Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 117.djvu/640

 PUBLIC LAW 108–16—APR. 23, 2003

117 STAT. 621

Public Law 108–16 108th Congress An Act To provide for the eradication and control of nutria in Maryland and Louisiana.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003’’.

Apr. 23, 2003 [H.R. 273] Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following: (1) Wetlands and tidal marshes of the Chesapeake Bay and in Louisiana provide significant cultural, economic, and ecological benefits to the Nation. (2) The South American nutria (Myocastor coypus) is directly contributing to substantial marsh loss in Maryland and Louisiana on Federal, State, and private land. (3) Traditional harvest methods to control or eradicate nutria have failed in Maryland and have had limited success in the eradication of nutria in Louisiana. Consequently, marsh loss is accelerating. (4) The nutria eradication and control pilot program authorized by Public Law 105–322 is to develop new and effective methods for eradication of nutria. (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance to the State of Maryland and the State of Louisiana for a program to implement measures to eradicate or control nutria and restore marshland damaged by nutria. SEC. 3. NUTRIA ERADICATION PROGRAM.

(a) GRANT AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of the Interior (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’), subject to the availability of appropriations, may provide financial assistance to the State of Maryland and the State of Louisiana for a program to implement measures to eradicate or control nutria and restore marshland damaged by nutria. (b) GOALS.—The goals of the program shall be to— (1) eradicate nutria in Maryland; (2) eradicate or control nutria in Louisiana and other States; and (3) restore marshland damaged by nutria. (c) ACTIVITIES.—In the State of Maryland, the Secretary shall require that the program consist of management, research, and

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