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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Scientifically Identifying the Need
for Critical Habitat Act''.

SEC. 2. DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY TO DESIGNATE CRITICAL HABITAT.

Section 4(a)(3) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C.
1533(a)(3)(A)) is amended to read as follows:
''(A) may designate any habitat of a species that is
determined under paragraph (1) to be an endangered species or
threatened species as critical habitat of such species; and ''.

SEC. 3. SOUND SCIENCE.

(a) Best Scientific and Commercial Data Available.--
(1) In general.--Section 3 of the Endangered Species Act of
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1532) is amended--
(A) by amending the section heading to read as
follows:

''SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL PROVISIONS. '';

(B) by striking ''For the purposes of this Act--''
and inserting the following:
''(a) Definitions.--In this Act:''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
''(b) Use of Certain Data.--In any case in which the Secretary is
required by this Act to use the best scientific and commercial data
available, the Secretary, in evaluating comparable data, shall give
greater weight to scientific or commercial data that is empirical or
has been field-tested or peer-reviewed.''.
(2) Conforming amendment.--The table of contents in the
first section of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C.
prec. 1531) is amended by striking the item relating to section
3 and inserting the following:

''Sec. 3. Definitions and general provisions.''.
(b) Use of Sound Science in Listing.--Section 4(b) of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533(b)) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
''(9) Establishment of criteria for scientific studies to
support listing.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall promulgate
regulations that establish criteria that must be met for
scientific and commercial data to be used as the basis of a
determination under this section that a species is an
endangered species or a threatened species.
''(10) Field data.--
''(A) Requirement.--The Secretary may not determine
that a species is an endangered species or a threatened
species unless the determination is supported by data
obtained by observation of the species in the field.
''(B) Data from landowners.--The Secretary shall--
''(i) accept and acknowledge receipt of
data regarding the status of a species that is
collected by an owner of land through
observation of the species on the land; and
''(ii) include the data in the rulemaking
record compiled for any determination that the
species is an endangered species or a
threatened species.''.
(c) Use of Sound Science in Recovery Planning.--Section 4(f) of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533(f)) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
''(6)(A) The Secretary shall identify and publish in the Federal
Register with the notice of a proposed regulation pursuant to paragraph
(5)(A)(i) a description of additional scientific and commercial data
that would assist in the preparation of a recovery plan and--
''(i) invite any person to submit the data to the
Secretary; and
''(ii) describe the steps that the Secretary plans to take
for acquiring additional data.
''(B) Data identified and obtained under subparagraph (A)(i) shall
be considered by the recovery team and the Secretary in the preparation
of the recovery plan in accordance with section 5.''.

SEC. 4. PEER REVIEW.

Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
''(j) Independent Scientific Review Requirements.--
''(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
''(A) Action.--The term 'action' means--
''(i) the determination that a species is
an endangered species or a threatened species
under subsection (a);
''(ii) the determination under subsection
(a) that an endangered species or a threatened
species be removed from any list published
under subsection (c)(1);
''(iii) the development of a recovery plan
for a threatened species or endangered species
under subsection (f); and
''(iv) the determination that a proposed
action is likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of a listed species and the proposal
of any reasonable and prudent alternatives by
the Secretary under section 7(b)(3).
''(B) Qualified individual.--The term 'qualified
individual' means an individual with expertise in the
biological sciences--
''(i) who through publication of peer-
reviewed scientific literature or other means,
has demonstrated scientific expertise on the
species or a similar species or other
scientific expertise relevant to the decision
of the Secretary under subsection (a) or (f);
''(ii) who does not have, or represent any
person with, a conflict of interest with
respect to the determination that is the
subject of the review;
''(iii) who is not a participant in any
petition or proposed or final determination
before the Secretary; and
''(iv) who has no direct financial
interest, and is not employed by any person
with a direct financial interest, in opposing
the action under consideration.
''(2) List of independent scientific reviewers.--The
Secretary shall solicit recommendations from the National
Academy of Sciences and develop and maintain a list of
qualified reviewers to participate in independent scientific
review actions.
''(3) Appointment of independent scientific reviewers.--(A)
Before any action shall become final, the Secretary shall
appoint randomly, from among the list prepared in accordance
with this section, 3 qualified individuals who shall review and
report to the Secretary on the scientific information and
analyses on which the proposed action is based.
''(B) The selection and activities of the referees selected
pursuant to this section shall not be subject to the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).
''(C) Reviewers shall be compensated for conducting the
independent review.
''(4) Opinion of peer reviewers.--Independent reviewers
shall provide the Secretary, within 3 months, their opinion
regarding all relevant scientific information and assumptions
relating to the taxonomy, population models, and supportive
biological and ecological information for the species in
question.
''(5) Final determination.--If the referees have made a
recommendation on a proposed action, the Secretary shall
evaluate and consider the information that results from the
independent scientific review and include in the final
determination--
''(A) a summary of the results of the independent
scientific review; and
''(B) in a case in which the recommendation of a
majority of the referees who conducted the independent
scientific review is not followed, an explanation as to
why the recommendation was not followed.
''(6) Public notice.--The report of the peer reviewers
shall be included in the official record of the proposed action
and shall be available for public review prior to the close of
the comment period on the proposed action.''.

SEC. 5. IMPROVED RECOVERY PLANNING.

(a) Use of Information Provided by States.--Section 7(b)(1) of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1536(b)(1)) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
''(C) Use of state information.--In conducting a
consultation under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary
shall actively solicit and consider information from
the State agency in each affected State.''.
(b) Opportunity to Participate in Consultations.--Section 7(b)(1)
of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1536(b)(1)) (as
amended by subsection (a)) is further amended by adding at the end the
following:
''(D) Opportunity to participate in
consultations.--
''(i) In general.--In conducting a
consultation under subsection (a)(2), the
Secretary shall provide any person who has
sought authorization or funding from a Federal
agency for an action that is the subject of the
consultation, the opportunity to--
''(I) before the development of a
draft biological opinion, submit and
discuss with the Secretary and the
Federal agency information relevant to
the effect of the proposed action on
the species and the availability of
reasonable and prudent alternatives (if
a jeopardy opinion is to be issued)
that the Federal agency and the person
can take to avoid violation of
subsection (a)(2);
''(II) receive information, on
request, subject to the exemptions
specified in section 552(b) of title 5,
United States Code, on the status of
the species, threats to the species,
and conservation measures, used by the
Secretary to develop the draft
biological opinion and the final
biological opinion, including the
associated incidental taking
statements; and
''(III) receive a copy of the draft
biological opinion from the Federal
agency and, before issuance of the
final biological opinion, submit
comments on the draft biological
opinion and discuss with the Secretary
and the Federal agency the basis for
any finding in the draft biological
opinion.
''(ii) Explanation.--If reasonable and
prudent alternatives are proposed by a person
under clause (i) and the Secretary does not
include the alternatives in the final
biological opinion, the Secretary shall explain
to the person why those alternatives were not
included in the opinion.
''(iii) Public access to information.--
Comments and other information submitted to, or
received from, any person (pursuant to clause
(i)) who seeks authorization or funding for an
action shall be maintained in a file for that
action by the Secretary and shall be made
available to the public (subject to the
exemptions specified in section 552(b) of title
5, United States Code).''.
Scientifically Identifying the Need for Critical Habitat Act - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to change from mandatory to discretionary the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to designate critical habitat of an endangered or threatened species.

Directs the Secretary, when required by the Act to use the best scientific and commercial data available, in evaluating comparable data to give greater weight to such data that is empirical or has been field-tested or peer-reviewed.

Specifies requirements for the use of sound science in the listing of endangered or threatened species such as: (1) the establishment of criteria for scientific studies to support the listing; (2) use of data obtained by observation of the species in the field; and (3) use of data from landowners who have observed such species on their land. Requires the use of sound science in the preparation of a recovery plan for an endangered or threatened species.

Sets forth requirements for: (1) peer review before certain action can become final with respect to endangered or threatened species; and (2) use of information provided by States affected by such species or their habitat for recovery plans.