[Senate Report 111-348]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
111th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 111-348
_______________________________________________________________________
Calendar No. 642
THE PACIFIC SALMON STRONGHOLD CONSERVATION ACT
__________
R E P O R T
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
on
S. 817
November 17, 2010.--Ordered to be printed
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
one hundred eleventh congress
second session
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West Virginia, Chairman
DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas
JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine
BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota JOHN ENSIGN, Nevada
BARBARA BOXER, California JIM DeMINT, South Carolina
BILL NELSON, Florida JOHN THUNE, South Dakota
MARIA CANTWELL, Washington ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi
FRANK R. LAUTENBERG, New Jersey GEORGE S. LeMIEUX, Florida
MARK PRYOR, Arkansas JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia
CLAIRE McCASKILL, Missouri DAVID VITTER, Louisiana
AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas
TOM UDALL, New Mexico MIKE JOHANNS, Nebraska
MARK WARNER, Virginia
MARK BEGICH, Alaska
Ellen Doneski, Staff Director
James Reid, Deputy Staff Director
Bruce Andrews, General Counsel
Ann Begeman, Republican Staff Director
Brian Hendricks, Republican General Counsel
Todd Bertoson, Republican Senior Counsel
Calendar No. 642
111th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 111-348
======================================================================
THE PACIFIC SALMON STRONGHOLD CONSERVATION ACT
_______
November 17, 2010.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Rockefeller, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, submitted the following
REPORT
[To accompany S. 817]
The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to
which was referred the bill (S. 817) to establish a Salmon
Stronghold Partnership program to conserve wild Pacific salmon
and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports
favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the
bill do pass.
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of S. 817, the Pacific Salmon Stronghold
Conservation Act, is to establish a comprehensive, strategic,
science-based approach to wild salmon stronghold conservation.
It would create a structural framework and expand Federal
support for the protection and restoration of the healthiest
remaining wild Pacific salmon stocks in North America.
Background and Needs
Wild Pacific salmon are central to the economy, environment,
and culture of western North America. However, human activities
such as damming rivers for hydropower, fishing, agriculture,
and urban growth are increasingly threatening wild Pacific
salmon habitats and populations. Additionally, salmon
populations are extremely sensitive to local environmental
conditions. In 2007, the National Academy of Sciences reported
that climate change will likely have a large negative impact on
fresh water salmon habitats, as well as cause a ``spatial shift
in salmon abundance,'' with higher-elevation watersheds
becoming less suitable habitat due to the transitions from
snowy to rainy environments.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Battin, James; Wiley, Matthew W.; Ruckelshaus, Mary H.; Palmer,
Richard N.; Korb, Elizabeth; Bartz, Krista K.; and Imaki, Hiroo (2007)
Projected impacts of climate change on salmon habitat restoration. PNAS
vol. 104 no. 16 6720-6725.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To combat these myriad threats, a number of Federal, State,
and local salmon recovery programs have been established, most
of which are focused on the important task of recovering
threatened or endangered stocks. At the Federal level, the
Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Pacific Coastal Salmon
Recovery Fund (PCSRF) play an important role in Pacific salmon
conservation and recovery efforts. The National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS) is charged with implementing the ESA
requirements for marine species, including anadromous Pacific
salmonids (i.e., chum salmon, pink salmon, sockeye salmon,
chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead trout). Based on a
petition from an individual, organization, or State agency (or
alternatively on its own initiative), NMFS conducts a review to
determine whether a marine species is threatened or endangered,
and thus merits listing under the ESA. NMFS has identified 50
evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) in the region of
California and the Pacific Northwest as of 2005, of which 26
are listed as threatened or endangered. Once a species is
listed under the ESA, NMFS must designate critical habitat and
formulate a recovery plan for the species. When a listed
species is determined to no longer be threatened or endangered,
based on the best scientific and commercial data available, it
is eligible to be delisted.
NMFS is also responsible for administering the PCSRF, which
was established by Congress in 2000 after the governors of
Washington, Oregon, California, and Alaska collectively
requested a mechanism to address the additions of West Coast
salmon and steelhead trout to the ESA list of threatened
species. Aiming to protect, restore, and conserve these
populations and their habitats, the PCSRF provides funding for
thousands of recovery projects conducted by Pacific Northwest
States and tribes. Since its inception, the PCSRF has enabled
the removal of thousands of barriers to passage and the
reopening of thousands of miles of habitat for Pacific salmon.
While the ESA and PCSRF are critically important in
protecting Pacific salmon species, they are largely focused on
recovery efforts rather than preservation. Additionally, the
Federal, State and local agencies, non-profits and private
entities that focus on Pacific salmon and steelhead
conservation make for a complex web of interrelated, and in
some cases overlapping or conflicting, jurisdictions. For
example, NMFS has responsibility for anadromous Pacific
salmonids, while the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has
jurisdiction over non-anadromous (or resident) forms of sockeye
salmon and steelhead. This type of divisional authority can
result in a lack of a centralized strategy which can greatly
hinder conservation efforts.
Fisheries scientists and natural resource managers are
generally in agreement that comprehensive, strategic
conservation of the healthiest aquatic habitats, or
``strongholds,'' for a given fish species, is an efficient and
highly cost-effective method for the conservation of fish
populations and the preservation of the important role they
play in ecosystems and our economy. This is based on the
fundamental concept that targeted conservation of a distributed
network of a depleted species, capturing key centers of
productivity, abundance, and diversity, provides the foundation
for a range-wide strategy to ensure the viability of that
species into the future.
Some efforts at this form of preventive management have
already begun at the State and local levels. A prime example is
the North American Salmon Stronghold Partnership (Stronghold
Partnership). Chartered in December 2007, the Stronghold
Partnership was formed for the purpose of identifying and
protecting a network of the healthiest remaining wild Pacific
salmon ecosystems in North America, in order to ensure the
long-term survival of salmon, steelhead trout, and the many
species that depend on them and the watersheds they inhabit. It
is a voluntary partnership that serves to coordinate public and
private resources and the activities of local communities,
State and Federal agencies, tribes, nonprofit organizations,
and private interests who seek to work collaboratively on
salmon conservation and restoration activities across Alaska,
California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
Summary of Provisions
S. 817 would establish the Stronghold Partnership as a
cooperative, incentive-based, public-private partnership to
identify and conserve salmon strongholds. The Partnership's
board would include representatives of State governments of
Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, as well as
representatives from specified entities. The bill would
establish a salmon stronghold watershed grants and technical
assistance program to support protection and restoration
activities. It would also require the Assistant Administrator
of NMFS to carry out specific information and assessment
functions associated with salmon strongholds and authorize the
sharing of status and trends data, innovative conservation
strategies, conservation planning methodologies, and other
information with North Pacific countries and appropriate
international entities to promote Pacific salmon conservation.
Legislative History
Senator Cantwell introduced S. 817 on April 2, 2009. Senators
Begich, Boxer, Feinstein, Merkley, Murkowski, Murray, and Wyden
are cosponsors of the legislation. On April 15, 2010, the
Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and the Coast
Guard held a hearing entitled, ``S. 817, the Pacific Salmon
Stronghold Conservation Act,'' that addressed the legislation.
Witnesses at the hearing discussed the stronghold approach to
species conservation and management as an efficient and highly
cost-effective method for the conservation of healthy stocks
and the preservation of critical ecosystems and the economies
that rely on them. Companion legislation in the House of
Representatives, H.R. 2055, was introduced by Representative
Mike Thompson (D-CA) on April 22, 2009, and was referred to the
House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Insular
Affairs, Oceans, and Wildlife on April 27, 2009. The
Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill on June 16, 2009.
Estimated Costs
In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget
Office:
S. 817--Pacific Salmon Stronghold Conservation Act of 2009
Summary: S. 817 would authorize the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to carry out certain
activities related to the conservation of certain salmon
habitats. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO
estimates that implementing the legislation would cost $91
million over the 2011-2015 period.
Enacting the legislation could increase offsetting receipts
(from private donations) and associated direct spending;
therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would apply. However, CBO
estimates that the net effects would be negligible for each
year. Enacting the bill would not affect revenues.
S. 817 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal
governments.
Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated
budgetary impact of S. 817 is shown in the following table. The
costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300
(natural resources and environment).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
-------------------------------------------------------
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2011-2015
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Authorization Level..................................... 30 30 30 0 0 91
Estimated Outlays....................................... 20 26 29 11 5 91
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Amounts may not add to totals because of rounding.
Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that the
legislation will be enacted by the end of fiscal year 2010 and
that the authorized amounts will be appropriated for each
fiscal year beginning in 2011. Estimated outlays are based on
historical spending patterns for similar NOAA activities.
S. 817 would require the Secretary of Commerce to establish
a partnership between public and private entities to identify
and protect certain salmon habitats. The bill would authorize
the appropriation of $30 million annually over the 2010-2013
period for NOAA to provide grants to support the activities of
the partnership. The bill also would authorize the
appropriation of $300,000 a year over that period for NOAA to
collect and disseminate information related to salmon habitats.
Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates
that implementing the legislation would cost $91 million over
the 2011-2015 period.
Pay-As-You-Go Considerations: The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go
Act of 2010 establishes budget reporting and enforcement
procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or
revenues. S. 817 could increase offsetting receipts (from
private donations) and associated direct spending; therefore,
pay-as-you-go procedures would apply. However, CBO estimates
that any increase in offsetting receipts would be less than
$500,000 a year and would be offset by similar increases in
direct spending. The net budgetary changes that are subject to
pay-as-you-go procedures are shown in the following table.
CBO ESTIMATE OF PAY-AS-YOU-GO EFFECTS FOR S. 817, THE PACIFIC SALMON STRONGHOLD CONSERVATION ACT OF 2009, AS ORDERED REPORTED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON
COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION ON JUNE 9, 2010
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2010-2015 2010-2020
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NET INCREASE OR DECREASE (-) IN THE DEFICIT
Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Impact............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 817
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
defined in UMRA and would impose no cost on state, local, or
tribal governments.
Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Jeff LaFave; Impact on
State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Ryan Miller; Impact on
the Private Sector: Amy Petz.
Estimate approved by: Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Regulatory Impact Statement
In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the
legislation, as reported:
NUMBER OF PERSONS COVERED
S. 817 would establish a comprehensive, strategic, science-
based approach to wild salmon stronghold conservation. It would
create a structural framework and expand Federal support for
the protection and restoration of the healthiest remaining wild
Pacific salmon stocks in North America. It does not authorize
any new regulations, and therefore will not subject any
individuals or businesses to new regulations.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
The bill would authorize annual authorizations of $30 million
for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013. From these
authorizations, NFWF would be required to make available
sufficient funds to the Board to carry out its duties. This
includes $300,000 that would be authorized for the Assistant
Administrator of NMFS to provide technical assistance and
information and assessment functions under section 5 of the
Act. Funds appropriated by this legislation would remain
available until expended. These funding levels are not expected
to have an inflationary impact on the Nation's economy.
PRIVACY
The reported bill would not have any adverse impact on the
personal privacy of individuals.
PAPERWORK
S. 817 would not increase paperwork requirements for the
private sector.
Congressionally Directed Spending
In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no
items contained in the bill, as reported, meet the definition
of congressionally directed spending items under the rule.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short title
This section would provide that this Act may be cited as the
Pacific Salmon Stronghold Conservation Act of 2009.
Section 2. Findings; purpose
This section would state the findings of Congress on which
this Act is based, and would state that the purposes of this
Act are to: (1) expand Federal support and resources for the
protection and restoration of the healthiest remaining salmon
strongholds in North America to sustain core centers of salmon
abundance, productivity, and diversity in order to ensure the
long-term viability of salmon populations in the States of
Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington; (2) maintain
and enhance economic benefits related to fishing or associated
with healthy salmon stronghold habitats, including flood
protection, recreation, water quantity and quality, carbon
sequestration, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and
other ecosystem services; and (3) complement and add to
existing Federal, State, and local salmon recovery efforts by
using sound science to identify and sustain core centers of
salmon abundance, productivity, and diversity in the healthiest
remaining salmon ecosystems throughout their range.
Section 3. Definitions
This section would define: ``Administrator'' as the Assistant
Administrator for NMFS of NOAA; ``Board'' as the Salmon
Stronghold Partnership Board; ``charter'' as the charter of the
Salmon Stronghold Partnership Board; ``Director'' as the
Director of USFWS; ``ecosystem services'' as the ecological
benefits generated from a healthy, functioning ecosystem,
including clean water, pollutant filtration, regulation of
river flow, prevention of soil erosion, regulation of climate,
and fish production; ``program'' as the salmon stronghold
watershed grants and technical assistance program; ``salmon''
as any of the wild anadromous Oncorhynchus species that occur
in the Western United States, including chum salmon, pink
salmon, sockeye salmon, chinook salmon, coho salmon, and
steelhead trout; ``salmon stronghold'' as all or part of a
watershed that meets biological criteria for abundance,
productivity, diversity (life history and run timing), habitat
quality, or other biological attributes important to sustaining
viable populations of salmon throughout their range, as defined
by the Board; ``Salmon Stronghold Partnership'' as the Salmon
Stronghold Partnership established under section 4; and
``Secretary'' as the Secretary of Commerce.
Section 4. Salmon stronghold partnership
Subsection (a) of this section would direct the Secretary to
establish a cooperative, incentive-based, public-private Salmon
Stronghold Partnership between stakeholders for the purpose of
identifying and conserving salmon strongholds. Subsection (b)
would provide that the Partnership be managed by a Board
established by the Secretary, which would consist of one
representative from each of the following: NMFS; USFWS; the
U.S. Forest Service; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA);
the Bonneville Power Administration; the Bureau of Land
Management; the Northwest Power and Conservation Council; the
office of the Governor or an appropriate natural resource
agency from each of the States of Alaska, California, Idaho,
Oregon, and Washington; not less than three and not more than
five representatives from Indian tribes or tribal commissions;
three non-governmental organizations with salmon conservation
expertise selected by the Board; an association of counties
selected by the Board; and any entity with significant
resources regionally dedicated to the protection of salmon
ecosystems selected by the Board.
Subsection (c) of this section would require that the Board
meet at least three times a year with timely notice to
guarantee adequate input from a broader set of stakeholders and
fisheries experts. Subsection (c) would also establish a
meeting schedule for the Board and establish notification
requirements. Subsection (d) would require the Board to consult
with fisheries experts as appropriate. Subsections (e) and (f)
would require the Board to nominate and select a chairperson
from among the members of the Board, establish a standing
science committee, and establish additional committees if
necessary. Subsection (g) would require the Board to develop a
written charter to reflect the purposes, intent, and governance
framework of the Partnership.
Section 5. Information and assessment
This section would require the Assistant Administrator of
NMFS to carry out specific information and assessment functions
associated with salmon strongholds, including: triennial
stronghold assessments, geographic information system and
mapping support; projections of climate change impacts on all
habitats and life history stages of salmon; development and
application of models and other tools to identify salmon
conservation actions projected to have the greatest positive
impacts on salmon abundance, productivity, or diversity within
salmon strongholds; and measurement of the effectiveness of
Partnership activities.
Section 6. Salmon Stronghold Watershed Grants and Technical Assistant
Program
Subsections (a) and (b) of this section would require the
Assistant Administrator of NMFS to establish a salmon
stronghold watershed grants and technical assistance program,
the purpose of which would be to support protection and
restoration activities. This support would include funding the
administration of the Salmon Stronghold Partnership in carrying
out its charter and encouraging cooperation among the entities
represented on the Board, local authorities, and private
entities to establish a network of salmon strongholds and
assist locally in specific actions that support the Salmon
Stronghold Partnership. The program may also support entities
represented on the Board in their efforts to develop and fund
salmon stronghold initiatives. The program would also support
maintaining a forum to share best practices and approaches,
employ consistent and comparable metrics, forecast and address
climate impacts, and monitor, evaluate, and report regional
status and trends of salmon ecosystems in coordination with
related regional and State efforts. Additional support from the
program may extend to carrying out activities and existing
conservation programs in, and across, salmon strongholds on a
regional scale to achieve the goals of the Salmon Stronghold
Partnership; accelerating the implementation of recovery plans
in salmon strongholds that have salmon populations listed as
threatened or endangered under the ESA; developing and
disseminating information pertaining to the Salmon Stronghold
Partnership; and conducting education outreach to the public,
in coordination with other programs, to encourage increased
stewardship of salmon strongholds.
Subsections (c) and (d) of this section details the selection
process for projects that would be eligible to receive
assistance under the program. States with an efficient, cost-
effective, and competitive grant program for salmon
conservation and a viable plan to provide accountability under
the program would be provided program funds by the National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) for the selection and
administration of intrastate projects. If, however, NFWF and
the Board determine the State lacks such a competitive grant
program, then NFWF and the Board would select and administer
projects to be carried out within the State. Interstate
programs and initiatives would receive funding and
administration from NFWF and the Board if NFWF and the Board
determine such projects adhere to the Board's criteria and: (1)
contribute to the conservation of salmon; (2) meet the criteria
for eligibility in the charter; (3) address a factor limiting
or threatening to limit abundance, productivity, diversity,
habitat quality, or other biological attributes important to
sustaining viable salmon populations within a salmon stronghold
or is a programmatic action that supports the Salmon Stronghold
Partnership; (4) address limiting factors to healthy ecosystem
processes or sustainable fisheries management; (5) have the
potential for conservation benefits and broadly applicable
results; and (6) meet cost-sharing and expense limitation
requirements.
Subsections (e) and (f) of this section establish cost-
sharing requirements such that the Federal share of the cost
for a project on non-Federal land may not exceed 50 percent of
the total cost, while the share may be up to 100 percent for
projects on Federal land. Non-Federal shares of cost cannot be
derived from Federal grant programs, but may include in-kind
contributions. Any amounts provided by the Bonneville Power
Administration directly or through a grant to another entity
used to carry out a project that receives assistance under the
program shall be credited toward the non-Federal share of the
cost of the project. Of the amount made available to a State or
the NFWF under the program for each fiscal year, that State and
the NFWF would not be allowed to expend more than 5 percent of
the amount for administrative and reporting expenses.
Subsection (g) of this section would require that each person
receiving assistance from a State or NFWF provide periodic
reports to the State or NFWF, as appropriate, to evaluate the
progress and success of the project. At least every three
years, NFWF and each State providing funding for the program
would be required to submit a report of activities to the
Assistant Administrator of NMFS to evaluate the implementation
of the program.
Section 7. Interagency cooperation
This section would require that the heads of each Federal
agency or department with stewardship over land within a salmon
stronghold work with the Assistant Administrator of NMFS and
the Director of USFWS to coordinate and streamline Partnership
and other interagency salmon conservation efforts.
Section 8. International cooperation
This section would authorize the Assistant Administrator of
NMFS and the Board to share conservation data, strategies,
methodologies, and other information relevant to north Pacific
countries, including Canada, Japan, Russia, and South Korea, in
addition to appropriate international entities for the
promotion of salmon and salmon habitat conservation. It also
would provide a Sense of Congress that the Assistant
Administrator of NMFS and the Board should provide information
to north Pacific countries to support the development of a
network of salmon strongholds across the nations of the north
Pacific.
Section 9. Acquisition and transfer of real property interests
This section would restrict the acquisition of land and the
funding of projects to those whose aims and goals are aligned
with the program. Property acquisition under the Program would
require the written consent of the owners or interests of the
property. This section would also prohibit property transfers
from the program to another entity unless: (1) the entity is
committed to manage the property in accordance with the spirit
of the Act; or, (2) the transfer provides for the reversion of
the property to the United States government in the event the
entity fails to manage the property in accordance with the Act.
Section 10. Administrative provisions
Subsection (a) of this section would allow the Secretary of
Commerce, in concert with the Board, to: enter into and to use
cooperative agreements, contracts and grants and to make funds
available for salmon stronghold protection, restoration, or
enhancement activities; apply for, accept, and use grants from
any person to carry out the purposes of this Act, unless
prohibited by any other provision of law; and make funds
available to any Federal agency or department to award
financial assistance for any salmon stronghold project
consistent with the Act.
Subsection (b) of this section would allow the Secretary of
Commerce to enter into an agreement with a 501(c)(3)
organization and to accept donations of funds or services to
carry out activities under this Act. Donations would be
considered gifts or bequests to the United States and would be
allowed to be used by the Secretary of Commerce, or in the case
of donated property, by the Secretary of the Interior, or be
provided to other Federal agencies or departments through
interagency agreements.
Section 11. Limitations
This section states that nothing in this Act may be construed
to: create a reserved water right, expressly or implicitly, in
the United States for any purpose, or affect the management or
priority of water rights under State law; affect existing water
rights under Federal or State law; affect any Federal or State
law in existence on the date of enactment of this Act regarding
water quality or water quantity; affect the authority,
jurisdiction, or responsibility of any agency or department of
the United States or of a State to manage, control, or regulate
fish and resident wildlife under a Federal or State law or
regulation; authorize the Secretary of Commerce or the
Secretary of the Interior to control or regulate hunting or
fishing under State law; abrogate, abridge, affect, modify,
supersede, or otherwise alter any right of a federally
recognized Indian tribe under any applicable Federal or tribal
law or regulation; or diminish or affect the ability of the
Secretary of Commerce or the Secretary of the Interior to join
the adjudication of rights to the use of water.
Section 12. Reports to Congress
This section would direct the Assistant Administrator of
NFMS, in consultation with the Director of USFWS, to submit a
report to Congress describing the activities conducted under
the Act at least every 3 years. The report would include
recommendations, if any, for legislation relating to the Salmon
Stronghold Partnership.
Section 13. Authorization of appropriations
This section would authorize $30 million for each of fiscal
years 2009 through 2013. From this authorization, NFWF would be
required to make available sufficient funds to the Board to
carry out its duties. Of these funds, $300,000 would be
authorized for the Assistant Administrator of NMFS to provide
technical assistance and information and assessment functions
under section 5 of the Act. Funds appropriated under the
authorization would remain available until expended.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, the Committee states that the bill as
reported would make no change to existing law.