zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
National Fish Habitat Conservation Act - Establishes a National Fish Habitat Board to: (1) promote, oversee, and coordinate the implementation of this Act and the existing National Fish Habitat Action Plan; (2) establish aquatic habitat conservation goals and priorities; and (3) review and recommend fish habitat conservation projects. Authorizes the Board to designate Fish Habitat Partnerships to: (1) coordinate Plan implementation at a regional level; (2) identify strategic priorities; (3) recommend habitat projects; and (4) develop and carry out fish habitat conservation projects. Establishes Partnership approval criteria, including that a Partnership: (1) include representatives of a diverse group of public and private partners focused on conservation of aquatic habitats to achieve results across jurisdictional boundaries and public and private land; and (2) is able to address issues and priorities on a nationally significant scale. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to fund, from amounts appropriated under this Act, up to 50% of the cost of approved fish habitat conservation projects on nonfederal and 100% of projects on federal land or water. Requires the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to: (1) establish the National Fish Habitat Conservation Partnership Office within the Service; and (2) develop the Office's interagency operational plan. Requires the Director, the Assistant Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Director of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to provide technical and scientific assistance to the Partnerships, the project participants, and the Board.

Date: 2009-05-21
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
America's Wildlife Heritage Act - Sets forth requirements concerning the maintenance of viable populations of existing native and desired non-native species within each planning area in the National Forest System's or the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) public lands. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to adopt and implement a strategically targeted monitoring program for determining the status and trends of native and desired non-native species populations on System and BLM lands. Defines: (1) native species to mean species of plants and animals indigenous to a planning area; and (2) desired non-native species to mean those wild species of plants and animals that are not indigenous to a planning area but are valued for their contribution to species diversity or their social, cultural, or economic value. Requires the Secretaries to coordinate the management of planning areas of the System and the BLM with the management of the National Wildlife Refuge System and National Park System, other federal agencies, state fish and wildlife agencies, other state agencies responsible for management of natural resources, tribes, local governments, and non-governmental organizations engaged in species conservation. Requires the Secretaries to issue regulations implementing this Act within one year of its enactment.

Date: 2009-06-10
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Amends the federal criminal code to add the Burmese Python of the species Python molurus bivittatus and the African Rock Python of the species Python sebae to the list of injurious species that are prohibited from being shipped or imported into the United States.

Date: 2009-06-10
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
American Family Farm and Ranchland Protection Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase to $5 million the limitation on the estate tax exclusion for land subject to a qualified conservation easement and to increase the percentage of the value of such land that is excludable.

Date: 2009-06-25
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Taxation
Global Wildlife Conservation, Coordination, and Enhancement Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish within the United States Fish and Wildlife Service an Institute for International Wildlife Conservation, headed by an Assistant Director for International Wildlife Conservation. Directs the Assistant Director to create, submit to specified congressional committees, and publish in the Federal Register an International Wildlife Conservation Action Plan. Directs the Secretary, through the Institute, to: (1) coordinate international conservation efforts and enhance wildlife species conservation; (2) carry out a Wildlife Without Borders Program to provide international wildlife conservation assistance; (3) develop and conduct a multifaceted program to increase public understanding and appreciation of global wildlife resources and biodiversity, the threats confronting wildlife populations globally, and activities that can be undertaken to address specified threats; (4) develop and implement an educational outreach program to increase public awareness of international wildlife conservation; (5) provide fellowships to U.S. and foreign students in disciplines related to fish and wildlife conservation; and (6) establish a Center for International Wildlife Recovery Partnerships. Authorizes the Assistant Director to establish a Global Wildlife Conservation Advisory Committee to advise the Secretary on international wildlife conservation programs. Establishes: (1) an International Wildlife Conservation Fund in the Treasury; and (2) a Global Wildlife Coordination Council to assist other nations in preserving and managing wildlife resources and their habitats. Directs the Secretary, through the Office of Law Enforcement of the Wildlife Service, to strengthen and enhance law enforcement efforts relating to wildlife conservation and trade.

Date: 2009-06-26
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Animals
Wildlife Without Borders Authorization Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a Wildlife Without Borders Program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide international wildlife conservation assistance through the initiation, facilitation, and promotion of locally adapted wildlife management and conservation programs in coordination with non-governmental organizations, governments, private businesses, and community leaders. Specifies the species, regional, and global program components that shall be included in the Wildlife Without Borders Program. Permits the Secretary, in the administration of the Wildlife Without Borders Program, to accept donated funds and to use them for capacity building, grants, and other on-the-ground uses carried out under the regional and global program components authorized by this Act.

Date: 2009-07-14
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Animals
Water Protection and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish in the Treasury the Water Protection and Reinvestment Trust Fund (Trust Fund) to support investments in clean water and drinking water infrastructure. Imposes through 2015: (1) an excise tax on the sale of containers of water-based beverages, water disposal products, and pharmaceutical products; and (2) a clean water tax on corporations. Appropriates revenues raised from such taxes to the Trust Fund. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allocate amounts from the Trust Fund for specified clean and safe drinking water programs. Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act to: (1) expand the types of projects eligible for funding by state revolving loan funds; and (2) set forth additional criteria for states in developing priorities for assistance under such Acts; and (3) provide for technical assistance to community water systems and small water treatment works. Authorizes the Administrator to make grants to: (1) increase the security of community water systems and water treatment works; (2) hire certified wastewater treatment operators; and (3) control sewer overflow. Requires the Administrator to make grants to: (1) support efforts by water systems to increase energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigate the impacts of climate change; (2) establish a national water infrastructure research, development, and demonstration program and regional university water research centers; and (3) take back and dispose of prescription and over-the-counter drugs in an environmentally sound manner.

Date: 2009-07-14
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Water resources development
Community Forestry Conservation Act of 2009 - Provides for the treatment of qualified forest conservation bonds as tax-exempt facility bonds under the Internal Revenue Code. Defines "qualified forest conservation bonds" as bonds issued for certain forestry organizations within 48 months after the enactment of this Act. Requires 95 percent or more of the net proceeds of such bonds to be used for specified forestry project costs, including the acquisition of forest lands subject to a conservation restriction. Exempts from income tax income, gains, and other tax incidents generated by certain harvesting activity on forest lands purchased with qualified forest conservation bonds.

Date: 2009-07-22
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Taxation
Protect America's Wildlife Act of 2009 - Amends the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to impose criminal penalties on anyone who knowingly violates any regulation prohibiting the shooting or harassing of birds, fish, or other animals from aircraft (airborne hunting). Increases the monetary penalty for airborne hunting from $5,000 to $50,000. Expands the exceptions to the prohibition against airborne hunting to include enhancing the propagation and survival of wildlife or preventing the extinction of a species threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Date: 2009-07-29
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Animals
Salmon Solutions and Planning Act - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences for scientific analysis of federal salmon recovery efforts, including a review of Snake River dam removal (Washington state) and other actions necessary to achieve recovery of endangered or threatened salmon and steelhead populations of the Columbia and Snake River Basin. Directs: (1) the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to conduct a peer-reviewed analysis of which rail, highway, and Columbia River barge infrastructure improvements would be necessary to ensure a cost-effective and efficient transportation system for shippers who currently use barge transportation between Lewiston, Idaho, and the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers and who would be unable to do so if the four lower Snake River dams were removed; (2) the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to conduct a peer-reviewed analysis of options to replace the power currently generated by such dams if they were removed; (3) the Army Corps of Engineers to analyze riverfront revitalization and restoration opportunities and costs in the event of such removal; and (4) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, to conduct a peer-reviewed analysis of the options and costs regarding any needed modifications to affected irrigation systems, cooling systems, and private wells if the dams were removed. Sets forth the congressional determination that the Secretary of the Army may remove the four lower Snake River dams. Directs the Secretary to reevaluate and update the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Final Lower Snake River Juvenile Salmon Migration Feasibility Report/Environmental Impact Statement (February 2002) pursuant to new information.

Date: 2009-07-31
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 - Amends the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Act of 1994 to: (1) require reports every five years on the status of the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program in each state; and (2) authorize appropriations for the administrative expenses of the Program through FY2015.

Date: 2009-09-08
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Animals
Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to study and report to Congress on the feasibility of establishing a national program for measuring, reporting, publicly disclosing, and labeling products or materials sold in the United States for their carbon content, including regarding: (1) whether such a program would be effective in achieving greenhouse gas reductions; (2) criteria for identifying and prioritizing sectors, products, and processes that should be covered; (3) an identification of products, processes, or sectors whose inclusion could have a substantial carbon impact; (4) suggested methodology and protocols for measuring the carbon content of products across their entire carbon lifecycle; (5) options for educating consumers about product carbon content and the program; (6) an analysis of the associated costs and timelines; and (7) an evaluation of incentives to determine whether reductions in emissions can be accelerated through encouraging more efficient manufacturing or by encouraging preferences for lower-emissions products over higher-emissions products whose level of performance is no better. Requires the Administrator, upon concluding the study, to establish a national product carbon disclosure program, participation in which shall be voluntary and which may involve a product carbon label with broad applicability to the wholesale and consumer markets to enable and encourage knowledge about carbon content by producers and consumers and to inform efforts to reduce energy consumption nationwide.

Date: 2009-09-09
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Environmental protection
Ponds and Water-Based Conservation Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for 50% of qualified pond construction expenditures, up to $50,000 in a taxable year. Defines "qualified pond construction expenditures" as amounts, including labor costs, incurred to construct a body of water to promote stormwater management and conservation or foster expansion of water-based habitat for wildlife or fish.

Date: 2009-09-22
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Taxation
Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act - Amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to prohibit the use or possession of body-gripping traps in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Imposes on persons who possess or use such traps in the System: (1) for a first offense, a civil fine of up to $500 for each body-gripping trap possessed or used; and (2) for subsequent offenses, a civil fine of up to $1000 for each body-gripping trap possessed or used, imprisonment for up to 180 days, or both such a civil fine and imprisonment. Makes any body-gripping traps that are possessed or used in violation of this Act, and any wildlife captured by the use of such traps, including the pelts and raw fur, subject to civil forfeiture. Requires persons found to be in violation of such prohibition to pay all associated court costs.

Date: 2009-10-01
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act - Amends the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to: (1) authorize a state to pay up to 90% of the costs of acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing a public target range; (2) authorize a state to elect to allocate 10% of a specified amount apportioned to it from the federal aid to wildlife restoration fund for such costs; (3) limit the federal share of such costs under such Act to 90%; and (4) require amounts provided for such costs under such Act to remain available for expenditure and obligation for five fiscal years. Shields the United States from any civil action or claim for money damages for injury to or loss of property, personal injury, or death caused by an activity occurring at a public target range that is funded by the federal government pursuant to such Act or located on federal land, except to the extent provided under the Federal Tort Claims Act with respect to the exercise or performance of a discretionary function. Urges the Chief of the Forest Service and the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to cooperate with state and local authorities and other entities to carry out waste removal and other activities on any federal land used as a public target range in order to encourage its continued use for target practice or marksmanship training.

Date: 2009-10-08
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Amends the Central Valley Project Improvement Act to limit the Secretary of the Interior's share of the costs associated with fish screens in the Patterson Irrigation District to 75% of the total cost of such activities to assist efforts in California to implement measures to avoid losses of juvenile anadromous fish resulting from unscreened or inadequately screened diversions on the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, their tributaries, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and the Suisun Marsh.

Date: 2009-10-13
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Water resources development
Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2009 - Amends the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act to require the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, to: (1) conduct forest management activities in the Lake Tahoe Basin in a manner that helps achieve and maintain the environmental threshold carrying capacities established by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (Agency) and attains multiple ecosystem benefits, unless the attainment of such benefits would excessively increase the project's cost in relation to the additional benefits gained; (2) establish post-project ground condition criteria for ground disturbance caused by forest management activities; and (3) provide for monitoring to ascertain the attainment of such conditions. Requires the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit to: (1) manage vehicular parking and traffic in the Unit; and (2) support the attainment of the environmental threshold carrying capacities. Withdraws federal land located in the Unit from: (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) disposition under all laws relating to mineral and geothermal leasing. Requires the Chair of the Lake Tahoe Federal Interagency Partnership to submit to Congress a prioritized list of all Environmental Improvement Program projects for the Basin. Authorizes: (1) the Secretary, the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement specified projects and projects included in the prioritized list that have been subject to environmental review and approval under federal and state law and the Tahoe Regional Planning Compact; and (2) funding for such projects. Requires the Director to deploy strategies that meet or exceed specified criteria for preventing the introduction of aquatic invasive species into the Lake Tahoe Basin and that apply to all watercraft to be launched on water within the Basin. Requires the Administrator to implement a Lake Tahoe Science Program that includes: (1) developing and updating an integrated multiagency programmatic assessment and monitoring plan and evaluating the effectiveness of the Agency's Environmental Improvement Program; and (2) providing support to governments in reducing pollutants that contribute to the loss of lake clarity. Provides for the establishment of a grant to develop a Basin watershed strategy.

Date: 2009-11-03
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Water resources development
Federal Land Avalanche Protection Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to establish an avalanche protection program to: (1) identify the potential for avalanches on federal lands and inform the public about the probability of avalanches and their potential adverse effects; (2) carry out ongoing research to improve avalanche forecasting; and (3) reduce the risks of avalanches and mitigate their effects. Requires the Secretary: (1) to coordinate the program to ensure protection for recreational users of public land under the Secretary of the Interior's jurisdiction, using resources of the Forest Service's National Avalanche Center; (2) to establish an advisory committee to assist in program development and implementation; and (3) with the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of the Army, to establish a central depository for weapons, ammunition, and parts for avalanche control purposes.Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to carry out projects and activities to: (1) assist in the prevention, forecasting, detection, and mitigation of avalanches; (2) maintain essential transportation, utilities, and communications; (3) assist avalanche artillery users to ensure the availability of adequate supplies of artillery and explosives required for avalanche control in specified areas; and (4) assist research and development activities for alternatives to minimize reliance on military weapons for avalanche control.Directs the Secretary to give priority to projects carried out in avalanche zones with a high frequency or severity of avalanches or in which deaths, injuries, or damage to public facilities and communities have occurred. Requires the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to transfer specified property suitable for avalanche control purposes to a user of surplus ordnance.

Date: 2009-12-16
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Great Ape Conservation Reauthorization Amendments Act of 2010 - Amends the Great Ape Conservation Act of 2000 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to award a multiyear grant to an eligible person to implement a great ape conservation project that the person demonstrates is an effective, long-term conservation strategy for great apes and their habitats. Authorizes the Secretary to implement a program of awards to acknowledge outstanding achievement in great ape conservation, to enhance great ape conservation, and to demonstrate the indebtedness of the world to the commitment made by individuals and local communities to protect and conserve populations of great apes. Requires the Secretary to convene a panel of experts to identify the greatest needs and priorities for the conservation of great apes within a year of this Act's enactment and every five years thereafter (current law authorizes the Secretary to convene a panel to consider the greatest conservation needs every two years). Requires the panel to include representatives from foreign range states with expertise in great ape conservation and to consider relevant great ape conservation plans or strategies, including scientific research and findings related to: (1) conservation needs and priorities of great apes; (2) regional or species-specific action plans or strategies; (3) applicable strategies developed or initiated by the Secretary; and (4) any other applicable conservation plan or strategy. Authorizes the Secretary to pay expenses of convening and facilitating meetings of the panel. Authorizes appropriations for the Great Ape Conservation Fund for FY2011-FY2015.

Date: 2010-01-12
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Animals
Bunitan Tasi Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce to treat the government of Guam as a cooperating agency with responsibilities and roles similar to the government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, including with respect to membership on the Mariana Monument Advisory Council. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) enhance visitor services programs at Guam National Wildlife Refuge; and (2) initiate a comprehensive program to facilitate natural resource exploration and research, as well as encourage tourism, recreation, and economic opportunities to build public awareness and appreciation of the natural resources under the jurisdiction of the Interior and Commerce Departments. Permits, under the enhancement of such programs and the comprehensive program, the inclusion of activities for: (1) enhanced resource management, research, and visitor services programs for the promotion and interpretation of the fish and wildlife resources of Guam, including activities to improve the conservation of coral reef ecosystems and activities to conserve Guam's marine resources; and (2) the facilitation of environmental education for students on Guam in partnership with the University of Guam, Guam Community College, and the Guam Department of Education. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to accept and spend donated funds and use donated property or services from private persons and entities or from public entities to carry out this Act.

Date: 2010-01-21
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Medicine Enhancement Act of 2010 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to award grants to wildlife or veterinary institutions to create additional clinical and research positions for wildlife and zoological veterinarians, with preference to institutions that will create positions in areas of need, including wildlife disease research and training, disease surveillance, ecology and wildlife population management, and conservation and management of the health of endangered, threatened, and sensitive species. Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) the Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Workforce Loan Repayment Program to repay educational loans of applicants who have received, in the previous ten years, a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine or a graduate degree in veterinary medicine after receiving such doctoral degree, or who are enrolled in an accredited school or college of veterinary medicine program that leads to such a degree, and who agree to serve for at least four consecutive years at a wildlife or veterinary institution as a wildlife or zoological veterinarian; and (2) the Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Workforce Scholarship Program to award students enrolled in an accredited school or college of veterinary medicine scholarships for up to four years in exchange for entering a contract to serve for at least four consecutive years as wildlife or zoological veterinarians at wildlife or veterinary institutions beginning no later than four years after graduation. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish a pilot program to award competitive grants to accredited schools and colleges of veterinary medicine to develop and provide new or existing curricula that specialize in wildlife or zoological veterinary medicine; and (2) award competitive grants to eligible wildlife or veterinary institutions to establish or expand training programs (i.e., externship, internship, fellowship, or residency programs) in veterinary medicine for wildlife or zoological populations, under which financial assistance will be provided to traineeship candidates (i.e., individuals who hold, or who are enrolled in a program leading to, a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine).

Date: 2010-01-21
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Animals
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to convey and quitclaim all interest of the United States in and to a parcel of real property, including improvements, located at 4500 Glenwood Drive in Riverside, California, and administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, to the Riverside Corona Conservation District. Requires the Conservation District to pay to the Secretary the appraised market value of the land as unimproved land, excluding all improvements other than normal utility connections such as sewer and water taps. Prohibits reservation by the Secretary of any future interest in the property to be conveyed, except that which may be acceptable to the Conservation District. Requires the Secretary, notwithstanding the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) or the Solid Waste Disposal Act, in conveying the property, to only meet the disclosure requirements for hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants, without otherwise being required to remediate or abate any such releases, including petroleum and petroleum derivatives.

Date: 2010-03-11
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer Improvement Act of 2010 - Amends the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (the Act) to authorize appropriations for FY2011-FY2014 to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out certain activities and services related to fish and wildlife, including for expenses related to gift acceptance, volunteer services, community partnership projects and programs, and refuge education programs. Amends the National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer and Community Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998 to direct the Secretary, through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to carry out a National Volunteer Coordination Program within the National Wildlife Refuge System. Requires the Director to: (1) publish a national strategy for the coordination and utilization of volunteers within the System; and (2) provide at least one regional volunteer coordinator for each Service region to implement such strategy. Makes such coordinators responsible for assisting partner organizations in implementing volunteer projects and activities under cooperative agreements the Secretary may enter into pursuant to the Act. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the National Volunteer Coordination Program through FY2014. Requires the Secretary to submit a report to Congress that: (1) evaluates the accomplishments of the volunteer program, the community partnerships program, and the refuge education programs authorized under the Act, and of the National Volunteer Coordination Program and the national strategy; and (2) makes recommendations for improving the effectiveness of such programs.

Date: 2010-03-25
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Requires the Secretary of Commerce to conduct an aerial assessment of and report to Congress on the population abundance and spatial and temporal distribution of Green, Loggerhead, Leatherback, Kemp's Ridley, and Hawksbill sea turtles in state and federal waters. Prohibits the Secretary from issuing any rule regarding incidental fisheries bycatch of any of such turtle species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) or the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act before the report is submitted. Exempts any rule to alter or restrict use of a specific gear type in a specific fishery if the Secretary certifies that the rule is an emergency rule necessary to: (1) protect such a species from being imminently determined to be endangered primarily as a result of incidental taking by that gear type in that fishery; or (2) protect such a species that is listed as an endangered species from imminent extinction primarily as a result of incidental taking of such species by that gear type in that fishery.

Date: 2010-04-27
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Forest Ecosystem Recovery and Protection Act - Directs the Secretaries of Agriculture (USDA) and of the Interior to designate 25 demonstration project forests in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Requires the Secretaries to identify specific project sites within the project forests and to develop pine beetle prevention, mitigation, or forest restoration projects for those sites. Directs the Secretaries to enter into stewardship contracts that meet the needs of each project site. Authorizes grants to support the forest products industry: (1) participation in pine beetle prevention and mitigation and forest restoration activities at the sites, as specified; or (2) use of forest materials derived from those activities. Makes permanent the stewardship end result contracting authorities available to the Forest Service for the performance of services to achieve land management goals for the national forests that meet local and rural communities needs. Authorizes on National Forest System or public land the: (1) designation of insect or disease emergency areas from which dead and dying trees may be removed in response to threats to human health and safety; (2) use of state foresters to provide forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration and protection services; and (3) removal of dead and dying trees from rights-of-way held by a state department of transportation, state or federal public utility commission, or private utility company.

Date: 2010-04-29
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Coastal Habitat Conservation Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to carry out within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service a Coastal Program to: (1) identify the most important natural resource problems and solutions in priority coastal ecosystems in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal governments, nongovernmental institutions, nonprofit organizations, and private individuals or corporate entities; (2) provide technical and financial support through partnerships with such governments, institutions, organizations, and private individuals for voluntary habitat assessment, protection, planning, restoration, and enhancement projects on public or private land; (3) assist in the development and implementation of monitoring protocols and adaptive management procedures so as to ensure the success of coastal ecosystem conservation and restoration measures; and (4) collaborate with partners and the public regarding methods and models for the conservation, restoration, and enhancement of coastal ecosystems. Requires the Secretary to employ youth volunteers and organizations that provide service opportunities for youths to carry out nonhazardous habitat restoration and enhancement activities.

Date: 2010-05-19
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Environmental protection
Requires the release of 5,412.5 acre-feet of water from the marketable yield pool (the portion of the regulatory capacity that is dedicated to marketing purposes) of water stored in the Ruedi Reservoir (a component of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project of the Bureau of Reclamation in western Colorado) for the benefit of endangered fish habitat in the Colorado River for 2013 and each year thereafter at the request of the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Requires such release during the late summer months to enhance low water flows in areas that comprise the endangered fish habitat in the Colorado River, unless otherwise requested by the Director. Provides that the release shall satisfy 50% of the commitment by certain water users to provide 10,825 acre-feet of water per year, as described in Appendix C of the document entitled "Final Programmatic Biological Opinion for Bureau of Reclamation's Operations and Depletions, Other Depletions, and Funding and Implementation of Recovery Program Actions in the Upper Colorado River above the Confluence with the Gunnison River." Makes this Act effective when: (1) the Secretary of the Interior issues a finding of no significant impact or a record of decision under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 regarding such release; and (2) an additional 5,412.5 acre-feet of water has been made available by means acceptable to water users to satisfy their remaining obligations.

Date: 2010-05-20
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Water resources development
Polar Bear Delisting Act - Provides that the determination by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service of the threatened status of the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the listing of such species as threatened shall have no force or effect.

Date: 2010-05-25
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Animals
Secure All Facilities to Effectively Guard the United States Against and Respond to Dangerous Spills Act of 2010 or the SAFEGUARDS Act of 2010 - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to: (1) prohibit the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) from issuing a permit or other authorization for exploration for or production of oil and gas under a lease under such Act unless an oil spill response plan for the operations of the facility on which the activity is conducted has been approved by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating as meeting requirements for such a plan under provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act); (2) require the Secretary to approve an oil and gas exploration plan within 90 (currently 30) days of submission, with a 60-day extension authorized if the Secretary certifies that it's necessary to allow adequate consideration of the plan; and (3) prohibit an exploration plan from being eligible for a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Amends the Clean Water Act to require: (1) the President to issue regulations to require owners or operators of offshore facilities to have their plans for responding to a worst case discharge of oil or a hazardous substance approved by the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating; and (2) such worst case plans of owners and operators of tank vessels, nontank vessels, offshore facilities, or onshore facilities to include plans for responding to uncontrolled or uncontained discharges from wells. Requires the National Contingency Plan for removal of oil and hazardous substances to: (1) include water quality monitoring by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of waters affected by discharges of oil or other hazardous substances that begins not later than 48 hours after such a discharge is reported; (2) include designation of the Commandant of the Coast Guard as the National Incident Commander for activities in response to a discharge that results in a substantial threat to the public health or welfare of the United States if such a discharge affects waters with respect to which the Coast Guard is responsible for response efforts under the Plan; and (3) be updated by the President every five years, including separate response plans for discharges of oil or other hazardous materials into or upon land and water.

Date: 2010-07-01
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Energy
Endangered Species Compliance and Transparency Act of 2010 - Requires the Administrator of each of the Bonneville Power Administration, the Western Area Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, and the Southeastern Power Administration to: (1) include in monthly billing statements sent to customers estimates of each customer's share of such Administration's direct and indirect costs for compliance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973; and (2) submit an annual report estimating such costs (on a project-by-project basis for the Western Area Power Administration and on a system-wide basis for the other Administrations) to the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Date: 2010-07-29
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit treatment of the Gray Wolf as an endangered or threatened species.

Date: 2010-07-30
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Animals
Mono County Economic Development Act of 2010 - Releases the Bodie Wilderness Study Area in Mono County, California, from being subject to certain requirements under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and under the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 with regard to the management of the lands within the Study Area during the period of review of such Area for designation as wilderness. Requires the released lands to be returned immediately, without any further action by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to multiple use management as set forth in the applicable resource management plan.

Date: 2010-09-15
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Wildlife Disease Emergency Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) declare a wildlife disease emergency in one or more states for a disease that is occurring either within the United States or outside the United States with the potential to enter the United States, (2) lead a coordinated response to the emergency, and (3) implement a grant program to provide funding to state wildlife agencies and Indian tribes to address such emergencies. Directs the Secretary, in making such a declaration, to consider: (1) the level of threat the disease poses to affected wildlife populations; (2) the sufficiency of resources available in the Wildlife Disease Emergency Fund; (3) the ability of the Department of the Interior and other federal, state, and local agencies, tribal governments, and other stakeholders to address and coordinate a response to the disease through other authorities; and (4) any state governor's request for such a declaration. Establishes in the Treasury a Wildlife Disease Emergency Fund, which shall be available to the Secretary for activities authorized by this Act. Directs the Secretary to establish a Wildlife Disease Committee to assist the Secretary in increasing the level of preparedness of the United States to address emerging wildlife diseases. Authorizes the Secretary to convene rapid response teams to address a wildlife disease emergency.

Date: 2010-09-29
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Animals
Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from prohibiting, limiting, or controlling any type of firearm ammunition or fishing tackle based on material composition.

Date: 2010-09-29
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Environmental protection
Marine Debris Act Reauthorization Amendments of 2010 - Reauthorizes appropriations through FY2015 for, and revises provisions of, the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act. Replaces provisions establishing within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the Marine Debris Prevention and Removal Program with provisions establishing the Marine Debris Program. Revises provisions governing such Program, including by requiring the Administrator of NOAA to: (1) investigate, identify sources of, assess, reduce, remove, and prevent the occurrence of marine debris and to address and prevent adverse impacts of such debris on the marine environment, navigation safety, and the economy; (2) address land-based sources of marine debris, develop fishing gear modifications or alternatives to conventional fishing gear posing a threat to the marine environment, and develop effective nonregulatory measures and incentives to cooperatively reduce the volume of lost and discarded fishing gear and to aid in its recovery; (3) undertake national and regional coordination to assist states, Indian tribes, and regional organizations to address marine debris issues that are particular to their areas; (4) develop tools and products to improve efforts to address marine debris and make them available to researchers, the marine debris community, and the general public; and (5) lead the development and implementation of a strategy to promote international action to reduce the incidence of marine debris. Requires the Administrator to host a Global Marine Debris Coordination Conference in 2015 and at least every four years thereafter. Defines "marine debris" to mean any man-made object that: (1) intentionally or unintentionally, is discarded, disposed of, or abandoned; and (2) enters the coastal or marine environment directly from a vessel, a facility, or shore or indirectly, by being carried via a river, stream, or storm drain or by other means.

Date: 2010-09-29
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Transportation and public works
Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2010 - Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to revise the program of marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technology research, development, demonstration, and commercial application, including by requiring the program to include specified activities, including: (1) determining the potential availability, extractability, and cost-effectiveness of marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy generation in the United States; (2) designing and developing evaluation and performance standards domestically and with international partners; and (3) improving interagency collaboration to address challenges associated with the development of such technologies. Requires such program to be separate from the Department of Energy's (DOE) Wind and Hydropower Program. Requires the Secretary of Energy to establish a competitive marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technology demonstration grant program to: (1) verify the performance, reliability, maintainability, environmental impact, and cost of technology components, devices, and system designs in an operating environment; and (2) facilitate the commercial application of technology components, devices, and systems at a variety of scales. Requires the Secretary to establish a competitive research, development, and demonstration grant program to identify and assess ways to avoid and minimize environmental impacts potentially arising from marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies, devices, and systems. Requires the Secretary to award competitive grants to support modifying or constructing three or more geographically dispersed marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technology research, development, and demonstration test facilities for the demonstration of multiple technologies in actual operating environments. Authorizes National Marine Renewable Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Centers to serve as technology test facilities.

Date: 2010-09-29
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Energy
Amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to allow the transport, purchase, sale, or export of Southcentral or Southeast Alaskan otter pelts taken for certain subsistence purposes.

Date: 2010-09-29
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Animals
State Sovereignty Wildlife Management Act - Provides that the inclusion of the gray wolf (Canis lupus), including any gray wolf designated as "nonessential experimental," on any list of endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 shall have no force or effect.

Date: 2010-12-02
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Animals
State of Utah Wildlife Management Sovereignty Act - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide that the inclusion of the gray wolf, or any distinct population segment of gray wolf, in Utah on any list of endangered or threatened species shall have no force or effect.

Date: 2010-12-02
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Animals
Ensuring Affordable Energy Act - Prohibits any funds appropriated or otherwise available for the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from being used to implement or enforce: (1) a cap-and-trade program; or (2) any statutory or regulatory requirement pertaining to emissions of one or more greenhouse gases from stationary sources that is issued or becomes applicable or effective after January 1, 2011. Defines: (1) "cap-and-trade program" as any regulatory program established after the date of enactment of this Act that provides for the sale, auction, or other distribution of a limited amount of allowances that permit the emission of one or more greenhouse gases; and (2) "greenhouse gas" to include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, or any other designated anthropogenic gas.

Date: 2010-12-09
Topic: Environment (Species & Forest)
Subject: Environmental protection