BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Title
Recommended Positions on Federal Legislation: HR 3916 (Calvert) - Federally Integrated Species Health (FISH) Act; HR 3912 (Walorski) - Move America Act of 2017; and HR 1971 (Smucker) and S 692 (Fischer) Water Infrastructure Flexibility Act.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
A. Adopt a position of "Support" on: HR 3916 (Calvert) - Federally Integrated Species Health (FISH) Act;
B. Adopt a position of "Support" on: HR 3912 (Walorski) - Move America Act of 2017; and
C. Adopt a position of "Support" on: HR 1971 (Smucker) and S 692 (Fischer) - Water Infrastructure Flexibility Act.
Body
SUMMARY:
A. HR 3916 (Calvert) - Federally Integrated Species Health (FISH) Act Recommendation: Support
Priority Recommendation: 2
The purpose of this bill is to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to vest in the Secretary of the Interior, functions under that Act with respect to species of fish that spawn in fresh or estuarine waters and migrate to ocean waters, and species of fish that spawn in ocean waters and migrate to fresh waters.
The bill would consolidate the management and regulation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) within the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), by transferring the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and their duties from the Department of Commerce to the Department of the Interior, (where the FWS resides and where NMFS was formerly located.)
Status: This bill was introduced on October 3, 2017, and referred to the House Natural Resources Committee. On October 12, 2017, a hearing was held by the House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Water, Power, and Oceans.
Importance to the District:
Transferring NMFS and their ESA responsibilities from the Department of Commerce to the Department of the Interior, could streamline the regulatory review and enforcement of the ESA requirements and allow District personnel to deal with one agency when trying to resolve ESA issues on projects.
Pros: ...
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