Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 114 Part 4.djvu/536

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114 STAT. 2598 PUBLIC LAW 106-541—DEC. 11, 2000 (1) by striking "(1)" and inserting "(A)"; (2) by striking "(2)" and inserting "(B)"; (3) by striking "(d) After the date of enactment of this Act," and inserting the following: "(d) MITIGATION PLANS AS PART OF PROJECT PROPOSALS. — "(1) IN GENERAL. —After November 17, 1986,"; (4) by adding at the end the following: "(2) DESIGN OF MITIGATION PROJECTS.— The Secretary shall design mitigation projects to reflect contemporary understanding of the science of mitigating the adverse environmental impacts of water resources projects."; and (5) by aligning the remainder of the text of paragraph (1) (as designated by paragraph (3) of this subsection) with paragraph (2) (as added by paragraph (4) of this subsection). 33 USC 2283 (b) CONCURRENT MITIGATION. — note. (1) INVESTIGATION.— (A) IN GENERAL. —The Comptroller General shall conduct an investigation of the effectiveness of the concurrent mitigation requirements of section 906 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2283). In carrying out the investigation, the Comptroller General shall determine— (i) whether or not there are instances in which less than 50 percent of required mitigation is completed before initiation of project construction and the number of such instances; and (ii) the extent to which mitigation projects restore natural hydrologic conditions, restore native vegetation, and otherwise support native fish and wildlife species. (B) SPECIAL RULE.— In carrying out subparagraph (A)(ii), the Comptroller General shall— Establishment. (i) establish a panel of independent scientists, comprised of individuals with expertise and experience in applicable scientific disciplines, to assist the Comptroller General; and (ii) assess methods used by the Corps of Engineers to monitor and evaluate mitigation projects, and compare Corps of Engineers mitigation project design, construction, monitoring, and evaluation practices with those used in other publicly and privately financed mitigation projects. Deadline. (2) REPORT. — Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of the investigation. SEC. 225. FEASIBILITY STUDIES AND PLANNING, ENGINEERING, AND DESIGN. Section 105(a)(1)(E) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2215(a)(1)(E)) is amended by striking "Not more than ^2 of the" and inserting "The". 10 USC 2695 SEC. 226. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF LAND CONVEYANCES. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the administrative costs associated with the conveyance of property by the Secretary to a non-Federal governmental or nonprofit entity shall be limited to the extent that the Secretary determines that such limitation