Q: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Endangered Salmon Predation
Prevention Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:
(1) There are 13 groups of salmon and steelhead that are
listed as threatened species or endangered species under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 that migrate through the lower
Columbia River.
(2) The people of the Northwest United States are united in
their desire to restore healthy salmon and steelhead runs, as
they are integral to the region's culture and economy.
(3) The Columbia River treaty tribes retain important
rights with respect to salmon and steelhead.
(4) Federal, State, and tribal governments have spent
billions of dollars to assist the recovery of Columbia River
salmon and steelhead populations.
(5) One of the factors impacting salmonid populations is
increased predation by marine mammals, including California sea
lions.
(6) The population of California sea lions has increased 6-
fold over the last 3 decades, and is currently greater than
300,000.
(7) In recent years, over 1,000 California sea lions have
been entering the lower 205 miles of the Columbia River up to
Miller Island during the peak spring salmonid run before
returning to the California coast to mate.
(8) The percentage of the spring salmonid run that has been
eaten or killed by California sea lions at Bonneville dam has
increased 7-fold since 2002.
(9) In recent years, California sea lions have with greater
frequency congregated near Bonneville dam and have entered the
fish ladders.
(10) Some of these California sea lions have not been
responsive to extensive hazing methods employed near Bonneville
dam to discourage this behavior.
(11) The process established under the 1994 amendment to
the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to address aggressive
sea lion behavior is protracted and will not work in a timely
enough manner to protect threatened and endangered salmonids in
the near term.
(12) In the interest of protecting Columbia River
threatened and endangered salmonids, a temporary expedited
procedure is urgently needed to allow removal of the minimum
number of California sea lions as is necessary to protect the
passage of threatened and endangered salmonids in the Columbia
River or its tributaries.

SEC. 3. TAKING OF CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER OR ITS
TRIBUTARIES TO PROTECT ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES
OF SALMON.

(a) Amendment to Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972.--Section 120
of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1389) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
''(k) Temporary Marine Mammal Removal Authority on the Waters of
the Columbia River or Its Tributaries.--
''(1) Determination of alternative measures.--
''(A) In general.--The Secretary shall determine
whether alternative measures to reduce sea lion
predation of salmonid stocks in the waters of the
Columbia River or its tributaries listed as threatened
species or endangered species under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) adequately
protect the salmonid stocks from California sea lion
predation.
''(B) Deadline.--The Secretary shall make such
determination not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this subsection.
''(C) Public comment.--The Secretary shall, within
such 90-day period, provide up to 30 days for the
submission of public comments on the determination.
''(D) Federal register.--The Secretary shall
publish the determination in the Federal Register.
''(2) Removal authority.--In addition to other authority
under this section, and notwithstanding any other provision of
this title, the Secretary may issue a permit to an eligible
entity authorizing the intentional lethal taking on the waters
of the Columbia River or its tributaries California sea lions
if the Secretary determines under paragraph (1) that
alternative measures to reduce sea lion predation on salmonid
stocks in such waters listed as threatened species or
endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) do not adequately protect the salmonid
stocks from California sea lion predation.
''(3) Permit process.--
''(A) In general.--An eligible entity may apply to
the Secretary of Commerce for a permit under paragraph
(2) authorizing the lethal taking of California sea
lions.
''(B) Deadline for consideration of application.--
The Secretary shall approve or deny an application for
a permit under this subsection by not later than 30
days after receiving the application.
''(C) Authority to issue multiple permits.--The
Secretary may issue more than one permit under this
subsection to an eligible entity. No more than one
permit may be utilized in any 14-day period by the same
eligible entity.
''(D) Duration of permits.--A permit under this
subsection shall be effective for no more than one year
after the date it is issued.
''(E) Consultation.--In issuing a permit to an
eligible entity, the Secretary shall--
''(i) consult with other eligible entities
and other such entities as the Secretary
considers appropriate, including the Corps of
Engineers; and
''(ii) consider the number of other permits
issued to other eligible entities in the same
time period.
''(F) Reports.--Not later than January 31 following
the end of each year in which a lethal taking occurs
under a permit under this subsection, the Secretary
shall publish a brief report describing the
implementation of this subsection and the effect of all
such takings in such year on Columbia River salmonid
stocks and on the California sea lion population in the
area where each taking occurs.
''(4) Limitations.--
''(A) Limitation on permit authority.--A permit
issued under this subsection shall not authorize the
lethal taking of more than 10 California sea lions.
''(B) Limitation on annual takings.--The cumulative
number of California sea lions authorized to be taken
each year under all permits in effect under this
subsection shall not exceed one percent of the annual
potential biological removal level of California sea
lions.
''(C) Limitation on animal authorized to be
taken.--
''(i) Determination required.--A California
sea lion may not be taken under a permit under
this subsection unless the permit holder has
determined that--
''(I) such sea lion has preyed upon
salmonid stocks in the Columbia River;
and
''(II) with respect to such sea
lion, nonlethal alternative measures to
prevent preying on salmonid stocks have
in general not been effective.
''(ii) Consultation.--In making such
determination, the permit holder shall consult
with the National Marine Fisheries Service, and
may consult with any other Federal agency or
eligible entity as appropriate.
''(5) Delegation of permit authority.--The State of
Washington and the State of Oregon may each designate the
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission to administer its
permit authority under this subsection. Any other eligible
entity may designate the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish
Commission to administer its permit authority under this
subsection.
''(6) NEPA.--Section 102(2)(C) of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)) shall
not apply with respect to this subsection and the issuance of
any permit under this subsection during the 3-year period
beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.
''(7) Termination of permitting authority.--The Secretary
may not issue any permit under this subsection after the
earlier of--
''(A) the end of the 5-year period beginning on the
date of the enactment of this subsection; or
''(B) the date the Secretary determines that lethal
removal authority is no longer necessary to protect
salmonid stocks from California sea lion predation.
''(8) Eligible entity defined.--In this subsection, the
term 'eligible entity' means each of the State of Washington,
the State of Oregon, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated
Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, and the
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation.''.
(b) Recommended Legislation.--Not later than two years after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall
submit to the Congress a report on the need for additional legislation
to amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to address the
general issue of predation by marine mammals on fish species listed as
threatened species or endangered species under the Endangered Species
Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) nonlethal means of preventing predation of listed
salmonid stocks in the Columbia River by California sea lions
is preferable to lethal means;
(2) permit holders exercising lethal removal authority
pursuant to the amendment made by this Act should be trained in
wildlife management; and
(3) the Federal Government should continue to fund,
research, and support effective nonlethal alternative measures
for preventing such predation.
A:
Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act - Amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to issue one-year permits for the lethal taking of California sea lions if the Secretary determines that alternative measures to reduce sea lion predation on threatened or endangered salmonid stocks in the Columbia River do not adequately protect the salmonid stocks from such predation. Limits the cumulative annual taking of California sea lions to one percent of the annual potential biological removal level of such sea lions. Requires the Secretary to determine whether alternative measures to reduce sea lion predation on salmonid stocks will adequately protect such stocks.

Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) nonlethal means of preventing sea lion predation of salmonid stocks in the Columbia River is preferable to lethal means; (2) permit holders exercising lethal removal authority should be trained in wildlife management; and (3) the federal government should continue to fund, research, and support effective nonlethal alternative measures for preventing such predation.