[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9826 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9826
To modify the boundaries of the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 25, 2024
Mr. Garamendi (for himself, Mr. Huffman, and Mr. Thompson of
California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To modify the boundaries of the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge,
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 ``San Pablo Bay National Wildlife
Refuge Expansion Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. BOUNDARY MODIFICATION, ACQUISITION, AND ADMINISTRATION.
(a) In General.--There shall be included within the boundaries of
the National Wildlife Refuge the approximately 5,658 acres of lands,
marshes, tidal flats, salt ponds, submerged lands, and open waters
generally depicted on the Map as ``Proposed Boundary Expansion Area''.
(b) Map.--
(1) Corrections.--The Secretary may make clerical and
typographical corrections to the Map.
(2) Public availability; effect.--The Map and any
corrections made to the Map under paragraph (1) shall--
(A) be publicly available on the website of the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service;
(B) be on file and available for public inspection
in the appropriate offices of the United States Fish
and Wildlife Service, including the office located at
2100 Sears Point Road, Sonoma, California 95476; and
(C) have the same force and effect as if included
in this Act.
(c) Acquisition.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may acquire land, water, or
interests therein, including conservation easements, within the
boundaries of the National Wildlife Refuge, as modified by this
Act, by donation, purchase from willing sellers with donated or
appropriated funds, or exchange.
(2) No use of condemnation or eminent domain.--The
Secretary may not acquire any of the land, water, or interests
therein under this section or for the purposes of this Act by
condemnation or eminent domain.
(d) Administration.--Subject to valid existing rights, the
Secretary shall administer the lands, waters, and interests therein
acquired under this section--
(1) as part of the National Wildlife Refuge; and
(2) in accordance with--
(A) the National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.);
and
(B) this Act.
(e) Cooperative Agreements Regarding Non-Federal Lands.--The
Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the State of
California or any agency or political subdivision thereof and with any
other person for the voluntary co-management of lands owned by such
State, agency, subdivision, or person and located within or adjoining
the boundaries of the National Wildlife Refuge, as modified by this
Act.
(f) Transfer From Other Federal Agencies.--Any Federal property
located within or adjoining the boundaries of the National Wildlife
Refuge, as modified by this Act, that is under the administrative
jurisdiction of a department or agency of the Federal Government other
than the Department of the Interior may, with the mutual concurrence of
the head of the administering department or agency and the Secretary,
be transferred without consideration to the administrative jurisdiction
of the Secretary for the purposes of this Act.
(g) Priority Uses.--In providing opportunities for compatible fish
and wildlife dependent recreation, the Secretary, in accordance with
paragraphs (3) and (4) of section 4(a) of the National Wildlife Refuge
System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)), shall ensure
that hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, and
environmental education and interpretation are priority public uses of
the National Wildlife Refuge.
(h) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the
Secretary should acquire land, water, or interests therein, including
conservation easements, from willing sellers within or adjoining the
boundaries of the National Wildlife Refuge, as modified by this Act,
including by--
(1) including in each annual budget submission of the
President under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States
Code, a request for funding for Federal purposes from the Land
and Water Conservation Fund established under section 200302 of
title 54, United States Code, for such acquisition purposes;
and
(2) prioritizing using such funding made available each
fiscal year for such acquisition purposes.
(i) Public Participation.--The Secretary shall provide an
opportunity for public participation in developing the land protection
plan for the area generally depicted on the Map as ``Proposed Boundary
Expansion Area'', giving special consideration to public and private
entities, individuals, and residential communities located within Napa,
Marin, Sonoma, and Solano Counties, California.
(j) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map titled ``San Pablo
Bay National Wildlife Refuge Boundary Modification Act'' and
dated July 26, 2024.
(2) National wildlife refuge.--The term ``National Wildlife
Refuge'' means the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge
located in Marin, Sonoma, Napa, and Solano Counties,
California.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service.
SEC. 3. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.
Section 3 of Public Law 92-330 (86 Stat. 399) is amended--
(1) by striking ``he'' each place it appears and inserting
``the Secretary'';
(2) in subsection (a), by striking ``Secertary'' and
inserting ``Secretary''; and
(3) in subsection (b), by striking ``him'' and inserting
``the Secretary''.
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