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<br />000345 <br /> <br />DRAFT-Not for distribution <br /> <br />agreements with Canada, Mexico, and other countries." The North American Waterfowl <br />Management Plan is an international agreement between the three countries for the long-term <br />protection of wetland/upland habitats on which waterfowl and other migratory birds in North <br />America depend. <br /> <br />The Act establishes the North American Wetlands Conservation Councies that <br />recommends "wetlands conservation projects" to the Migratory Bird Conservation <br />Commission.36 The Council recommends "wetlands conservation projects" to the Migratory <br />Bird Conservation Commission. The Commission approves, reprioritizes or rejects the <br />recommended projects, thereby qualifying them for funding.37 Fifty percent to seventy percent <br />of the funding authorized within the grant program in any given fiscal year is earmarked for the <br />U.S.' federal share of projects authorized in Mexico and Canada.38 Also, the U.S.' federal share <br />may not exceed more than 50 % ofthe individual project's cost in any given year.39 The non- <br />federal share of United States contributions to the project cannot be derived from federal grant <br />programs. The statute does not preclude the contribution of other federal fants directly to <br />Canada or Mexico in order to support foreign contributions to the project. 0 Grants for projects <br />in Mexico or Canada are "subject to terms and conditions that will ensure that any real property <br />interest acquired in whole or in part, or enhanced, managed, or restored with such federal funds <br />will be administered for the long-term conservation and management of such wetland ecosystem <br />and the fish and wildlife dependent thereon." Real property and interests purchased do not <br />become part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Their ac~uisition is not subject to U.S. law <br />governing acquisitions of property for inclusion in that system. 1 <br /> <br />The Secretary of the Interior recommends the purchase or rental of an area to the <br />Commission.42 These are considered at the same meetings in which recommendations of the <br />North American Wetlands Conservation Council are considered. Once the "areas or interests <br />therein" have been approved by the Commission, the Secretary of the Interior may purchase <br />them at the prices fixed by the Commission.43 The Secretary ofthe Interior may also acquire any <br />area or interests therein which she determines to be suitable for use as an inviolate sanctuary for <br />migratory birds, by gift or devise, without Commission authorization.44 <br /> <br />The Migratory Bird Treaty Act,45 authorized the Secretary of the Interior to regulate the <br />hunting, capture, killing, possession, sale, purchase, shipment, tran~ortation, exportation or <br />importation of migratory birds addressed by the 1936 Convention.4 On January 11,2001, <br />President Clinton issued an Executive Order "in furtherance of the purposes of the migratory bird <br />conventions" and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Executive Order directed federal agencies <br />to complete memoranda of understanding with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and, pursuant <br />to those MOU's, "restore and enhance the habitat of migratory birds, as practicable" and <br />"promote migratory bird conservation in international activities and with other countries and <br />international partners, in consultation with the Department of State, as appropriate or relevant to <br />the agency's authorities." <br /> <br />Another relevant statute, predating the 1936 Convention is the Migratory Bird <br />Conservation Act of 1929,47 That Act established the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission <br />to approve land or water interests to be purchased for the National Wildlife Refuge System with <br />monies from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund.48 The statute does not specifically limit the <br /> <br />4 <br />