County, Kentucky, and Clark and Floyd Counties, Indiana, 
depicted on the map entitled "Falls of the Ohio National Wildlife 
Conservation Selection Area", dated December, 1981, and on file 
at the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 
(3) The term "wildlife conservation area" means the Fedls of 
the Ohio National Wildlife Conservation Area. 
PURPOSES OF WILDUFE CONSERVATION AREA 
SEC. 203. The purposes for which the Falls of the Ohio National 
Wildlife Conservation Area is established are— 
(1) to protect wildlife populations and habitats in their natural 
diversity including, but not limited to, bald eagle, peregrine 
falcon, Canada geese, mallard, gadwall, blue-winged teal, black 
duck, American widgeon, and wood duck; 
PUBLIC LAW 97-137—DEC. 29, 1981 
95 STAT. 1711 
(2) to conserve fish populations in their natural diversity 
including, but not limited to, shad, shiner, crappie, largemouth 
bass, striped bass, and channel catfish; 
(3) to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable and in a 
manner consistent with paragraphs (1) and (2) and compatible 
with navigation on the Ohio River and operation of the McAlpine 
locks and dam, the necessary water quantity within the wildlife 
conservation area; 
(4) to protect the fossilized coral reef as a unique paleontologi-
cal feature; and 
(5) to provide opportunities for scientific research and interpre-
tive and environmental uses and fish and wildlife oriented 
recreational uses. 
SELECTION AND ESTABUSHMENT OF WILDUFE CONSERVATION AREA 
SEC. 204. (a) SELECTION.—(1) Within one year after the date of the 
enactment of this title the Secretary shall, in consultation with the 
Secretary of the Army acting through the Chief of Engineers— 
(A) designate approximately one thousand acres of land and 
water within the selection area as land which the Secretary 
considers appropriate for the wildlife conservation area; and 
(B) publish in the Federal Roister a detailed map depicting 
the boundaries of the land designated under subparagraph (A), 
which map shall be on file and available for public inspection at 
offices of the United. Statas Fish and Wildlife Service and the 
Corps of Engineers. 
(2) The Secretary may make such minor revisions in the bound-
aries designated under paragraph KB) as may be appropriate to 
cau-ry out the purposes of, or to facilitate the acquisition of property 
(and interests therein) within, the wildlife conservation area. 
(b) ESTABUSHMENT.—The Secretary shall, in consultation with the 
Secretary of the Army acting through the Chief of Engineers, 
establish the Falls of the Ohio National Wildlife Conservation Area, 
by publication of a notice 
to 
that effect in the Federal Register, within 
one year after the date of 
the enactment of 
this title. 
Publication in 
Federal 
Register. 
Publication in 
Federal 
Register. 
ADMINISTRATION 
SEC. 205. The Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of 
Engineers, shall administer all lands, waters, and interests therein 
wiuiin the wildlife conservation area to assure that the wildlife 
conservation area is managed to cany out the purposes for which it 
was established, and to that end shcul consult with, and utilize the 
services of, the Secretary. In order to effectively manage the wildlife 
conservation area, the Secretary of the Armv shall acquire by 
donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange 
lands, waters or interests therein within the boundaries of such area. 
The Secretary of the Army and the Secretary may utilize such 
additional statutory authority as may be available to them to carry 
out this title. 
REGULATIONS 
SEC. 206. The Secretary of the Army shall promulgate regulations, 
within oneyear after date of the enactment of this title, to carry out 
this title. Such regulations shall include, but not be limited to, a 
95 STAT. 1712 
PUBLIC LAW 97-137—DEC. 29, 1981 
S
rohibition on all huntuM^, as well as prohibitions on vandalism 
ncludinff the removal of fossils) and the dumping of refuse, within 
the boundaries of 
the wildlife conservation area. 
AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 207. Beginning October 1, 1982, there are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretaiy of the Army not to exceed $300,000 to 
carry out this title; and such sums shall remain available until 
expended. 
Approved December 29, 1981. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2241: 
HOUSE REPORT: No. 97-376 (Comm. on Merchant Marine and Fisheries). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 127 (1981): 
Dec. 15, considered and passed House. 
Dec. 16, considered and passed Senate.