S. 22 (111^th): Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009

GovTrack’s Bill Summary

We don’t have a summary available yet.

Library of Congress Summary

The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.

House Republican Conference Summary

The summary below was written by the House Republican Conference, which is the caucus of Republicans in the House of Representatives.

This summary can be found at http://www.gop.gov/bill/111/1/s22.

Summary

S. 22 is an omnibus natural resources bill which contains more than 170 individually introduced bills-many of which have not yet been considered in the House-that create new, federally sheltered wilderness areas, wild and scenic rivers, and heritage areas. The bill also includes land exchanges, ocean exploration, local water projects, landscape restoration, and underwater research, among a variety of other programs. According to CBO, the 1,248-page bill is estimated to cost $6.4 billion. The legislation was initially scheduled to be considered in the Senate before the end of the 110^th Congress, but was filibustered by Senators who cited concerns regarding the bill's cost and that the legislation would federally block millions of acres from future oil and gas development. According to CBO, S. 22 would cost $5.5 billion in discretionary spending over five years and increase mandatory spending by "more than $900 million."

The motion to suspend the rules would incorporate an amendment to the bill which states that nothing in the bill pertaining to additions to the National Trail System, or National Heritage Area designations, “shall be construed as affecting access for recreational activities otherwise allowed by law or regulation, including hunting, fishing, or trapping.”  This clarifying language would only affect land designated as a segment of the National Trail System or a Nation Heritage Area.  Additional National Parks, National Rivers, National Wildernesses, National Landscape Conservation System areas, etc. contained in the bill would not be subject to the amendment.

Additions to the National Wilderness Preservation System-S. 22 would add almost 60 new National Wilderness Areas or additions to the current system, adding 2.186 million acres to the system. Once designated, wilderness areas remain under the control of the federal department that originally managed the land, usually the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There are currently 708 National Wilderness Areas across the U.S., most of which are located in Western states. National Wilderness Areas already account for 107 million acres (or 16%) of the estimated 607 million acres of land owned by the federal government.

Signed into law in 1964, the Wilderness Act defined federal "wilderness" as "an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain." As the definition would suggest, federal wilderness areas are designated to preserve and protect federal land that has been determined to be especially pristine and untouched by human development. As such, use of National Wilderness land is extremely limited. Wilderness land is generally accessible to the public for recreational activities such as camping, hunting, hiking, and fishing. However the use of any mechanized vehicles is strictly forbidden and new resource extraction such as mining, logging, oil and gas exploration, and drilling are prohibit. Because of these tight land use restrictions, some Members may be concerned that designating hundreds of thousands of acres as new wilderness land could impede American energy resource exploration and development in the future and potentially infringe on private property use within the designation.

Bureau of Land Management Authorizations-S. 22 would establish the National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS), as subdivision of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The bill would also permanently lock 26 million acres of current BLM land into the NLCS, as well as adding 227,000 new acres of BLM land to the NCLS. Federal land included in the NLCS would include national monuments, national conservation areas, wilderness study areas, components of the National Trails System, components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and any area designated by Congress to be administered for conservation purposes. The purpose of NLCS' management of these lands would be to conserve, protect, and restore nationally significant landscapes.

First established in 2000 by then Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt, the NLCS now accounts for approximately 10% of BLM lands, though its establishment has never been codified by law. S. 22 would permanently establish the NLCS as a new system within the BLM for the purpose of protecting and preserving land in much the same as the NPS. By doing so, the NLCS would significantly limit the types of land uses that would be permitted within the designated area.

BLM land has traditionally been used for multi-purpose recreational, farming, and industrial needs. The establishment of the NLCS locks 26 million acres into a system that is managed from a conservation- rather than a multiple-use-perspective. When the NLCS was first considered as a stand-alone bill in the 110^th (H.R. 2016), 18 Republicans on the Natural Resources Committee signed a letter of dissenting views that stated "public lands can simultaneously contribute to energy independence, timber for affordable housing, needed food and fiber, wildlife conservation, outdoor recreation and the advancement of science and technology," but "it will be impossible to meet any of these vital needs domestically if more and more public land is locked up every year."

In addition to establishing the NLCS, Title II would authorize a number of unrelated land sales and transfers in which the BLM would convey land to local municipalities, charities, and businesses.

Forest Service Authorizations-The National Forest Service is an agency within the Department of Agriculture (USDA), which manages 193 million acres of federal land. The agency's 30,000 employees manage the land, known as the National Forest System, which comprises approximately 8.5% of all the land in the country. S. 22 would permanently authorize certain watershed restoration programs, create a new wildland fire safety program, authorizes a number of land conveyances and forest service designation studies at a total cost of roughly $10 million.

Energy Development and Production-S. 22 would also prohibit natural resource development on about 1.2 million acres in Wyoming. According to the Bureau of Land Management, this provision would permanently take 8.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 300 million barrels of oil out of production. Some Members may be concerned that this measure would limit the ability of the U.S. to become energy independent using an "all of the above" American energy plan. According to the Heritage Foundation, energy resources blocked off by this bill would equal our domestic natural gas production for 15 years.

Forest Landscape Restoration-S.22 would create a new federal program, under which the USDA and the Department of Interior (DOI) would be require to collaborate on ecological restoration projects in federally designated National Forests. The program would cost $188 million over five years and an additional $200 million thereafter.

Rivers and Trails-S.22 would create new designations along the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The bill would create three new Wild and Scenic Rivers to protect the natural characteristics of the nation's "outstanding" free flowing rivers and their immediate surrounding environments. Specifically, the legislation prohibits federal construction of dams or other facilities that endanger the free flow and/or resource value of the river. Such "impoundments" often result in the alteration of the river's flow or the geography of the land surrounding the river. S. 22 includes provisions establishing the Taunton River, near Fall River, Mass, as "wild and scenic." The legislation (H.R. 415 in the 110^th Congress) caused controversy because certain portions of the Taunton River that would be designated as a federally protected Wild and Scenic River are already heavily industrialized.

In addition, the designation of the Taunton River as a segment of the System would result in blocking the construction of the proposed Weaver's Cove Energy Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal. According to Weaver's Cove Energy, the new facility would provide New England with 15-20% more natural gas and, as a result, lower the expected cost of natural gas in the area by $500 million annually, or about 10-15% per household. According to dissenting views published by a number of Members on the Natural Resources Committee when the legislation was considered, the Taunton River designation "exacerbates the energy crisis at a time when we should be expanding our ability to provide clean, reliable sources of fuel." Some Members may be concerned that this provision would block a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal that has been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by granting a river in an industrial area a designation that is traditionally reserved for remote and pristine rivers that are relatively untouched by development.

In addition, the bill would establish six new segments of the National Trail System. The National Trail System is a federally managed network of scenic, historic, and recreation trails that was created by the National Trails System Act of 1968. The system is managed by the NPS.

Department of Interior Authorizations-S.22 creates a number of new Department of Interior (DOI) programs, conveyances and authorities-including $4 million for non-violent measures to prevent wolves from killing livestock.

S. 22 includes the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act, which would federally prohibit damage or removal of "paleontological resources" (fossils) from federal lands. This provision would outlaw fossil collecting on public lands and impose criminal and civil penalties of up to ten years in prison on individuals that violate the statute. In the letter of dissenting views that accompanied House Report 116-670, 19 Members stated that "Paleontological research on our public lands should be encouraged, not punished and regulated with a bureaucratic iron fist." This provision is also opposed by the Association of Applied Paleontological Sciences, which stated in letter regarding the bill, "Our government does not need to put scientists in jail and confiscate university vans. We can visualize now a group of students unknowingly crossing over an invisible line and ending up handcuffed and prosecuted."

National Park Service-S.22 contains 36 bills which establish new National Parks, expand current National Park Designations, and alter or fund programs through the National Park Service (NPS). This title includes $3.5 million to fund the city of St. Augustine, Florida's, 450^th anniversary celebration.

The NPS is facing a huge maintenance deficit and collapsing national park infrastructure. According to CRS, the NPS backlog for maintenance on existing buildings, trails, and other infrastructure was more than $9 billion in FY 2006. The backlog is a result of the NPS failing to do scheduled maintenance and upkeep that was not funded or carried out according to plan. As a result of the backlog, NPS infrastructure is deteriorating at a faster and faster rate. For instance, the estimated maintenance backlog more than doubled, from $4.25 billion in 1999, in just seven years. CRS notes that some estimates put the existing backlog as high as $12.42 billion. Some Members may be concerned that S. 22 greatly expands the responsibilities of NPS without addressing the current management structure which has resulted in such a large, unfunded maintenance backlog.

National Heritage Areas-S.22 Includes 16 bills that create, extend, or alter National Heritage Area designations. NPS describes a National Heritage Area as a "complex matrix of public and private land" wherein conservation and preservation efforts are centrally managed. The designation creates a managing entity composed of federal, state, and local governments, along with private sector organizations. The goal of the entity is to encourage and develop conservation projects within the area. Though there is not legislative standard for creating a National Heritage Area, 39 have been established by Congress to date. S. 22 would create 10 more at a cost of $103.5 million.

In the past, Heritage Areas have been criticized by land rights organizations because they encompass non-federal land. The area is administered by a managing entity, which includes a federal government component and federal funds. Often times, the managing entity is able to regulate zoning and other restrictions across local government jurisdictions. As a result, residents are often not aware of newer restrictions imposed by heritage area designations because they are different than local regulations. According to CRS, "the NPS could exert federal control over nonfederal lands by influencing zoning and land-use planning," thus raising numerous concerns for private property.

Bureau of Reclamation Authorizations-The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) is an agency that was created within DOI in 1902 to create damns, reservoirs, canals, powerplants, and generally manage water development, especially in the West. BOR now participates in many local water projects that reclaim or divert water resources in order to supply drinking water to communities in western States. According to BOR, the agency is the largest wholesaler of water in the country and supplies water to 31 million people.

S. 22 would create three new feasibility studies to examine new reclamation projects and authorize 15 new water and endangered fish projects in four states. In addition, S. 22 would transfer certain federal reclamation facilities to local governments, fund a "multi-species" conservation program, and expand the authority of BOR to participate in climate change mitigation projects.

Water Settlements-S. 22 codifies the settlement of a water dispute between the BOR and a group of environmental and fishing groups regarding the flow of the San Joaquin River, which was stopped in portions of the river valley as a result of State and federal reclamation projects and the building of the Friant Dam, which was created in the 1940s for irrigation. Under the settlement between BOR and the environmental groups, BOR would be required to restore the flow of the river in many portions of the San Joaquin valley. Some Members may be concerned that this provision would increase direct spending by $1.1 billion over 20 years and may result in the federal government using eminent domain to obtain private property-all to achieve a goal of restoring a salmon population of 500 fish that disappeared when the dam was built.

U.S. Geological Survey Authorizations-S. 22 reauthorizes the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 through 2018 with an annual appropriation of $64 million. The program, which was last reauthorized in 1999, funds projects to coordinate geological mapping efforts undertaken by the U. S. Geological Survey and the Association of American State Geologists. In addition, S. 22 provides $15 million for the U. S. Geological Survey to conduct groundwater resource surveys in New Mexico.

Oceans- S. 22 creates and funds five new oceanic observation, research, and exploration programs at a cost of $2.6 billion. Programs established in this title include undersea research, undersea and costal mapping, costal "observation," acidification research, and ocean conservation. Among the specific projects identified for research are "voyages to locate, define, and document historic shipwrecks." These programs would be carried out by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), but will also include the National Science Foundation and NASA.

Miscellaneous- S. 22 includes six unrelated provisions which cost about $130 million over ten years, including funding for a Fish and Wildlife Service program that provides funding to fisheries affected by water projects. This section also includes a provision that would send $5 million to the National Tropical Botanical Garden-a non-profit facility in Hawaii that reported has $12.4 million in annual revenue, with operating expenses of $8.1 million, and net assets of $59 million.

Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act- S. 22 authorizes the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to coordinate paralysis research and establish consortia in honor of Christopher and Dana Reeve. The bill also authorizes the NIH to make grants for multicenter networks of clinical sites for rehabilitation. Under its broad public health authorizations, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) already has the authority to carry out the activities of this legislation. According to CBO, this program would cost $105 million over five years. The legislation passed the House in the 110^th Congress by voice vote.

Smithsonian Institution Facilities Authorization- S. 22 authorizes $41 million for a new laboratory and support space to accommodate the Mathias Laboratory at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Maryland, $14 million for the construction of a laboratory space to accommodate the Smithsonian tropical research institute in Gamboa, Panama, and $14 million for the construction of a Smithsonian greenhouse facility in Suitland, Maryland. Some Members maybe concerned that new funds are being authorized for these projects, rather than using funds from the Smithsonian's annual appropriations or from the $75 million allocated for Smithsonian construction in the "stimulus" bill.

Detailed Summary

This section includes a short summary of each distinct bill included in S. 22 and, when available, its estimated cost.

TITLE I- Additions to the National Wilderness Preservation System

• "Wild Monongahela Act." Designates 37,771 acres of the Monongahela National Forest as wilderness area. Cost: $1.4 million over the 2009-2013 period.
• "Virginia Ridge and Valley Act of 2008." Designates 53,000 acres in the Jefferson National Forest as wilderness area. Cost: $3 million over the 2009-2013 period.
• "Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act." Designates 124,240 acres of wilderness, 34,550 acres as a National Recreation Area, and approximately 81 miles of rivers as wild and scenic. All the designations are in Oregon. Cost: $11 million over the 2009-2012 period.
• "Copper Salmon Wilderness Area, OR." Designates 13,700 acres of land in the Siskiyou National Forest in Oregon as wilderness. Cost: Less than $1 million.
• "Cascade Siskiyou National Monument." Creates the Soda Mountain Wilderness on 24,000 acres in the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument in order to prevent grazing.
• "Owyhee Public Land Management Act." Designates 517,000 acres in Owyhee County, Idaho, as wilderness. Cost: $5 million over the 2009-2013 period.
• "Sabinoso Wilderness Act of 2008." Designates 16,000 acres of land in New Mexico as wilderness.
• "Beaver Basin Wilderness Act." Designates 12,000 acres of land in Michigan as wilderness.
• "Oregon Badlands Wilderness Act of 2008." Designates 30,000 acres in Oregon as wilderness.
• "Spring Basin Wilderness Act." Designates 6,400 acres of land in Oregon as wilderness.
• "Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wild Heritage Act." Creates four new wilderness areas and expands four others. Combined, this provision adds 503,000 acres of new wilderness. $6 million over five years.
• "California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act." Designates 190,000 acres in California as wilderness and 30 miles of rivers as a wild and scenic river.
• "Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Act." Designates 115,000 acres in California as wilderness.
• "Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness Act." Designates 250,000 acres in the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado as wilderness.
• "Washington County Growth and Conservation Act." Designates 15 new wilderness areas in Utah totaling 256,338 acres. In addition the bill designates 112,808 acres as new conservation area.
• "Zion National Park Wilderness." Designates 124,406 acres in Utah as wilderness.
• "Red Cliffs National Conservation Area." Creates the 44,725 acre Red Cliffs National Conservation Area.
• "Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area." Creates the 68,083 acre Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area
• "Zion National Park Wild and Scenic River Designation." Creates 39 new segments of the Wild and Scenic River System, totaling 102 miles.

TITLE II - Bureau of Land Management Authorizations

• "National Landscape Conservation System Act." Establish the National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) as a new entity within the BLM for the purpose of protecting and preserving land in much the same as the NPS. By doing so, the NLCS would significantly limit the types of land uses that would be permitted within the designated area. BLM land has traditionally been used for multi-purpose recreational, farming, and industrial needs. The establishment of the NLCS locks 26 million acres into a system that is managed from a conservation-rather than a multiple-use-perspective. When the NLCS was first considered as a stand-alone bill in the 110th (H.R. 2016), 18 Republicans on the Natural Resources Committee signed a letter of dissenting views that stated "public lands can simultaneously contribute to energy independence, timber for affordable housing, needed food and fiber, wildlife conservation, outdoor recreation and the advancement of science and technology," but "it will be impossible to meet any of these vital needs domestically if more and more public land is locked up every year."
• "Prehistoric Trackways National Monument Establishment Act." Establishes the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument on 5,280 acres in New Mexico. Cost: Less than $500,000.
• "Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area Act." Establishes the Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area in New Mexico. Cost: $2.5 million over the 2009-2014 period.
• "Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area Act." Renames a current conservation area for ornithologist Morley Nelson.
• "Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area and Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area Act." Designates 210,000 acres in Colorado as new conservation area land.
• "Rio Puerco Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act." Authorizes $7.5 million to extend management programs conducted Rio Puerco watershed, a tributary to the Rio Grande in New Mexico. Cost: $3 million over the 2009-2014 period:
• "Carson City Vital Community Act of 2008." Transfers 2,200 acres of land owned by the City of Carson City, Nevada, to the Forest Service for entry into the National Forest System.
• "Southern Nevada Limited Transition Area Act." Conveys 502 acres of BLM land to the City of Henderson, Nevada.
• "Nevada Cancer Institute Expansion Act." Allows the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, to use eighty acres leased to it by BLM to build the Nevada Cancer Institute.
• "A bill to provide for the sale of approximately 25 acres of public land to the Turnabout Ranch, Escalante, Utah." Authorizes BLM to sell 25 acres of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah in order to use the funds to buy other land.
• "Boy Scouts of America Land Transfer Act of 2008." Authorizes the Boy Scouts to exchange 120 acres of State land in Utah for 120 acres owned by a private resort.

TITLE III - Forest Service Authorizations

• "Watershed Restoration and Enhancement Agreements Act." Permanently authorizes watershed restoration agreements contained in the Interior Appropriations Act of 1999, and reauthorized in 2001 and 2005.
• "Wildland Fire Safety and Transparency Act." $2 million for the Department of Agriculture to operate programs to promote wildland fire safety. Cost: $2 million over the 2009-1014 period.
• "Wyoming Range Legacy Act of 2008." Removes 1.2 million acres of federal land in Wyoming from mineral and other resource development. This provision rohibits natural resource development on about 1.2 million acres in Wyoming. According to the Bureau of Land Management, this provision would permanently take 8.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 300 million barrels of oil out of production.

TITLE IV - Forest Landscape Restoration Act of 2008

• "Forest Landscape Restoration Act of 2008". Establishes a program at the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to select, fund, and carry out landscape-scale restoration projects on National Forests and other land. Cost: $188 million between 2009-2013 and $250 million in the years after.

TITLE V - Rivers and Trails

• "Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River Act of 2007." Designates approximately 17 miles of Fossil Creek, located in the State of Arizona, as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Cost: $1 million over the 2009-2013 period
• "Craig Thomas Snake Headwaters Legacy Act of 2008." Designates approximately 388 miles of the Snake River headwaters and its tributaries in Wyoming as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, to be administered by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture as wild, scenic, or recreational rivers. Cost: $2 million over the next 5 years.
• "A bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Taunton River in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System". Designates four segments of the Taunton River in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. This portion of the Taunton River has been authorized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the construction and operation of a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility. If the river is designated as Wild and Scenic, the LNG facility will be blocked from being built. Cost: $150,000 per year.
• "Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2007." Determines the feasibility of adding two rivers to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers system. Cost: $300,000 over the next 3 years.
• "Arizona National Scenic Trail Act." Designates 807 miles of trail in Arizona from the U.S.-Mexico international border to the Arizona-Utah border as a scenic trail in the National Trails System. Cost: $1 million over the 2009-2013 period.
• "New England Scenic Trail Act." Designates the New England Scenic Trail, a 220 mile trail of which 190 miles is already in existence. Cost: $2 million over the 2009-2013 period.
• "Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail Designation Act." Establishes the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, a trail from Missoula, Montana, to the Pacific Ocean, to provide for the public appreciation, understanding, and enjoyment of the nationally significant natural and cultural features of the Ice Age Floods. Cost: $12 million over the 2007-2011 period and $500,000 each year thereafter.
• "Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail Designation Act." Designates the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route as a National Historic Trail. The trail would consist of a 600-mile route extending from Newport, Rhode Island, to Yorktown, Virginia. Cost: $2 million 2008-2012 and $350,000 annually beginning in 2010.
• "Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail Act." Designates the 1,200 mile trail from Montana to Washington as a scenic trail and allows land acquisition from willing sellers. Cost: $3 million over the 2009-2013 period. Additional funding of millions of dollars may be required after 2013 to purchase rights of ways and access easements.
• "Trail of Tears Documentation Act." Adds as components of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail the following routes and land components by which the Cherokee Nation was removed to Oklahoma: (1) the Benge and Bell routes; (2) the land components of the designated water routes in Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee; (3) the routes from the collection forts in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee to the emigration depots; and (4) the related campgrounds located along such routes and land components. Cost: $300,000 annually beginning in 2009.
• "National Trail System Willing Seller Act." Provides the federal government authority to purchase lands from willing sellers for nine designated trails. CBO estimates acquisition costs could be significant, because some of the longest trails would probably require large areas to be purchased. Cost: Not clear because the federal agencies that administer the national trails have not completed land protection plans for most of the trails.
• "A bill to amend the National Trails System Act to require the Secretary of the Interior to update the feasibility and suitability studies of four national historic trails, and for other purposes." Directs the Secretary of the Interior to revise the feasibility and suitability studies for certain existing National Historic Trails to include numerous shared routes, cutoff trails and other trail segments for consideration of possible additions to such trails. Cost: $160,000 over the next 3 years to conduct all required studies.
• "Chisholm Trail and Great Western Trails Studies Act." Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct two studies to consider the designation of the Chisholm Trail and the Great Western Trail for study and potential addition to the National Trails System. Cost: $300,000 over the next 3 years.

TITLE VI - Department of the Interior Authorizations

• "Cooperative Watershed Management Act." Requires the Secretary of the Interior to establish a cooperative watershed management program and provide grants to form or enlarge watershed groups and conduct one or more projects in accordance with the watershed group goals. Cost: $43 million over the 2009-2013 period; $154 million after 2013.
• "Thomas P. O'Hara Public Land Career Opportunity Act of 2007." Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act to provide competitive status to certain permanent federal employees in Alaska after: (1) the completion of two years of competitive and satisfactory full time service if the appointment if full-time; or (2) the period that is equivalent to two years of competitive and satisfactory full time service if the appointment is less than full time. No significant cost.
• "A bill to amend the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Act of 2000 to explain the purpose and provide for the administration of the Baca National Wildlife Refuge." Amends the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Act of 2000 to provide that the purpose of the Baca National Wildlife Refuge shall be to restore, enhance, and maintain wetland, upland, riparian, and other habitats for native wildlife, plant, and fish species in the San Luis Valley. No significant cost.
• "Paleontological Resources Preservation Act." Directs the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture to manage and protect paleontological resources on federal land, and develop plans for inventorying, monitoring, and deriving the scientific and educational use of such resources. It prohibits the removal of paleontological resources from federal land without a permit issued under this Act, establishes penalties for violation of this act and establishes a program to increase public awareness about such resources. The bill imposes criminal penalties for violating this Act, which includes serving up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
• "Izembek and Alaska Peninsula Refuge and Wilderness Enhancement Act of 2007." Directs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to convey about 1,800 acres of federal land to Alaska in exchange for nearly 56,000 acres owned by the state or other entities near the wildlife refuge. Land acquired by the USFWS would be added to the National Wildlife Refuge System (around 43,000 acres of it would be designated as wilderness). The bill conveys this land to Alaska to be used to construct a "road" to connect King Cove (800 residents) to Cold Bay, so the residents of King Cove have access to the airport across the water in Cold Bay. In 1998, the Clinton administration provided $37 million for a hovercraft that would give King Cove residents access across the water to Cold Bay. Cost: $3 million over 5 years.
• "Gray Wolf Livestock Loss Mitigation Act of 2008." Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide grants to designated States and tribes to carry out programs to use non-violent measures to prevent wolves from killing livestock and to provide compensation for any such livestock losses. Cost: $4 million over the 2009-2013 period.

TITLE VII - National Park Service Authorizations

• "Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park Act." Establishes the Paterson Great Falls National Park as a unit of the National Park System. Cost: $22 million over the 2009-2013 period and $1 million each year thereafter.
• "A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to designate the President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home in Hope, Arkansas, as a National Historic Site and unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes." Directs the Secretary of the Interior, if the Clinton Birthplace Foundation donates the house and related property to the federal government, to designate the William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home site in Arkansas as a National Historic Site and unit of the National Park System, to be known as the "President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site." Cost: $1 million per year.
• "River Raisin National Battlefield Act." Directs the Secretary to designate the acquired land, if Monroe or Wayne Counties, Michigan donate the land, as a unit of the National Park System. No CBO cost estimate is available.
• "A bill to decrease the matching funds requirements and authorize additional appropriations for Keweenaw National Historical Park in the State of Michigan." Decreases the matching funds requirement, and authorizes additional appropriations for the Keweenaw National Historical Park in Michigan. Cost: $24 million over the 2009-2013 period; $26 million after 2013 for park development.
• "Weir Farm National Historic Site Amendment Act." Expands the area that the National Park Service (NPS) may consider to construct visitor and administrative facilities for the Weir Farm National Historic Site. No significant cost.
• "A bill to expand the boundaries of the Little River Canyon National Preserve in the State of Alabama." Expands the boundary of the Little River Canyon National Preserve in Alabama to include 1,660 additional acres of land. Cost: $10 million over the 2008 - 2013 period.
• "Hopewell Culture National Historical Park Boundary Adjustment Act." Expands the boundary of the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Ohio to include certain lands marked for inclusion in the Park and permits the acquisition of lands added under this Act only from willing sellers. Cost: $1 million over 5 years.
• "Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve Boundary Adjustment Act of 2008." Expands the boundary of the Barataria Preserve Unit of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park by 8,000 acres and Preserve in Louisiana and to acquire land necessary for the adjustment by transfer or exchange from a federal agency or, from a land owner, by donation or purchase. Cost: Between $1 million and $9 million over the next several years.
• "Minute Man National Historical Park Boundary Revision Act." Expands the boundary of Minute Man National Historical Park in Massachusetts to include a certain area generally depicted on the map entitled "Minute Man National Historical Park Proposed Boundary." Cost: $2.5 million over the 2009-2013 period.
• "Everglades National Park Adjustment Act of 2008." Expands the boundary of the Everglades National Park in Florida to include the Tarpon Basin property comprising approximately 600 acres of land and water surrounding Tarpon Basin and located in South Key Largo, Florida. Cost: $1 million.
• "Kalaupapa Memorial Act of 2008." Requires the Secretary of the Interior to authorize Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa, a nonprofit organization consisting of residents at Kalaupapa National Historical Park, to establish a memorial at the location(s) approved by the Secretary at Kalawao or Kalaupapa within the boundaries of Kalaupapa National Historical Park on the island of Molokai, Hawaii, to honor those individuals who were forcibly relocated to Kalaupapa Peninsula from 1866 to 1969. Cost: No significant cost.
• "A bill to amend the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with any of the management partners of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, and for other purposes." Permits the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or any member of the Boston Harbor Islands Partnership for the management of the Recreation Area, construction of recreation area facilities, or any other purpose consistent with the purposes of the Recreation Area. No significant cost.
• "Act Commemorating the LITE, or Lifetime Innovations of Thomas Edison." Establishes the Thomas Edison National Historical Park in West Orange, New Jersey, as a new National Park. No significant cost.
• "National Women's Rights National Historical Project Act." Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to designate a vehicular tour route, to be known as the Votes for Women History Trail Route, to link properties in New York State that are historically and thematically associated with the struggle for women's suffrage in the United States. Cost: $16 million over the 2009-2013 period.
• "Martin Van Buren National Historic Site Boundary Revision Act." Expands the boundary of the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site in the state of New York to include approximately 260 acres. Cost: $1 million over the 2009-2013 period.
• "Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Site Boundary Expansion Act of 2008." Expands the boundaries of the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site to include an additional 34 acres of land. Cost: $1.2 million over the 2009-2013.
• "Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park Act of 2008." Renames the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site in the State of Kentucky as the "Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park." No significant cost.
• "To ensure that hunting remains a purpose of the New River Gorge National River." Amends the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 to require (current law authorizes) the Secretary of the Interior to permit hunting and fishing on lands and waters within the boundaries of the New River Gorge National River, and designate zones where, and establish periods when no hunting or fishing shall be permitted. No significant cost.
• "To amend the Dayton Aviation Heritage Preservation Act of 1992 to add sites to the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park." Amends the Dayton Aviation Heritage Preservation Act of 1992 to provide for the acquisition and inclusion of the following additional sites in the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park: (1) Hawthorn Hill, Oakwood, Ohio; and (2) the Wright Company factory and associated land and buildings, Dayton, Ohio. Cost: $15 million over the 2009-2013 period and $1 million annually thereafter.
• "To authorize the expansion of the Fort Davis National Historic Site in Fort Davis, Texas, and for other purposes." Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior acquire additional acreage to increase the size of the Fort Davis National Historic Site near the town of Fort Davis, Texas, by acquiring three parcels of land for 55 acres. Cost: $1 million over the next 2 years.
• "Walnut Canyon Study Act of 2007." Directs the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to conduct a study of an area identified as the Walnut Canyon Proposed Study Area to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating all or part of the study area as an addition to Walnut Canyon National Monument in Arizona. Cost: less than $500,000.
• "Tule Lake Segregation Center Special Resources Study Act." This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the national significance, suitability, and feasibility of the Tule Lake Segregation Center in Modoc County, California, including in the National Park System. Cost: $200,000 over the next 3 years.
• "Alexander Hamilton Boyhood Home Study Act of 2007." Directs the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Governor of the Virgin Islands, to conduct a special resource study of Estate Grange and other sites and resources associated with Alexander Hamilton's life on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Cost: $250,000 over the next 3 years.
• "Harriet Beecher Stowe House Special Resource Study Act." Directs the Secretary of the Interior to complete a study of the Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Brunswick, Maine, to evaluate the national significance of the House and surrounding land; and the suitability and feasibility of designating the House and such land as a unit of the National Park System. Cost: $200,000 over the 2009-2012 period.
• "A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the suitability and feasibility of including the battlefield and related sites of the Battle of Shepherdstown in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, as part of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park or Antietam National Battlefield, and for other purposes." Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study relating to the Battle of Shepherdstown in Shepherdstown, WV, to evaluate the national significance of the Shepherdstown battlefield and related sites; and the suitability and feasibility of adding Shepherdstown battlefield and such sites as part of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park or Antietam National Battlefield. Cost: $300,000 over the 2009-2012 period.
• "Green McAdoo School National Historic Site Study Act of 2008." This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing the Green McAdoo School in Tennessee as a unit of the National Park System. Cost: $250,000 over the 2009-2012 period.
• "America's Historical and Natural Legacy Study Act." Directs the Secretary of the Interior to complete several studies regarding the National Park System. Cost: $1 million over the 2009-2011 period.
• "A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a theme study to identify sites and resources to commemorate and interpret the Cold War." Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to identify sites and make recommendations for commemorating the Cold War. Cost: $500,000 over the next 4 years.
• "Battle of Camden Study Act." Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the national significance of the site of the Battle of Camden, South Carolina, and of Historic Camden, South Carolina (study area), and to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating the study area as one or more units of the National Park System. Cost: $500,000 over the 2009-2011 period.
• "To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a boundary study to evaluate the significance of Fort San Geronimo and other related resources in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the suitability and feasibility of their inclusion in the National Park System as part of the San Juan National Historic Site, and for other purposes." Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a boundary study to evaluate the significance of Fort San Geronimo and other related resources in Puerto Rico, as well as the suitability and feasibility of their inclusion in the National Park System as part of the San Juan National Historic Site. No CBO score available.
• "Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2008." Extends the American Battlefield Protection Program until September 30, 2013. It reauthorizes funding for battlefield preservation grants made under the Civil War Preservation Act of 2002. Cost: $42 million over the 2009-2013 period.
• "Preserve America and Save America's Treasures Act." Codifies into law, the Preserve America Program, under which the Secretary of the Interior, in partnership with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, provides competitive grants to specified entities to support preservation efforts through heritage tourism, education, and historic preservation planning activities. It would also codify into law the Save America's Treasures Program, under which the Secretary provides grants to eligible entities for projects to preserve nationally significant collections and historic properties. These two federal programs do not exist in current law, but were created and continue to be funded through the appropriations earmark process.
• "Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program Reauthorization Act." Authorizes appropriations through fiscal year 2009 to carry out the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. Cost: $3 million over the 2009-2013 period and $5 million thereafter.
• "A bill to amend the National Cave and Karst Research Institute Act of 1998 to authorize appropriations for the National Cave and Karst Research Institute." Eliminates an existing statutory requirement that any appropriations to the National Cave and Karst Research Institute must be matched with nonfederal funding. Eliminating that requirement would enable the institute to seek grants from other federal agencies (such as the National Science Foundation or the U.S. Geological Survey) without needing to find nonfederal matching funds. Cost: No significant cost.
• "Na Hoa Pili O Kaloko-Honokohau Advisory Commission Reauthorization Act of 2007." Reauthorizes the Noa Hoa Pili O Kaloko-Honokohau Advisory Commission until December 31, 2017. No significant cost.
• "Cape Code National Seashore Advisory Commission Reauthorization Act." Extends the life of three commissions of the National Park Service (NPS), including the Cape Cod National Seashore Advisory Commission (through 2018), the National Park System Advisory Board (through 2010), and the Concessions Management Advisory Board (through 2009). No significant cost.
• "St. Augustine 450^th Commemoration Commission Act of 2007." Establishes a commission to plan, develop, and coordinate programs, observances, and other activities commemorating the 450th anniversary of the founding of the settlement in St. Augustine, Florida. Cost: $3.5 million over the 2009-2015 period.

TITLE VIII - National Heritage Areas

• "Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area." Authorizes a new National Heritage Area that includes a national park, three National Wildlife Refuges, a National Forest, two wilderness areas and 15 State Wildlife Areas. Cost: $5 million over 5 years; $10 million over 15 years.
• "Cache La Poudre River NHA." Converts current the heritage corridor along Cache La Poudre River into a National Heritage Area. Cost: $5 million over 5 years; $10 million total.
• "South Park National Heritage Area." Establishes a new National Heritage Area at South Park, Colorado. Cost: $5 million over 5 years ($10 million total).
• "Northern Plains NHA." Establishes a new National Heritage Area over four counties in North Dakota. Cost: $5 million over 5 years ($10 million total).
• "Baltimore NHA." Establishes a new National Heritage Area over 11,000 acre swath of the city of Baltimore. Cost: $5 million over 5 years ($10 million total).
• "Freedom's Way NHA." Establishes a new National Heritage Area over 37 communities in Massachusetts and 8 in New Hampshire. Cost: $5 million over 5 years ($10 million total).
• "Mississippi Hills NHA." Establishes a new National Heritage Area over 30 communities in northeastern Mississippi. Cost: $5 million over 5 years ($10 million total).
• "Mississippi Delta NHA." Establishes a new National Heritage Area over 18 counties in Mississippi Delta. Cost: $5 million over 5 years ($10 million total).
• "Muscle Shoals NHA." Establishes a new National Heritage Area over six counties in northwestern Alabama. Cost: $5 million over 5 years ($10 million total).
• "Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Forest Heritage Area Act." Creates a national heritage area and established a local coordinating committee. The 15 year authorization is funded at $7.35 million and allows for 75 percent federal cost share. Cost: $5 million over five years.
• "Chatahoochee Trace National Heritage Corridor Study." Authorizes feasibility study to determine whether to designate a National Hertiage corridor across two states. Cost: $500,000 over two years.
• "Northern Neck." Authorizes a feasibility regarding designating area of Northern Virginia between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers as a National Heritage Area. No cost estimate available.
• "Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor." Extends current the current authorization for the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor from 2009 to 2015, and increases the authorization from $5 million to $10 million. Cost: $3 million over 2010-2012; $3 million for duration through 2015.
• "Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor amendment." Extends current authorization for the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor by five years and names a new coordinating entity. Cost: Could be as much as $5 million.
• "Erie Canal NH Corridor Amendment." Makes technical changes to the management entity and processes regarding the Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor. No cost reported.
• "John Chafee NH Corridor." Makes Technical changes to the management entity and processes regarding the John Chaffee National Heritage Corridor. No cost reported.

TITLE IX - Bureau of Reclamation Authorizations

• "Snake, Boise, and Payette River Systems." Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct feasibility studies to address certain water shortages within the Snake, Boise, and Payette River systems in the State of Idaho, and for other purposes. Cost: $3 million over 2008-2012.
• "Sierra Vista Subwatershed." Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation, to conduct a feasibility study of water augmentation alternatives in the Sierra Vista Subwatershed. Cost: $1.3 million over next 3 years.
• "San Diego Water Storage and Efficiency Act of 2007." Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to undertake a study documenting the engineering, environmental, and economic aspects of building a new reservoir and intertie system for the San Diego watershed. Cost: $3 Million over the next 10 years.
• "Tumalo Irrigation District Water Conservation Project." Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to assist in the planning, design, and construction of the Tumalo Irrigation District Water Conservation Project in Deschutes County, Oregon. Cost: $4 million over 2008-2012.
• "Madera Water Supply Enhancement Project, California." Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Madera Irrigation District for purposes of supporting the Madera Water Supply Enhancement Project. Cost: $23 million over 2009-2013.
• "Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System." Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance to the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Authority for the planning, design, and construction of the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System (ENMRWS), and for other purposes. Cost: $348 million over 2009-2013.
• "Rancho California Water District." Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Rancho California Water District Southern Riverside County Recycled/Non-Potable Distribution Facilities and Demineralization/Desalination Recycled Water Treatment and Reclamation Facility Project. Cost: $10 million over 2009-2013 and $10,000 after 2013.
• "Jackson Gulch Rehabilitation." Authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to pay for 80 percent of costs associated with a needed rehabilitation of Jackson Gulch. Cost: $8 million over five years.
• "Rio Grande Pueblos Irrigation Infrastructure Improvement Act." Directs the Bureau of Reclamation to conduct a study of irrigation infrastructure within 18 New Mexico pueblos; develop a ten year list of projects in need of rehabilitation and construction; authorizes grants for pueblos to address identified needs; and sets federal share at 75 percent. The bill authorizes $64 million in funding.
• "Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Improvement Act of 2008." Authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to spend an additional $227 million implementing the endangered fish recovery programs for the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins up to year 2023.
• "Santa Margarita River, California." Authorizes $60 million for the Secretary of Interior to create a water supply project relating to Santa Margarita River located in California. Cost: $61 million over five years.
• "Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District." Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to work with the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District located in California in the design, planning, and construction of new wastewater treatment facilities. The federal cost share is limited to 25% of each project. Cost: $7 million over five years.
• "North Bay Water Reuse Authority." Authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to participate in the design, planning, and construction of the North Bay Water Reuse Program, and limits the federal share to the lesser of 25% or $5 million of the cost of the first phase of the project. Cost: $25 million over five years.
• "Prado Basin Natural Treatment System Project, California." Authorizes the Department of Interior to participate in the design, planning and construction of several local projects including, the natural treatment systems and wetlands for the flows of the Santa Ana River, California, and its tributaries into the Prado Basin; the Lower Chino Dairy Area desalination demonstration and reclamation project. The bill also authorizes the Secretary to establish a Center for Technological Advancement of Membrane Technology and Education at the Orange County Water District, located in California. Cost: $30 million over five years.
• "Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin, California." Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to work with the Western Municipal Water District, Riverside County located in California on the design and construction of the Riverside-Corona Feeder water supply project. No CBO score is available.
• "GREAT Project, California." Authorizes the Department of Interior to work on a local water project in Oxnard, California, and limits the federal share to 25% of the total project costs. Cost: $14 million over five years.
• "Yucaipa Valley Water District, California." Authorizes the Secretary of Interior to participate in the design and construction of Yucaipa Valley Regional Water Supply Renewal Project and the City of Corona Water Recycling and Reuse Project. The federal share of the project is limited to 25% percent of the total costs. Cost: $24 million over five years.
• "Arkansas Valley Conduit Act of 2008." Provides for the payment of not more than 35% of the cost of the Arkansas Valley Conduit, Colorado, by the Secretary of the Interior. No funds can be used for operations and maintenance. The 130 mile conduit will bring water from Pueblo Dam to southeastern Colorado communities. No CBO Score available.
• "Transfer of McGee Creek pipeline and facilities." Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the McGee Creek Authority certain facilities of the McGee Creek Project, Oklahoma, and for other purposes. No significant cost.
• "Albuquerque Biological Park, New Mexico, title clarification." Clears title to certain real property in New Mexico associated with the Middle Rio Grande Project. No significant cost.
• "Goleta Water District Water Distribution System, California." Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the Goleta Water District, Santa Barbara County, California, all rights, title and interest in held by the United States to the Goleta Water Distribution System of the Cachuma Project. No significant cost.
• "San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund." Authorizes appropriations for the San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund. Cost: $50 million over 2009-2013.
• "Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Fund." Authorizes appropriations for the Bureau of Reclamation to carry out the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program in the States of Arizona, California, and Nevada. Cost: $70 million over next 5 years and several hundred million for 50-year lifespan of the program.
• "Science and Engineering to Comprehensively Understand and Responsibly Enhance Water Act." Authorizes the creation of a Climate Change Adaptation Program; Water Management grants; a hydroelectric power assessment; a Climate Change and Intergovernmental Panel; Water Data Enhancement; and a water use and availability assessment report. No CBO score is available but the bill authorizes at least $142 million.
• "Aging Water Infrastructure and Maintenance Act." Requires the Bureau of Reclamation to conduct an assessment of at least 75 percent of facilities within one to determine conditions, estimates value of properties and size of population imperiled if the project failed or was breached. The bill authorizes $11 million in new spending.

TITLE X - Water Settlements

• "San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act." Implements a judicial settlement between the Bureau of Reclamation's Friant Division of the Central Valley Project (CVP) in Northern California and a coalition of environmental and fishing groups (Natural Resources Defense Council, et. al). Under this act, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to design and construct improvements to the San Joaquin River; modify operations of Friant Dam; acquire water or water rights; and implement terms of the settlement relating to recapture and reuse of water to minimize water supply disruptions to users. Cost: $461 million in direct and authorized spending from 2009-2018 with additional spending from 2019-2028.
• "Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects." Establishes a new Reclamation Water Settlements Fund to implement water settlements that the United States has entered into. The bill also would ratify a settlement agreement between the United States, the state of New Mexico, and the Navajo Nation, including: authorizing the rehabilitation of water infrastructure in northwestern New Mexico; providing for water deliveries to the Navajo and Jicarilla Apache Nations and the city of Gallup, New Mexico; securing water rights for the Navajo Nation; and creating a trust fund for the Navajo Nation. Cost: Increase in net direct spending by $620 million and in discretionary spending by $132 million over the 2009-2018 period.
• "Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Restoration Water Rights Settlement Act." Promotes Indian self-sufficiency and to settles Indian water rights claims without lengthy and costly litigation and to resolve uncertainty in water rights claims with respect to the East Fork of the Owyhee River in the State of Nevada. The bill establishes two funds: the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Water Rights Development Fund and the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Operation and Maintenance Fund. Cost: $48 million over four years.

TITLE XI - United States Geological Survey Authorizations

• "Reauthorization of National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992." Reauthorizes the national geologic mapping program and extends current deadlines for plans, reports, and other requirements established by the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992. Cost: 10 million in fiscal year 2007 and $350 million over the 2007-2012 period.
• "New Mexico Water Resources Study." Requires the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a study of water resources in five New Mexico ground water basins within two years of enactment. Cost: $15 million.

TITLE XII - Oceans

• "Ocean and Coastal Exploration and NOAA Act." Directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish an integrated mapping program encompassing the Great Lakes, coastal state waters, the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone, and the continental shelf of the United States. Cost: $872 million over five years, $1.5 billion over the 2008-2017 period.
• "Coastal and Ocean Observation Act." Directs the National Ocean Research Leadership Council to develop and operate an integrated coastal and ocean observation system. Cost: $800 million over five years.
• "Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act." Establishes a new federal program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct research and public outreach on ocean acidification. Cost: $100 million over five years.
• "Coastal and Estuarine Land Protection Act." Directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a new federal program to protect land near coastal areas and estuaries. Under the program, NOAA would make grants to coastal states that wish to purchase eligible lands or other property interests. Cost: $240 million over five years.

TITLE XIII - Miscellaneous

• "Management of Public Land Trust Funds in North Dakota." This bill is related to land grant trust funds, according to GOP Natural Resources Committee staff: "Pursuant to the Morrill Act and the North Dakota Statehood Act, the State can only spend funds derived from interest and income from the trust funds (i.e., surface and mineral rentals, loan income, and interest earnings) and may not expend funds derived from permanent trust additions (i.e., mineral royalties, mineral bonuses, and proceeds of land sales). The North Dakota State Land Department, which administers the trust funds, contends that this restriction creates unnecessary fluctuations in distributions and creates incentives for investment decisions that create short term income at the expense of long term value." No significant cost impact.
• "Amendments to Fisheries Restoration and Irrigation Mitigation Act of 2000." Reauthorizes the activities and programs carried out under the Fisheries Restoration and Irrigation Mitigation Act. These programs are administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service and are designed to assist fisheries affected by water projects. Cost: $115 million over the 2008-2013.
• "Amendments to Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Act." Amends the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Act to allow the Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects to hire employees more efficiently. Cost: No significant impact.
• "Additional Assistant Secretary for Department of Energy." Increases the number of Assistant Secretaries of Energy from 7 to 8, the number originally authorized by the Organization Act in 1977. In keeping with current law, the bill does not designate the functions of the new position, but it will enable the Secretary to restore the Environment, Safety and Health functions to the Assistant Secretary level. Cost: Less than $1 million annually.
• "Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute Land Conveyance Act." Conveys specified land identified as Parcel A (135 acres) to the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute in New Mexico. No CBO score available.
• "National Tropical Botanical Gardens." Authorizes appropriations for the National Tropical Botanical Garden, located in Hawaii and Florida. Cost: $5 million over 2008-2017.

TITLE XIV - Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act

• "Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act." Authorizes the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to coordinate paralysis research and establish consortia in honor of Christopher and Dana Reeve. The bill also authorizes the NIH to make grants for multicenter networks of clinical sites for rehabilitation intervention protocols and outcomes, and creates a new program to carry out projects and interventions to improve the quality of life and health status of persons with paralysis and other physical disabilities. Under its broad public health authorizations, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) already has the authority to carry out the activities of this legislation. Cost: $103 million over five years.

TITLE XV - Smithsonian Institution Facilities Authorization

• "Smithsonian Institution Facilities Authorization." Authorizes $41 million for a new laboratory and support space to accommodate the Mathias Laboratory at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Maryland. The bill also authorizes $14 million for the construction of a laboratory space to accommodate the terrestrial research program of the Smithsonian tropical research institute in Gamboa, Panama. Cost: $55 million over five years.
• "Smithsonian Greenhouses." Authorizes the construction of a greenhouse facility in Suitland, Maryland to assist in the maintenance and preservation of the national orchid collection. Cost: $12 million over five years.

House Democratic Caucus Summary

The House Democratic Caucus does not provide summaries of bills.

So, yes, we display the House Republican Conference’s summaries when available even if we do not have a Democratic summary available. That’s because we feel it is better to give you as much information as possible, even if we cannot provide every viewpoint.

We’ll be looking for a source of summaries from the other side in the meanwhile.