43 U.S.C. § 1474c — North American Wetlands Conservation

Page 392 TITLE 43—PUBLIC LANDS § 1474c 101–337)’’, was executed by amending this section by making the substitution, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. 1997—Pub. L. 105–83 inserted ‘‘, including transfers to Federal trustees and payments to non-Federal trust- ees,’’ after ‘‘account’’ and ‘‘, to remain available until expended,’’ after ‘‘and such sums’’ and substituted ‘‘heretofore and hereafter’’ for ‘‘in fiscal year 1996 and thereafter’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries PRIOR SIMILAR PROVISIONS Provisions similar to those in this section were con- tained in the following prior appropriation acts: Pub. L. 103–332, title I, Sept. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 2503. Pub. L. 103–138, title I, Nov. 11, 1993, 107 Stat. 1383. § 1474c. North American Wetlands Conservation Fund; availability of fines or forfeitures In fiscal year 1992 and thereafter, amounts re- ceived during the immediately preceding fiscal year under section 707 of title 16 as penalties or fines or from forfeitures of property or collat- eral, to remain available until expended. (Pub. L. 103–138, title I, Nov. 11, 1993, 107 Stat. 1384.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries PRIOR SIMILAR PROVISIONS Provisions similar to those in this section were con- tained in the following prior appropriation acts: Pub. L. 102–381, title I, Oct. 5, 1992, 106 Stat. 1381. Pub. L. 102–154, title I, Nov. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 995. § 1474d. Environmental Improvement and Res- toration Fund (a) Fund One half of the amounts awarded by the Su- preme Court to the United States in the case of United States of America v. State of Alaska (117 S.Ct. 1888) shall be deposited in a fund in the Treasury of the United States to be known as the ‘‘Environmental Improvement and Restora- tion Fund’’ (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Fund’’). (b) Investments (1) In general The Secretary of the Treasury shall invest amounts in the Fund in interest bearing obli- gations of the United States. (2) Acquisition of obligations For the purpose of investments under para- graph (1), obligations may be acquired— (A) on original issue at the issue price; or (B) by purchase of outstanding obligations at the market price. (3) Sale of obligations Any obligations acquired by the Fund may be sold by the Secretary of the Treasury at the market price. (4) Credits to Fund The interest earned from investments of the Fund shall be covered into and form a part of the Fund. (c) Transfer and availability of amounts earned Each year, interest earned and covered into the Fund in the previous fiscal year shall be made available as follows: (1) To the extent provided in the subsequent appropriations Acts, 80 percent of such amounts shall be made available to be equally divided among the Directors of the National Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Manage- ment, and the Chief of the Forest Service for high priority deferred maintenance and mod- ernization of facilities that directly enhance the experience of visitors, including natural, cultural, recreational, and historic resources protection projects in National Parks, Na- tional Wildlife Refuges, and the public lands respectively as provided in subsection (d) and for payment to the State of Louisiana and its lessees for oil and gas drainage in the West Delta field. The Secretary shall submit with the annual budget submission to Congress a list of high priority maintenance and mod- ernization projects for congressional consider- ation. (2) 20 percent of such amounts shall be made available without further appropriation to the Secretary of Commerce for the purpose of car- rying out marine research activities in the North Pacific in accordance with subsection (e). (d) Projects A project referred to in subsection (c)(1) shall be consistent with the laws governing the Na- tional Park System, the National Wildlife Ref- uge System, the public lands and Forest Service lands and management plan for such unit. (e) Marine research activities (1) Funds available under subsection (c)(2) shall be used by the Secretary of Commerce ac- cording to this subsection to provide grants to Federal, State, private or foreign organizations or individuals to conduct research activities on or relating to the fisheries or marine ecosystems in the north Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea, and Arc- tic Ocean (including any lesser related bodies of water). (2) Research priorities and grant requests shall be reviewed by a board to be known as the North Pacific Research Board (referred to in this sub- section as the ‘‘Board’’). The Board shall seek to avoid duplicating other research activities, and shall place a priority on cooperative research ef- forts designed to address pressing fishery man- agement or marine ecosystem information needs. (3) The Board shall be comprised of the fol- lowing representatives or their designees— (A) the Secretary of Commerce; (B) the Secretary of State; (C) the Secretary of the Interior; (D) the Commandant of the Coast Guard; (E) the Director of the Office of Naval Re- search; (F) the Alaska Commissioner of Fish and Game; (G) the Chairman of the North Pacific Fish- ery Management Council; (H) the Chairman of the Arctic Research Commission; (I) the Director of the Oil Spill Recovery In- stitute; (J) the Director of the Alaska SeaLife Cen- ter;