National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer Improvement Act of 2010
PL 111-357 (H.R.4973), enacted 01/04/2011

124 STAT. 3979 
PUBLIC LAW 111–357—JAN. 4, 2011 
Public Law 111–357 
111th Congress 
An Act 
To amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to reauthorize volunteer programs 
and community partnerships for national wildlife refuges, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Wildlife Refuge Volun-
teer Improvement Act of 2010’’. 
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS TO IMPLEMENT VOL-
UNTEER, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AND EDUCATION PRO-
GRAMS UNDER FISH AND WILDLIFE ACT OF 1956. 
(a) REAUTHORIZATION.—Section 7(f) of the Fish and Wildlife 
Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(f)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out 
subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f), $2,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2011 through 2014.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.—Section 7 of the Fish and Wild-
life Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f) is amended in subsections 
(b)(2)(B)(ii) and (d)(2)(C)(i) by striking ‘‘National Wildlife Refuge 
Administration Act of 1966’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966’’. 
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM VOL-
UNTEER AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP ENHANCEMENT 
ACT OF 1998. 
Section 4(a) of the National Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer 
and Community Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 
742f–1) is amended— 
(1) in the subsection heading by striking ‘‘PROJECTS’’ and 
inserting ‘‘NATIONAL VOLUNTEER COORDINATION PROGRAM’’; 
(2) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of appropria-
tions, and in conformance with the strategy developed under 
paragraph (2) and consistent with the authorities regarding 
gifts, volunteer services, community partnerships, and refuge 
education enhancement under section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife 
Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 741f), the Secretary of the Interior, 
through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service, shall carry out a National Volunteer Coordination Pro-
gram within the National Wildlife Refuge System to— 
‘‘(A) augment and support the capabilities and efforts 
of Federal employees to implement resource management, 
16 USC 742a 
note. 
National Wildlife 
Refuge Volunteer 
Improvement Act 
of 2010. 
Jan. 4, 2011 
[H.R. 4973] 
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08:34 Dec 07, 2012
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124 STAT. 3980 
PUBLIC LAW 111–357—JAN. 4, 2011 
conservation, and public education programs and activities 
across the National Wildlife Refuge System; 
‘‘(B) provide meaningful opportunities for volunteers 
to support the resource management, conservation, and 
public education programs and activities of national wildlife 
refuges or complexes of geographically related national 
wildlife refuges in each United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service region; and 
‘‘(C) fulfill the purpose and mission of the National 
Wildlife Refuge System under the National Wildlife Refuge 
System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et 
seq.).’’; 
(3) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) VOLUNTEER COORDINATION STRATEGY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—No later than one year after date 
of enactment of this paragraph, the Director shall publish 
in the Federal Register a national strategy for the coordina-
tion and utilization of volunteers within the National Wild-
life Refuge System. 
‘‘(B) CONSULTATION REQUIRED.—The strategy shall be 
developed in consultation with State fish and wildlife agen-
cies, Indian tribes, refuge friends groups or similar volun-
teer organizations, and other relevant stakeholders. 
‘‘(C) VOLUNTEER
COORDINATORS.—The Director shall 
provide, subject to the availability of appropriations, no 
less than one regional volunteer coordinator for each United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service region to implement the 
strategy published under this paragraph. Such coordinators 
may be responsible for assisting partner organizations in 
developing and implementing volunteer projects and activi-
ties under cooperative agreements under section 7(d) of 
the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(d)).’’; 
and 
(4) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘for for each fiscal year 
through fiscal year 2009’’ and inserting ‘‘for each fiscal year 
through fiscal year 2014’’. 
SEC. 4. VOLUNTEER, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND EDUCATION 
PROGRAMS REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 
1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(e)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (f) (as amended by this 
Act) as subsection (g); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(f) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this subsection and every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary of 
the Interior shall submit a report to the Committee on Natural 
Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works of the Senate— 
‘‘(1) evaluating the accomplishments of the volunteer pro-
gram, the community partnerships program, and the refuge 
education programs authorized under this section, and of the 
National Volunteer Coordination Program and volunteer 
coordination strategy under section 4(a) of the National Wildlife 
Refuge 
System 
Volunteer 
and 
Community 
Partnership 
Enhancement Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 742f–1); and 
Deadline. 
Federal Register, 
publication. 
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124 STAT. 3981 
PUBLIC LAW 111–357—JAN. 4, 2011 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 4973: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 111–531 (Comm. on Natural Resources). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 111–366 (Comm. on Environment and Public Works). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 156 (2010): 
July 13, considered and passed House. 
Dec. 17, considered and passed Senate. 
‘‘(2) making recommendations to improve the effectiveness 
of such programs, including regarding implementing subpara-
graphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1) of subsection (e).’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 4(a) of the National 
Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and Community Partnership 
Enhancement Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 742f–1) is further amended 
by striking paragraph (3), and by redesignating paragraph (4) (as 
amended by this Act) as paragraph (3). 
Approved January 4, 2011. 
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