897 



11. Migratory Bird Treaty Act 



16 U.S.C. 701-711 



(See Protection of Migratory Game and Insectivorous Birds under this title) 



12. Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge 

 P.L. 94-466 (90 Stat. 1992) 



To provide for a national wildlife refuge In the Min- 

 nesota River Valley, and for other purposes. 



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- 

 sentatives of the United States of America in Con- 

 gress assembled. That this Act may be cited as the 

 "Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Act". 



DECLARATION OF POLICY 



Sec 2. (a) Findings. — The Congress finds and 

 declares the following : 



(1) The Lower Minnesota River Valley, which 

 provides habitat for a large number of migratory 

 waterfowl, fish, and other wildlife species, is a 

 unique environmental resource. 



(2) This valley is located close to a large met- 

 ropolitan area and, accordingly, it is of great 

 value as a source of environmental education, 

 recreational opportunities, and interpretive pro- 

 grams for hundreds of thousands of urban 

 dwellers. 



(3) This valley is currently threatened with 

 spoliation, removal from public assess, and eco- 

 logical downgrading, through commercial and 

 industrial development. 



(4) DespoUment of this valley and its flood 

 plain will result in the permanent loss of unique 

 social, educational, and environmental assets, 

 (b) Policy. — It is therefore declared to be the 



policy of the Congress in this Act to preserve the 

 Minnesota River Valley through the establishment 

 of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. 



definitions 



Sec 3. As used in this Act: 



(1) The terms "conserve" and "conservation" 

 mean to use, and the use of, methods and proce- 

 dures which are necessary to assure, to the maxi- 

 mum extent practicable, the continued existence 

 of populations of fish and wildlife. Such methods 

 and procedures may include, but are not limited 

 to, all activities associated with scientific re- 

 source management, including research, census, 

 law enforcement, habitat acquisition, and public 

 information and education. 



(2) The term "interests therein" means any 

 property interest in lands and waters, including, 

 but not limited to, a leasehold, an easement, a 

 future interest, or an equitable use. 



(3) The term "refuge" means the Minnesota 

 Valley National Wildlife Refuge, established pur- 

 suant to section 4 of this Act. 



(4) ITie term "Secretary" means the Secretary 

 of the Interior, acting through the United States 

 Fish and Wildlife Service. 



(5) The term "State" means to the State of 

 Minnesota and any political subdivision thereof. 



(6) The term "wildlife recreation area" means 

 the wildlife recreation area established adjacent 

 to the refuge, pursuant to section 5 of this Act. 



THE refuge 

 Sec. 4. (a) Establishment. — The Secretary shall 

 establish, in accordance with this section, the Min- 

 nesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge by publica- 

 tion of a notice to that eflfeci in the Federal Reg- 

 ister upon completion of the comprehensive plan 

 pursuant to section 6 of this Act. The refuge shall 

 consist of — 



(1) approximately 9,500 acres of lands, 

 marshes, submerged lands, and open waters in 

 the lower Minnesota River Valley, which are de- 

 picted as a wildlife refuge on a map dated No- 

 vember 1975 and entitled "OfBcial Map — Min- 

 nesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge-Recrea- 

 tion Area", which shall be on file and available 

 for public inspection in the ofiBces of the United 

 States Fish and Wildlife Service of the Depart- 

 ment of the Interior ; and 



(2) any additional lands, waters, and interests 

 therein, which the Secretary may acquire and 

 designate for inclusion in the refuge. 



(b) Acquisition and Administration. — (1) 

 The Secretary shall, within 6 years afte the date 

 of enactment of this Act, acquire lands, waters, 

 and interests therein, within the boundaries of the 

 refuge, by (A) donation; (B) purchase (with do- 

 nated, transferred, or appropriated funds) ; or (C) 

 exchange. 



(2) With respect to the Black Dog Lake unit, as 

 identified on the map referred to in subsection (a) 

 (1) of this section, the Secretary may not acquire 

 any lands, waters, or interests therein unless such 

 acquisition is compatible with the continued op- 

 eration of the electric power generation plant 

 presently located within such unit. The Secretary 

 may negotiate and enter into an agreement, with 

 the owner of such powerplant, for the joint or 

 cooperative conservation and management of such 

 unit. 



