Insular Areas Act of 2011
PL 112-149 (S.2009), enacted 07/26/2012

126 STAT. 1144 
PUBLIC LAW 112–149—JULY 26, 2012 
Public Law 112–149 
112th Congress 
An Act 
To improve the administration of programs in the insular areas, 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 ‘‘Insular Areas Act of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. CONTINUED MONITORING ON RUNIT ISLAND. 
Section 103(f)(1) of the Compact of Free Association Amend-
ments Act of 2003 (48 U.S.C. 1921b(f)(1)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Notwithstanding’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) CONTINUED MONITORING ON RUNIT ISLAND.— 
‘‘(i) CACTUS CRATER CONTAINMENT AND GROUND-
WATER MONITORING.—Effective beginning January 1, 
2012, the Secretary of Energy shall, as a part of the 
Marshall Islands program conducted under subpara-
graph (A), periodically (but not less frequently than 
every 4 years) conduct— 
‘‘(I) a visual study of the concrete exterior 
of the Cactus Crater containment structure on 
Runit Island; and 
‘‘(II) a radiochemical analysis of the ground-
water surrounding and in the Cactus Crater 
containment structure on Runit Island. 
‘‘(ii) REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
Senate, and the Committee on Natural Resources of 
the House of Representatives, a report that contains— 
‘‘(I) a description of— 
‘‘(aa) the results of each visual survey con-
ducted under clause (i)(I); and 
‘‘(bb) the results of the radiochemical anal-
ysis conducted under clause (i)(II); and 
‘‘(II) a determination on whether the surveys 
and analyses indicate any significant change in 
the health risks to the people of Enewetak from 
the contaminants within the Cactus Crater 
containment structure. 
‘‘(iii) FUNDING FOR GROUNDWATER MONITORING.— 
The Secretary of the Interior shall make available to 
Effective date. 
Time period. 
48 USC 1901 
note. 
Insular Areas Act 
of 2011. 
July 26, 2012 
[S. 2009] 
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126 STAT. 1145 
PUBLIC LAW 112–149—JULY 26, 2012 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 2009: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 157 (2011): Dec. 16, considered and passed Senate. 
Vol. 158 (2012): July 17, considered and passed House. 
the Department of Energy, Marshall Islands Program, 
from funds available for the Technical Assistance Pro-
gram of the Office of Insular Affairs, the amounts 
necessary to conduct the radiochemical analysis of 
groundwater under clause(i)(II).’’. 
SEC. 3. CLARIFYING THE TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT OF JUDGES TO 
COURTS OF THE FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES. 
Section 297(a) of title 28, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘circuit or district judge’’ and inserting ‘‘circuit, district, 
magistrate, or territorial judge of a court’’. 
SEC. 4. DELAY OF SCHEDULED MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE IN AMER-
ICAN SAMOA. 
(a) DELAYED INCREASE PENDING GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY 
OFFICE REPORT.—Section 8103(b)(2)(C) of the Fair Minimum Wage 
Act of 2007 (29 U.S.C. 206 note; Public Law 110–28) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘each year thereafter until’’ and inserting 
‘‘on September 30 of every third year thereafter until’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘except that’’ and all that follows through 
‘‘September 30’’ and inserting ‘‘except that there shall be no 
such increase in 2012, 2013, and 2014 pending the triennial 
report required under section 8104(a)’’. 
(b) TRIENNIAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE REPORT.— 
Section 8104(a) of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 (29 U.S.C. 
206 note; Public Law 110–28) is amended by striking ‘‘April 1, 
2013, and every 2 years’’ and inserting ‘‘April 1, 2014, and every 
3 years’’. 
Approved July 26, 2012. 
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