[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 672 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 672
To protect the critical aquifers and watersheds that serve as a
principal water source for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, to protect
the tropical forests of the Karst Region of the Commonwealth, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 24, 2007
Mr. Fortuno introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on
Ways and Means, 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 protect the critical aquifers and watersheds that serve as a
principal water source for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, to protect
the tropical forests of the Karst Region of the Commonwealth, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Puerto Rico Karst
Conservation Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings and purposes.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Conservation of the Karst Region.
Sec. 5. Puerto Rico Karst Conservation Fund.
Sec. 6. Miscellaneous provisions.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) In the Karst Region of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
there are--
(A) some of the largest areas of tropical forests
in Puerto Rico, with a higher density of tree species
than any other area in the Commonwealth; and
(B) unique geological formations that are critical
to the maintenance of aquifers and watersheds that
constitute a principal water supply for much of the
Commonwealth.
(2) The Karst Region is threatened by development that, if
unchecked, could permanently damage the aquifers and cause
irreparable damage to natural and environmental assets that are
unique to the United States.
(3) The Commonwealth has one of the highest population
densities in the United States, which makes the protection of
the Karst Region imperative for the maintenance of the public
health and welfare of the citizens of the Commonwealth.
(4) The Karst Region--
(A) possesses extraordinary ecological diversity,
including the habitats of several endangered and
threatened species and tropical migrants; and
(B) is an area of critical value to research in
tropical forest management.
(5) Coordinated efforts at land protection by the Federal
Government and the Commonwealth are necessary to conserve the
environmentally critical Karst Region.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to authorize and support conservation efforts to
acquire, manage, and protect the tropical forest areas of the
Karst Region, with particular emphasis on water quality and the
protection of the aquifers that are vital to the health and
well-being of the citizens of the Commonwealth; and
(2) to promote cooperation among the Commonwealth, Federal
agencies, corporations, organizations, and individuals in those
conservation efforts.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Commonwealth.--The term ``Commonwealth'' means the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(2) Forest legacy program.--The term ``Forest Legacy
Program'' means the program established under section 7 of the
Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2103c).
(3) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Puerto Rico Karst
Conservation Fund established by section 5.
(4) Karst region.--The term ``Karst Region'' means the
areas in the Commonwealth generally depicted on the map
entitled ``Karst Region Conservation Area'' and dated March
2001, which shall be on file and available for public
inspection in--
(A) the Office of the Secretary, Puerto Rico
Department of Natural and Environmental Resources; and
(B) the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service.
(5) Land.--The term ``land'' includes land, water, and an
interest in land or water.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
SEC. 4. CONSERVATION OF THE KARST REGION.
(a) Federal Cooperation and Assistance.--In furtherance of the
acquisition, protection, and management of land and forest resources in
and adjacent to the Karst Region, and in furtherance of the
implementation of related natural resource conservation strategies, the
Secretary may--
(1) make grants to and enter into contracts and cooperative
agreements with the Commonwealth, other Federal agencies,
organizations, corporations, and individuals; and
(2) use all authorities available to the Secretary,
including--
(A) the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources
Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1641 et seq.);
(B) section 1472 of the National Agricultural
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7
U.S.C. 3318);
(C) section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology
Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a); and
(D) the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978
(16 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.).
(b) Funding Sources.--The activities authorized by this section may
be carried out using--
(1) amounts in the Fund;
(2) amounts in the fund established by section 4(b) of the
Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978
(16 U.S.C. 1643(b));
(3) funds appropriated from the Land and Water Conservation
Fund;
(4) funds appropriated for the Forest Legacy Program; and
(5) any other funds made available for those activities.
(c) Management.--
(1) Principal management objectives.--Land acquired under
the authority of this section or using funds made available
under this section shall be managed in a manner to protect and
conserve the water quality and aquifers and the geological,
ecological, fish and wildlife, and other natural values of the
Karst Region.
(2) Other uses.--The resulting owner of land acquired under
the authority of this section or using funds made available
under this section may permit public recreation and other uses
of the acquired land to the extent that the owner determines
that the recreation or other use is compatible with and does
not impair the principal management objectives specified in
paragraph (1). The owner shall make a determination under this
subsection in consultation with the Department of Natural
Resources of the Commonwealth and the Secretary.
(3) Failure to manage as required.--In any deed, grant,
contract, or cooperative agreement implementing this Act and
the Forest Legacy Program in the Commonwealth, the Secretary
may require that, if land acquired by the Commonwealth or other
cooperating entity under this Act is sold or conveyed in whole
or part, or is not managed in conformity with paragraph (1),
title to the land shall, at the discretion of the Secretary,
vest in the United States.
(4) Federally owned land.--Any federally owned land
acquired by the Secretary in the Karst Region shall be managed
by the Secretary in accordance with paragraphs (1) and (2) and
the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of
1978 (16 U.S.C. 1641 et seq.).
(d) Willing Sellers.--Any land acquired by the Secretary in the
Karst Region shall be acquired only from a willing seller.
(e) Relation to Other Authorities.--Nothing in this Act--
(1) diminishes any other authority that the Secretary may
have to acquire, protect, and manage land and natural resources
in the Commonwealth; or
(2) exempts the Federal Government from Commonwealth water
laws.
(f) Land Valuation.--Notwithstanding any land valuation provision
of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition
Policies Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.), or regulations issued
thereunder, land acquired by the Secretary, or by a non-Federal entity
using amounts from the Fund or appropriated for the purposes of this
Act, shall be valued--
(1) in accordance with appraisals prepared in conformity
with the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land
Acquisitions; or
(2) in accordance with market surveys approved by the Chief
Appraiser of the Forest Service, for areas of land where
elements of value, such as physical characteristics and other
amenities, are readily apparent and substantially similar.
SEC. 5. PUERTO RICO KARST CONSERVATION FUND.
(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury an
interest bearing account to be known as the ``Puerto Rico Karst
Conservation Fund''.
(b) Credits to Funds.--There shall be credited to the Fund--
(1) amounts appropriated to the Fund;
(2) amounts donated to the Fund; and
(3) interest derived from amounts in the Fund.
(c) Use of Fund.--Amounts in the Fund shall be available to the
Secretary until expended, without further appropriation, to carry out
section 4.
SEC. 6. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.
(a) Donations.--
(1) Authority to accept.--The Secretary may accept
donations, including land and money, made by public and private
agencies, corporations, organizations, and individuals in
furtherance of the purposes of this Act.
(2) Treatment of donors.--The Secretary may accept
donations even if the donor conducts business with or is
regulated by the Department of Agriculture or any other Federal
agency.
(3) Treatment of donations.--A donation of land, property
and money accepted by the Secretary under the authority of this
Act shall be considered as a gift, bequest, or devise to the
United States in the same manner as provided in Public Law 95-
442 (7 U.S.C. 2269).
(b) Relation to Forest Legacy Program.--
(1) In general.--All land in the Karst Region shall be
eligible for inclusion in the Forest Legacy Program.
(2) Cost sharing.--The Secretary may credit donations made
under subsection (a) to satisfy any cost-sharing requirements
of the Forest Legacy Program.
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