§ 3645 — Northern And Southern Funds; Treaty Implementation; Additional Authorization Of Appropriations

(1) As provided in the June 30, 1999, Agreement of the United States and Canada on the Treaty Between the Government of the United States and the Government of Canada Concerning Pacific Salmon, 1985 (hereafter referred to as the “1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement”) there are hereby established a Northern Boundary and Transboundary Rivers Restoration and Enhancement Fund (hereafter referred to as the “Northern Fund”) and a Southern Boundary Restoration and Enhancement Fund (hereafter referred to as the “Southern Fund”) to be held by the Pacific Salmon Commission. The Northern Fund and Southern Fund shall be invested in interest bearing accounts, bonds, securities, or other investments in order to achieve the highest annual yield consistent with protecting the principal of each Fund. Income from investments made pursuant to this paragraph shall be available until expended, without appropriation or fiscal year limitation, for programs and activities relating to salmon restoration and enhancement, salmon research, the conservation of salmon habitat, and implementation of the Pacific Salmon Treaty and related agreements. Amounts provided by grants under this subsection may be held in interest bearing accounts prior to the disbursement of such funds for program purposes, and any interest earned may be retained for program purposes without further appropriation. The Northern Fund and Southern Fund are subject to the laws governing Federal appropriations and funds and to unrestricted circulars of the Office of Management and Budget. Recipients of amounts from either Fund shall keep separate accounts and such records as are reasonably necessary to disclose the use of the funds as well as to facilitate effective audits. (A) As provided in the 1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement, amounts made available from the Northern Fund pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be administered by a Northern Fund Committee, which shall be comprised of three representatives of the Government of Canada, and three representatives of the United States. The three United States representatives shall be the United States Commissioner and Alternate Commissioner appointed (or designated) from a list submitted by the Governor of Alaska for appointment to the Pacific Salmon Commission and the Regional Administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service for the Alaska Region. Only programs and activities consistent with the purposes in paragraph (1) which affect the geographic area from Cape Caution, Canada to Cape Suckling, Alaska may be approved for funding by the Northern Fund Committee. (B) As provided in the 1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement, amounts made available from the Southern Fund pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be administered by a Southern Fund Committee, which shall be comprised of three representatives of Canada and three representatives of the United States. The United States representatives shall be appointed by the Secretary of Commerce: one shall be selected from a list of three qualified individuals submitted by the Governors of the States of Washington and Oregon; one shall be selected from a list of three qualified individuals submitted by the treaty Indian tribes (as defined by the Secretary of Commerce); and one shall be the Regional Administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service for the Northwest Region. Only programs and activities consistent with the purposes in paragraph (1) which affect the geographic area south of Cape Caution, Canada may be approved for funding by the Southern Fund Committee. (1) None of the funds authorized by this section for implementation of the 1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement shall be made available until each of the following conditions to the 1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement has been fulfilled— (A) stipulations are revised and court orders requested as set forth in the letter of understanding of the United States negotiators dated June 22, 1999. If such orders are not requested by December 31, 1999, this condition shall be considered unfulfilled; and (B) a determination is made that— (i) the entry by the United States into the 1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement; (ii) the conduct of the Alaskan fisheries pursuant to the 1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement, without further clarification or modification of the management regimes contained therein; and (iii) the decision by the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council to continue to defer its management authority over salmon to the State of Alaska are not likely to cause jeopardy to, or adversely modify designated critical habitat of, any salmonid species listed under Public Law 93–205, as amended [16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.], in any fishery subject to the Pacific Salmon Treaty. (2) If the requests for orders in subparagraph (1)(A) are withdrawn after December 31, 1999, or if such orders are not entered by March 1, 2000, amounts in the Northern Fund and the Southern Fund shall be transferred to the general fund of the United States Treasury. (3) During the term of the 1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement, the Secretary of Commerce shall determine whether Southern United States fisheries are likely to cause jeopardy to, or adversely modify designated critical habitat of, any salmonid species listed under Public Law 93–205, as amended, before the Secretary of Commerce may initiate or reinitiate consultation on Alaska fisheries under such Act. (4) During the term of the 1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement, the Secretary of Commerce may not initiate or reinitiate consultation on Alaska fisheries under section 7 of Public Law 93–205, as amended [16 U.S.C. 1536], until— (A) the Pacific Salmon Commission has had a reasonable opportunity to implement the provisions of the 1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement, including the harvest responses pursuant to paragraph 9, chapter 3 of Annex IV to the Pacific Salmon Treaty; and (B) he determines, in consultation with the United States Section of the Pacific Salmon Commission, that implementation actions under the 1999 Agreement will not return escapements as expeditiously as possible to maximum sustainable yield or other biologically-based escapement objectives agreed to by the Pacific Salmon Commission. (5) The Secretary of Commerce shall notify the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives of his intent to initiate or reinitiate consultation on Alaska fisheries. (A) For purposes of this section, “Alaska fisheries” means all directed Pacific salmon fisheries off the coast of Alaska that are subject to the Pacific Salmon Treaty. (B) For purposes of this section, “Southern United States fisheries” means all directed Pacific salmon fisheries in Washington, Oregon, and the Snake River basin of Idaho that are subject to the Pacific Salmon Treaty. (c) (A) For capitalizing the Northern Fund there is authorized to be appropriated in fiscal years 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 a total of $75,000,000. (B) For capitalizing the Southern Fund there is authorized to be appropriated in fiscal years 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 a total of $65,000,000. (C) To provide economic adjustment assistance to fishermen pursuant to the 1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement, there is authorized to be appropriated in fiscal years 2000, 2001, and 2002 a total of $30,000,000. (A) 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009, $90,000,000 to the States of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and California. Amounts appropriated pursuant to this subparagraph shall be made available as direct payments. The State of Alaska may allocate a portion of any funds it receives under this subsection to eligible activities outside Alaska. (B) For salmon habitat restoration, salmon stock enhancement, salmon research, and supplementation activities, there is authorized to be appropriated in each of fiscal years 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003, $10,000,000 to be divided between the Pacific Coastal tribes (as defined by the Secretary of Commerce) and the Columbia River tribes (as defined by the Secretary of Commerce).