Sec. 2064. Volunteer Hunters; Reports; Closures and Restrictions
510 words·~2 min read·
/bill/114/s/2012/eah/section-2064A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
For the purposes of this section: The term public land means— units of the National Park System; National Forest System lands; and land and interests in land owned by the United States and under the administrative jurisdiction of— the Fish and Wildlife Service; or the Bureau of Land Management. The term Secretary means— the Secretary of the Interior and includes the Director of the National Park Service, with regard to units of the National Park System; the Secretary of the Interior and includes the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, with regard to Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters; the Secretary of the Interior and includes the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, with regard to Bureau of Land Management lands and waters; and the Secretary of Agriculture and includes the Chief of the Forest Service, with regard to National Forest System lands.
The term volunteer from the hunting community means a volunteer who holds a valid hunting license issued by a State. When planning wildlife management involving reducing the size of a wildlife population on public land, the Secretary shall consider the use of and may use volunteers from the hunting community as agents to assist in carrying out wildlife management on public land. The Secretary shall not reject the use of volunteers from the hunting community as agents without the concurrence of the appropriate State wildlife management authorities.
Beginning on the second October 1 after the date of the enactment of this Act and biennially on October 1 thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report that describes— any public land administered by the Secretary that was closed to fishing, hunting, and recreational shooting at any time during the preceding year; and the reason for the closure.
Other than closures established or prescribed by land planning actions referred to in section 2064(e) or emergency closures described in paragraph (2), a permanent or temporary withdrawal, change of classification, or change of management status of public land that effectively closes or significantly restricts any acreage of public land to access or use for fishing, hunting, recreational shooting, or activities related to fishing, hunting, or recreational shooting, or a combination of those activities, shall take effect only if, before the date of withdrawal or change, the Secretary— publishes appropriate notice of the withdrawal or change, respectively; demonstrates that coordination has occurred with a State fish and wildlife agency; and submits to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate written notice of the withdrawal or change, respectively.
Nothing in this Act prohibits the Secretary from establishing or implementing emergency closures or restrictions of the smallest practicable area to provide for public safety, resource conservation, national security, or other purposes authorized by law. Such an emergency closure shall terminate after a reasonable period of time unless converted to a permanent closure consistent with this Act.