Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 114 Part 3.djvu/684

 114 STAT. 1782 PUBLIC LAW 106-408—NOV. 1, 2000 16 USC 3710. National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial Act. "SEC. 11. LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY. "Nothing in this Act authorizes the Foundation to perform any function the authority for which is provided to the National Park Foundation by Public Law 90-209 (16 U.S.C. 19e et seq.).". TITLE III—NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM CENTENNIAL 16 USC 668dd note. 16 USC 668dd note. SEC. 301. SHORT TITLE. This title may be cited as the "National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial Act". SEC. 302. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. (a) FINDINGS.— Confess finds that— (1) President Tlieodore Roosevelt began the National Wildlife Refuge System by establishing the first refuge at Pelican Island, Florida, on March 14, 1903; (2) the National Wildlife Refuge System is comprised of more than 93,000,000 acres of Federal land managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in more than 532 individual refuges and thousands of waterfowl production areas located in all 50 States £md the territories of the United States; (3) the System is the only network of Federal land dedicated singularly to wildlife conservation and where wildlife-dependent recreation and environmental education are priority public uses; (4) the System serves a vitgil role in the conservation of millions of migratory birds, dozens of endangered species and threatened species, some of the premier fisheries of the United States, marine mammals, and the habitats on which such species offish and wildlife depend; (5) each year the System provides millions of Americans with opportunities to psirticipate in wildlife-dependent recreation, including hunting, fishing, and wildlife observation; (6)(A) public visitation to national wildlife refuges is growing, with more than 35,000,000 visitors annually; andf (B) it is essential that visitor centers and public use facilities be properly constructed, operated, and maintained; (7) the National Wildlife Refiige System Volunteer and Community Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 742f note; Public Law 105-242), and the amendments made by that Act, significantly enhance the ability of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to incorporate volunteers and partnerships in refuge management; (8) as of the date of the enactment of this Act, the System has an unacceptable backlog of critical operation and maintenance needs; and (9) the occasion of the centennial of the System, in 2003, presents a historic opportunity to enhance natural resource stewardship and expand public enjoyment of the national wildlife refuges of the United States. (b) PURPOSES.— The purposes of this title are— (1) to establish a commission to promote awareness by the public of the National Wildlife Refuge System as the System celebrates its centennial in 2003; (2) to develop a long-term plan to meet the priority operation, maintenance, and construction needs of the System;

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