H.R. 1204 · 108th Congress
To amend the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to establish requirements for the award of concessions in the National Wildlife Refuge System, to provide for maintenance and repair of properties located in the System by concessionaires authorized to use such properties, and for other purposes.
- Stage
- Passed a chamber
- Sponsor
- Mark Souder
- Introduced
- 2003-03-11
- Latest action
- 2003-11-19 · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Summary
Amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from awarding any concession that authorizes a person to use any land or water in the National Wildlife Refuge System for any activity conducted to provide accommodations, facilities, or services for visitors' recreational, educational, or interpretive enjoyment of System lands or waters, except under a standardized contract established pursuant to this Act.Directs the Secretary, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to issue regulations requiring that any activity conducted in the System under the contract must be: (1) a compatible use; and (2) designed to conserve the System's natural and cultural resources, facilitate the enjoyment of System lands and waters, and enhance visitors' knowledge of the natural resources.Requires the Secretary to include in any such contract provisions that: (1) authorize the person to maintain or repair any improvement on or in such land or water that the person is authorized to use; and (2) treat costs incurred by the person for such maintenance or repair as consideration otherwise required to be paid to the United States for such use.Requires amounts received by the United States as fees or other payments required under any contract for use of real property located in an area of the System to be available to the Secretary for specified expenditures.Directs the Secretary to: (1) include in the comprehensive conservation plan for each refuge a description of the activities that may be conducted in the refugee and the lands, water, and facilities of the refuge that may be used under concession contracts; and (2) report annually to specified congressional committees on concessions activities in the System.