National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer Improvement Act of 2010

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on July 13, 2010. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

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.

[111th Congress Public Law 357]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 124 STAT. 3979]]

Public Law 111-357
111th Congress

                                 An Act


 
  To amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to reauthorize volunteer 
 programs and community partnerships for national wildlife refuges, and 
       for other purposes. <<NOTE: Jan. 4, 2011 -  [H.R. 4973]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: National 
Wildlife Refuge Volunteer Improvement Act of 2010.>> 
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 16 USC 742a note.>> SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer 
Improvement Act of 2010''.
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS TO IMPLEMENT VOLUNTEER, 
                    COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS 
                    UNDER FISH AND WILDLIFE ACT OF 1956.

    (a) Reauthorization.--Section 7(f) of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 
1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(f)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out subsections 
(b), (c), (d), (e), and (f), $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 
through 2014.''.
    (b) Technical Corrections.--Section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife Act 
of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f) is amended in subsections (b)(2)(B)(ii) and 
(d)(2)(C)(i) by striking ``National Wildlife Refuge Administration Act 
of 1966'' each place it appears and inserting ``National Wildlife Refuge 
System Administration Act of 1966''.
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM VOLUNTEER 
                    AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 
                    1998.

    Section 4(a) of the National Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and 
Community Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 742f-1) is 
amended--
            (1) in the subsection heading by striking ``Projects'' and 
        inserting ``National Volunteer Coordination Program'';
            (2) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
        appropriations, and in conformance with the strategy developed 
        under paragraph (2) and consistent with the authorities 
        regarding gifts, volunteer services, community partnerships, and 
        refuge education enhancement under section 7 of the Fish and 
        Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 741f), the Secretary of the 
        Interior, through the Director of the United States Fish and 
        Wildlife Service, shall carry out a National Volunteer 
        Coordination Program within the National Wildlife Refuge System 
        to--
                    ``(A) augment and support the capabilities and 
                efforts of Federal employees to implement resource 
                management,

[[Page 124 STAT. 3980]]

                conservation, and public education programs and 
                activities across the National Wildlife Refuge System;
                    ``(B) provide meaningful opportunities for 
                volunteers to support the resource management, 
                conservation, and public education programs and 
                activities of national wildlife refuges or complexes of 
                geographically related national wildlife refuges in each 
                United States Fish and Wildlife Service region; and
                    ``(C) fulfill the purpose and mission of the 
                National Wildlife Refuge System under the National 
                Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 
                U.S.C. 668dd et seq.).'';
            (3) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
            ``(2) Volunteer coordination strategy.--
                    ``(A) In general.--No <<NOTE: Deadline. Federal 
                Register, publication.>> later than one year after date 
                of enactment of this paragraph, the Director shall 
                publish in the Federal Register a national strategy for 
                the coordination and utilization of volunteers within 
                the National Wildlife Refuge System.
                    ``(B) Consultation required.--The strategy shall be 
                developed in consultation with State fish and wildlife 
                agencies, Indian tribes, refuge friends groups or 
                similar volunteer organizations, and other relevant 
                stakeholders.
                    ``(C) Volunteer coordinators.--The Director shall 
                provide, subject to the availability of appropriations, 
                no less than one regional volunteer coordinator for each 
                United States Fish and Wildlife Service region to 
                implement the strategy published under this paragraph. 
                Such coordinators may be responsible for assisting 
                partner organizations in developing and implementing 
                volunteer projects and activities under cooperative 
                agreements under section 7(d) of the Fish and Wildlife 
                Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742f(d)).''; and
            (4) in paragraph (4), by striking ``for for each fiscal year 
        through fiscal year 2009'' and inserting ``for each fiscal year 
        through fiscal year 2014''.
SEC. 4. VOLUNTEER, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS 
                    REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Section 7 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 
U.S.C. 742f(e)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (f) (as amended by this Act) 
        as subsection (g); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new 
        subsection:

    ``(f) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this subsection and every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary of the 
Interior shall submit a report to the Committee on Natural Resources of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works of the Senate--
            ``(1) evaluating the accomplishments of the volunteer 
        program, the community partnerships program, and the refuge 
        education programs authorized under this section, and of the 
        National Volunteer Coordination Program and volunteer 
        coordination strategy under section 4(a) of the National 
        Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and Community Partnership 
        Enhancement Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 742f-1); and

[[Page 124 STAT. 3981]]

            ``(2) making recommendations to improve the effectiveness of 
        such programs, including regarding implementing subparagraphs 
        (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1) of subsection (e).''.

    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 4(a) of the National Wildlife 
Refuge System Volunteer and Community Partnership Enhancement Act of 
1998 (16 U.S.C. 742f-1) is further amended by striking paragraph (3), 
and by redesignating paragraph (4) (as amended by this Act) as paragraph 
(3).

    Approved January 4, 2011.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 4973:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 111-531 (Comm. on Natural Resources).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 111-366 (Comm. on Environment and Public Works).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 156 (2010):
            July 13, considered and passed House.
            Dec. 17, considered and passed Senate.

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