Valley Project Improvement Act, will not be counted toward the authorized amount of $25 million.

Section 105 authorizes the transfer of the Senecaville National Fish Hatchery to the State of Ohio for use by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Management Program.

Title II authorizes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to make grants-subject to the availability of appropriations to establish the Brownsville Wetlands Policy Center at the Port of Brownsville, Texas.

Section 201. Short title. This title may be cited as the "Brownsville Wetlands Policy Act of 1994".

Section 202 provides for the establishment of the Brownsville Wetlands Policy Center and outlines the mission, governing structure, and oversight responsibilities of the Center.

The Center is to be located on approximately 7,000 acres of wetlands made available for this purpose by the Port of Brownsville. The property, currently held in trust by the Brownsville Navigation District, has been offered by the Port for wetlands research, education, and policy program activities. The property and Center will be operated and maintained by the Port of Brownsville and the wetlands policy programs will be administered by the University of Texas at Brownsville.

The Center will be governed by a Board of Directors co-chaired by designees of the port of Brownsville, the University of Texas at Brownsville, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Members of the Board will be chosen by the co-chairs, and as envisioned by this Committee, will include representatives from appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, environmental groups and other non-profit organizations, private businesses, and elected officials of the Brownsville Navigation District.

For purposes of oversight, the Board of Directors shall prepare an annual report which will be submitted through FWS to Congress. The report will cover programs, projects, activities, and accomplishments of the Center. It will also include a review of the budget including all sources of funding.

Section 203 directs the Fish and Wildlife Service to make grants to the Center for the purposes of carrying out its activities, subject to the availability of appropriations.

Section 204 authorizes the FWS to enter into a long-term lease with the Port of Brownsville for use of the wetlands property for this center. The Committee understands that the Port will agree to a nominal lease amount of not more than $1 per year.

Section 206 authorizes appropriations for FWS for making grants to the Center. Authorization limits are: $1,000,000 for Fiscal year 1994; $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1995; $4,000,000 for fiscal year 1996 and 1997, and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year

1998.

Section 207 clarifies the relationship between the role of the Fish and Wildlife Service at the Brownsville Wetlands Center and its role at the Center for Environmental Studies and Services on the campus of Corpus Christi State University. There is no intention to relocate the administrative offices of the FWS, now at Corpus Christi, to Brownsville. No funds appropriated pursuant to this Act may be used for any such relocation.

ROLLCALL VOTES

Section 7(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate and the Rules of the Committee on Environment and Public Works require that any rollcall votes taken in consideration of this bill be announced in this report.

There were no rollcall votes taken during consideration of the Committee's consideration of this bill. The bill was ordered reported, as amended by the Full Committee on Environment and Public Works on January 27, 1994, by a unanimous voice vote.

Hon. MAX BAUCUS,

COST OF LEGISLATION

U.S. CONGRESS,

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE,
Washington, DC, February 9, 1994.

Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works,

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 476, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Improvement Act of 1994.

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased to provide them.

Sincerely,

ROBERT D. REISCHAUER,

Director.

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

1. Bill number: S. 476.

2. Bill title: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Improvement Act of 1994.

3. Bill status: As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on January 27, 1994.

4. Bill purpose: S. 476 would authorize the appropriation of $25 million for each of the fiscal years 1994 through 1998 for activities of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). These amounts would be available to the NFWF to match contributions received from private, state, and local organizations.

S. 476 also would establish the Brownsville Wetlands Policy Center at the Port of Brownsville, Texas for the purpose of using grants made by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The bill would authorize specific amounts to be appropriated for these grants in fiscal year 1994 through 1996 and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 1997.

5. Estimated cost to the Federal Government:

The 1994 authorization level has been reduced by about $2 million that was appropriated for the NFWF for that year.

The costs of this bill fall within budget function 300.

Basis of estimate: For the purposes of this estimate, CBO has assumed that the full amounts authorized will be appropriated for each fiscal year. In addition to the $25 million per year specified for the NFWF, the gross authorization levels include amounts specified in the bill for the Brownsville center: $5 million for 1994 and $4 million each for 1995 and 1996. For 1997, the estimated authorization for the center is equal to the 1996 amount adjusted for inflation. Outlays for NFWF payments have been estimated on the basis of historical spending patterns for similar programs.

CBO has assumed that the Brownsville Wetlands Policy Center would be established and lease agreements would be completed within a few months of the bill's enactment.

Other provisions, which would amend the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act, would have no impact on federal spending.

6. Estimated cost to State and local governments: None.

7. Estimate comparison: None.

8. Previous CBO estimate: None.

9. Estimate prepared by: Deborah Reis.

10. Estimate approved by: C.G. Nuckols, Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In the opinion of the Committee, it is necessary to dispense with the requirements of subsection (4) of rule XXIX of the Standing Rules of the Senate in order to expedite the business of the Senate.