Provides funding.
[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3089 Introduced in House (IH)]
106th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3089
To provide for a comprehensive scientific review of the current
conservation status of the northern spotted owl as a result of
implementation of the President's Northwest Forest Plan, which is a
national strategy for the recovery of the species on public forest
lands.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 18, 1999
Mrs. Chenoweth-Hage (for herself, Mr. Walden of Oregon, Mr. Metcalf,
Mr. Doolittle, Mr. Herger, Mr. Radanovich, Mr. Pombo, and Mr. Hastings
of Washington) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on
Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker,
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for a comprehensive scientific review of the current
conservation status of the northern spotted owl as a result of
implementation of the President's Northwest Forest Plan, which is a
national strategy for the recovery of the species on public forest
lands.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REVIEW AND REPORT ON CONSERVATION STATUS OF NORTHERN SPOTTED
OWL.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) President's northwest forest plan.--The term
``President's Northwest Forest Plan'' refers to the Record of
Decision for Amendments to Forest Service and Bureau of Land
Management Planning Documents Within the Range of the Northern
Spotted Owl, dated April 13, 1994, and the accompanying Final
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement.
(2) Federal land management agencies.--The term ``Federal
land management agencies'' refers to the Bureau of Land
Management and the Forest Service.
(3) Conservation strategy for the northern spotted owl.--
The term ``conservation strategy for the northern spotted owl''
refers to the strategy adopted in the President's Northwest
Forest Plan.
(b) Review Required.--
(1) Contract for review.--The Secretary of the Interior, in
consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall enter
into a contract with the National Research Council of the
National Academy of Sciences to conduct a comprehensive review
of the available scientific and commercial data regarding the
northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) and the
current conservation status of the species.
(2) Time for contract.--The contract shall be entered into
within 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(3) Delegation.--The heads of the Federal land management
agencies shall carry out this section.
(c) Specific Matters To Be Assessed.--In the review conducted
pursuant to subsection (a), the National Research Council shall answer
the following questions:
(1) What is currently known about the geographic
distribution, population size, and population trend of the
northern spotted owl?
(2) What vegetation features and environmental factors
result in suitable habitat for the northern spotted owl?
(3) Can the demographic rates and population trends of the
northern spotted owl be linked statistically to habitat and
environmental conditions?
(4) What is the status of the adaptive management and
monitoring programs contained in the President's Northwest
Forest Plan that were intended to evaluate the conservation
strategy for the northern spotted owl and to develop
silvicultural programs compatible with the recovery of the
species?
(5) What programs are in place to inform Federal land
management agencies of new scientific and commercial data
regarding the northern spotted owl and to apply this data to
recovery efforts for the species?
(6) Is the current conservation strategy for the northern
spotted owl likely to lead to recovery of the species in the
foreseeable future?
(7) Do any of the public forest and other land areas that
were identified as critical habitat in the initial listing of
the northern spotted owl contain adequate numbers of breeding
pairs to maintain the population?
(8) With the President's Northwest Forest Plan being used
as the recovery plan for the northern spotted owl, should
milestones be developed and adopted as benchmarks to be used in
delisting decisions?
(d) Reports.--
(1) Final report.--The National Research Council shall
submit to the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of
Agriculture, and Congress a final report containing the results
of the review conducted pursuant to subsection (a), including
answers to the questions specified in subsection (c), within 18
months after the date the contract was entered into under
subsection (a).
(2) Interim reports.--The National Research Council shall
also provide the following interim reports and progress updates
to the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture,
and Congress:
(A) Not later than 30 days after the contract is
entered into, the National Research Council shall
submit an outline of the review plan, including
information regarding the persons who will be involved
in the review, the schedule for the review, and other
necessary information concerning the review.
(B) Not later than 9 months after the contract is
entered into, the National Research Council shall
submit a midpoint status report on its findings to
date.
(e) Interagency Cooperation.--All departments and agencies of the
Federal Government that have a mandate under law associated with the
listing or recovery of the northern spotted owl or the management of
public forest or other lands containing suitable habitat for the
northern spotted owl shall cooperate fully with the National Research
Council in its activities in conducting the review under this section.
(f) Funding.--Of the amounts available for the management of public
forest lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management
and the Forest Service, $250,000 shall be available for the review
under this section.
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Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
Executive Comment Requested from USDA.
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Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by the Yeas and Nays: 6 - 5.