Title II — Wildlife Corridors

H.R. 1187 · 113th Congress · Mar 14, 2013 · Lineage

II Wildlife Corridors

Sec. 201 Definitions

In this title:

(1)

Geospatial interoperability framework— The term Geospatial Interoperability Framework means the strategy utilized by the National Biological Information Infrastructure that is based upon accepted standards, specifications, and protocols adopted through the International Standards Organization, the Open Geospatial Consortium, and the Federal Geographic Data Committee, to manage, archive, integrate, analyze, and make accessible geospatial and biological data and metadata.

(2)

Program— The term program means the Northern Rockies Fish and Wildlife Habitat and Corridors Information Program established by the Secretary.

(3)

Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

(4)

System— The term system means the Northern Rockies Habitat and Corridors Information System developed by the Secretary.

Sec. 202 Northern Rockies Wildlife Habitat and Corridors Information Program

(a)

Establishment— Not later than six months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a Northern Rockies Fish and Wildlife Habitat and Corridors Information Program.

(b)

Purpose— The purpose of the program is to—

(1)

support States and Indian tribes in the development of a regional information system database of fish and wildlife habitat and corridors that would inform planning and development decisions within the States of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, enabling each State to model climate impacts and adaptation, and provide geographically specific enhancements of State wildlife action plans;

(2)

ensure the collaborative development, with the States and Indian tribes, of a comprehensive, regional geographic information system database of maps, models, data, surveys, informational products, and other geospatial information regarding fish and wildlife habitat and corridors, that—

(A)

is based on consistent protocols for sampling and mapping across landscapes that take into account regional differences; and

(B)

that utilizes—

(i)

existing and planned State- and tribal-based geographic information system databases; and

(ii)

existing databases, analytical tools, metadata activities, and other information products available through the National Biological Information Infrastructure maintained by the Secretary and nongovernmental organizations; and

(3)

facilitate the use of such databases by Federal, State, local, and tribal decision makers to incorporate qualitative information on fish and wildlife habitat and corridors at the earliest possible stage to—

(A)

prioritize and target natural resources adaptation strategies and activities;

(B)

avoid, minimize, and mitigate the impacts on fish and wildlife habitat and corridors in siting energy development, water, transmission, transportation, and other land use projects;

(C)

assess the impacts of existing development on habitats and corridors; and

(D)

develop management strategies to enhance the ability of fish, wildlife, and plant species to migrate or respond to shifting habitats within existing habitats and corridors.

Sec. 203 Northern Rockies Habitat and Corridors Information System

(a)

Development— The Secretary shall develop a Northern Rockies Habitat and Corridors Information System.

(b)

Contents— The system shall—

(1)

include maps, data, and descriptions of fish and wildlife habitat and corridors in the States of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, that—

(A)

have been developed by Federal agencies, State wildlife agencies and natural heritage programs, Indian tribes, local governments, nongovernmental organizations, and industry; and

(B)

meet accepted Geospatial Interoperability Framework data and metadata protocols and standards;

(2)

include maps and descriptions of projected shifts in habitats and corridors of fish and wildlife species in response to climate change;

(3)

assure data quality and make the data, models, and analyses included in the System available at scales useful to decisionmakers—

(A)

to prioritize and target natural resources adaptation strategies and activities;

(B)

to assess the impacts of proposed energy development, water, transmission, transportation, and other land use projects and avoid, minimize, and mitigate those impacts on habitats and corridors;

(C)

to assess the impacts of existing development on habitats and corridors; and

(D)

to develop management strategies to enhance the ability of fish, wildlife, and plant species to migrate or respond to shifting habitats within existing habitats and corridors across the States of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming;

(4)

establish a process for updating maps and other information as landscapes, habitats, corridors, and wildlife populations change or as other information becomes available;

(5)

encourage the development of collaborative plans by Federal and State agencies and Indian tribes to monitor and evaluate the efficacy of the System to meet the needs of decisionmakers;

(6)

identify gaps in habitat and corridor information, mapping, and research that should be addressed to fully understand assess current data and metadata, and to prioritize research and future data collection activities for use in updating the System and provide support for those activities;

(7)

include mechanisms to support collaborative research, mapping, and planning of habitats and corridors by Federal and State agencies, Indian tribes, and other interested stakeholders;

(8)

incorporate biological and geospatial data on species and corridors found in energy development and transmission plans, including renewable energy initiatives, transportation, and other land use plans;

(9)

be based on the best scientific information available; and

(10)

identify, prioritize, and describe key parcels of non-Federal land located within the boundaries of units of the National Park System, National Wildlife Refuge System, National Forest System, or National Grassland System that are critical to maintenance of wildlife habitat and migration corridors.

(c)

Financial and Other Support— The Secretary may provide support, including financial and technical assistance, to the States of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming and Indian tribes in such States for activities that support the development and implementation of the system.

(d)

Coordination— The Secretary shall make recommendations on how the information developed in the system may be incorporated into existing relevant State and Federal plans affecting fish and wildlife, including land management plans, the State Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategies, and appropriate tribal conservation plans, to ensure that they—

(1)

prevent unnecessary habitat fragmentation and disruption of corridors;

(2)

promote the landscape connectivity necessary to allow wildlife to move as necessary to meet biological needs, adjust to shifts in habitat, and adapt to climate change; and

(3)

minimize the impacts of energy, development, water, transportation, and transmission projects and other activities expected to impact habitat and corridors.

Sec. 204 Cooperation

The Secretary shall establish the program, develop the system, and otherwise carry out this title in cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture, the States of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, and Indian tribes in such States.