§ 4403 — Establishment Of North American Wetlands Conservation Council

(1) There shall be established a North American Wetlands Conservation Council (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the “Council”) which shall consist of nine members who may not receive compensation as members of the Council. Of the Council members— (A) one shall be the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, who shall be the responsible Federal official for ensuring Council compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); (B) one shall be the Executive Director of the Board of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation appointed pursuant to section 3702(g)(2)(B) of this title; (C) four shall be individuals who shall be appointed by the Secretary, who shall reside in different flyways and who shall each be a Director of the State fish and wildlife agency; and (D) three shall be individuals who shall be appointed by the Secretary and who shall each represent a different charitable and nonprofit organization which is actively participating in carrying out wetlands conservation projects under this chapter, the Plan, or the Agreement. (2) The Secretary shall appoint an alternate member of the Council who shall be knowledgeable and experienced in matters relating to fish, wildlife, and wetlands conservation and who shall perform the duties of a Council member appointed under subsection (a)(1)(C) or subsection (a)(1)(D) of this section— (A) until a vacancy referred to in subsection (b)(4) of this section is filled; or (B) in the event of the anticipated absence of such a member from any meeting of the Council. (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), the term of office of a member of the Council appointed under subsections (a)(1)(C) and (a)(1)(D) of this section is three years. (2) Of the Council members first appointed under subsection (a)(1)(C) of this section after December 13, 1989, one shall be appointed for a term of one year, one shall be appointed for a term of two years, and two shall be appointed for a term of three years. (3) Of the Council members first appointed under subsection (a)(1)(D) of this section after December 13, 1989, one shall be appointed for a term of one year, one shall be appointed for a term of two years, and one shall be appointed for a term of three years. (4) Whenever a vacancy occurs among members of the Council appointed under subsection (a)(1)(C) or subsection (a)(1)(D) of this section, the Secretary shall appoint an individual in accordance with either such subsection to fill that vacancy for the remainder of the applicable term. (c) The Secretary is authorized and encouraged to include as ex officio nonvoting members of the Council representatives of— (1) the Federal, provincial, territorial, or State government agencies of Canada and Mexico, which are participating actively in carrying out one or more wetlands conservation projects under this chapter, the Plan, or the Agreement; (2) the Environmental Protection Agency and other appropriate Federal agencies, in addition to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, which are participating actively in carrying out one or more wetlands conservation projects under this chapter, the Plan, or the Agreement; and (3) nonprofit charitable organizations and Native American interests, including tribal organizations, which are participating actively in one or more wetlands conservation projects under this chapter, the Plan, or the Agreement. (d) The Chairman shall be elected by the Council from its members for a three-year term, except that the first elected Chairman may serve a term of less than three years. (e) A majority of the current membership of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. (f) The Council shall meet at the call of the Chairman at least once a year. Council meetings shall be open to the public, and the Chairman shall take appropriate steps to provide adequate notice to the public of the time and place of such meetings. If a Council member appointed under subsection (a)(1)(C) or (a)(1)(D) of this section misses three consecutive regularly scheduled meetings, the Secretary may remove that individual in accordance with subsection (b)(4). (g) The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service shall appoint an individual who shall serve at the pleasure of the Director and— (1) who shall be educated and experienced in the principles of fish, wildlife, and wetlands conservation; (2) who shall be responsible, with assistance from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, for facilitating consideration of wetlands conservation projects by the Council and otherwise assisting the Council in carrying out its responsibilities under this chapter; and (3) who shall be compensated with the funds available under section 4407(a)(1) of this title for administering this chapter.