S. 134 (rs) To direct the Secretary of the Interior to study whether the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore should be protected as a wilderness area. [Reported in Senate] ...

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106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                 S. 134


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 6, 2000

                 Referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 To direct the Secretary of the Interior to study whether the Apostle 
  Islands National Lakeshore should be protected as a wilderness area.

    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 ``Gaylord Nelson Apostle Islands 
Stewardship Act of 2000''.

SEC. 2. GAYLORD NELSON APOSTLE ISLANDS.

    (a) Declarations.--Congress declares that--
            (1) the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is a national 
        and a Wisconsin treasure;
            (2) the State of Wisconsin is particularly indebted to 
        former Senator Gaylord Nelson for his leadership in the 
        creation of the Lakeshore;
            (3) after more than 28 years of enjoyment, some issues 
        critical to maintaining the overall ecological, recreational, 
        and cultural vision of the Lakeshore need additional attention;
            (4) the general management planning process for the 
        Lakeshore has identified a need for a formal wilderness study;
            (5) all land within the Lakeshore that might be suitable 
        for designation as wilderness are zoned and managed to protect 
        wilderness characteristics pending completion of such a study;
            (6) several historic lighthouses within the Lakeshore are 
        in danger of structural damage due to severe erosion;
            (7) the Secretary of the Interior has been unable to take 
        full advantage of cooperative agreements with Federal, State, 
        local, and tribal governmental agencies, institutions of higher 
        education, and other nonprofit organizations that could assist 
        the National Park Service by contributing to the management of 
        the Lakeshore;
            (8) because of competing needs in other units of the 
        National Park System, the standard authorizing and budgetary 
        process has not resulted in updated legislative authority and 
        necessary funding for improvements to the Lakeshore; and
            (9) the need for improvements to the Lakeshore and 
        completion of a wilderness study should be accorded a high 
        priority among National Park Service activities.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Lakeshore.--The term ``Lakeshore'' means the Apostle 
        Islands National Lakeshore.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National 
        Park Service.
    (c) Wilderness Study.--In fulfillment of the responsibilities of 
the Secretary under the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and of 
applicable agency policy, the Secretary shall evaluate areas of land 
within the Lakeshore for inclusion in the National Wilderness System.
    (d) Apostle Islands Lighthouses.--The Secretary shall undertake 
appropriate action (including protection of the bluff toe beneath the 
lighthouses, stabilization of the bank face, and dewatering of the area 
immediately shoreward of the bluffs) to protect the lighthouse 
structures at Raspberry Lighthouse and Outer Island Lighthouse on the 
Lakeshore.
    (e) Cooperative Agreements.--Section 6 of Public Law 91-424 (16 
U.S.C. 460w-5) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``Sec. 6. The lakeshore'' and inserting the 
        following:

``SEC. 6. MANAGEMENT.

    ``(a) In General.--The lakeshore''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary may enter into a 
cooperative agreement with a Federal, State, tribal, or local 
government agency or a nonprofit private entity if the Secretary 
determines that a cooperative agreement would be beneficial in carrying 
out section 7.''.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated--
            (1) $200,000 to carry out subsection (c); and
            (2) $3,900,000 to carry out subsection (d).

            Passed the Senate October 5 (legislative day, September 
      22), 2000.

            Attest:

                                                    GARY SISCO,

                                                             Secretary.

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