Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 5.djvu/742

 112 STAT. 3500 PUBLIC LAW 105-391—NOV. 13, 1998 16 USC 5933. SEC. 203. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. (a) CooPERATrs/iE STIHDY UNITS.—The Secretary is authorized and directed to enter into cooperative agreements with colleges and universities, including but not limited to land grant schools, in partnership with other Federal and State agencies, to establish cooperative study units to conduct multi-disciplinary research and develop integrated information products on the resources of the National Park System, or the larger region of which parks are a part. Deadline. (b) REPORT. —Within one year of the date of enactment of this title, the Secretary shall report to the Committee on Energy and ^ Natural Resources of the United States Senate and the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives on progress in the establishment of a comprehensive network of such college and university based cooperative study units as will provide full geographic and topical coverage for research on the resources contained in units of the National Park System and their larger regions. 16 USC 5934. SEC. 204. INVENTORY AND MONITORING PROGRAM. The Secretary shall undertake a program of inventory and monitoring of National Park System resources to establish baseline information and to provide information on the long-term trends in the condition of National Park System resources. The monitoring program shall be developed in cooperation with other Federal monitoring and information collection efforts to ensure a cost-effective approach. 16 USC 5935. SEC. 205. AVAILABILITY FOR SCIENTIFIC STUDY. (a) IN GENERAL. — The Secretary may solicit, receive, and consider requests from Federal or non-Federal public or private agencies, organizations, individuals, or other entities for the use of any unit of the National Park System for purposes of scientific study. (b) CRITERIA. —^A request for use of a unit of the National Park System under subsection (a) may only be approved if the Secretary determines that the proposed study— (1) is consistent with applicable laws and National Park Service management policies; and (2) will be conducted in a manner as to pose no threat to park resources or public enjoyment derived from those resources. (c) FEE WAIVER.— The Secretary may waive any park admission or recreational use fee in order to facilitate the conduct of scientific study under this section. (d) NEGOTIATIONS. —The Secretary may enter into negotiations with the research community and private industry for equitable, efficient benefits-sharing arrangements. 16 USC 5936. SEC. 206. INTEGRATION OF STUDY RESULTS INTO MANAGEMENT DECISIONS. The Secretary shall take such measures as are necessary to assure the full and proper utilization of the results of scientific study for park management decisions. In each case in which an action undertaken by the National Park Service may cause a significant adverse effect on a park resource, the administrative record shall reflect the manner in which unit resource studies have been considered. The trend in the condition of resources of the National Park System shall be a significant factor in the annual performance

�