USC Chapter 15a

in effect

16 U.S.C. § 931 Definitions

As used in this chapter, the term— (a) “Convention” means the Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries between the United States of America and Canada signed at Washington, September 10, 1954; (b) “Commission” means the Great Lakes Fishery Commission provided for by article II of the convention; (c) “United States Section” means the United States Commissioners on the Commission; (d) “Great Lakes State” means any of the following States: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Wisconsin; (e) “Great Lakes” means any of the following bodies of water: Lake Ontario (including the Saint Lawrence River from Lake Ontario to the forty-fifth parallel of latitude), Lake Erie, Lake Huron (including Lake Saint Clair), Lake Michigan, or Lake Superior.

16 U.S.C. § 932 Commissioners; appointment, number, and compensation; term of office; vacancy

(a)(1) The United States shall be represented on the Commission by 4 Commissioners who shall be appointed by the President and who may not receive compensation for service as Commissioners. Of the Commissioners—(A) 1 shall be an official of the United States Government; and (B) 3 shall be individuals who reside in different Great Lakes States and who are knowledgeable regarding the fisheries of the Great Lakes, except that 1 of them must also be an official of 11 So in original. Probably should be followed by “a”. Great Lakes State. (2) The President shall appoint an alternate Commissioner who shall perform the duties of a Commissioner—(A) until a vacancy referred to in subsection (b)(3) is filled; and (B) in the event of the absence of a Commissioner from any meeting of the United States Section or the Commission. (3) Individuals serving as such Commissioners shall not be considered to be Federal employees while performing such service, except for purposes of injury compensation or tort claims liability as provided in chapter 81 of title 5 and chapter 171 of title 28. (b)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the term of office of Commissioners appointed under subsection (a)(1)(B) is 6 years. (2) Of the Commissioners first appointed under subsection (a)(1)(B) after November 14, 1986, 1 shall be appointed for a term of 2 years, 1 shall be appointed for a term of 4 years, and 1 shall be appointed for a term of 6 years. (3) Whenever a vacancy occurs among Commissioners appointed under subsection (a)(1)(B), the President shall appoint an individual to fill that vacancy for the remainder of the applicable term.

16 U.S.C. § 933 Advisory Committee

(a) Appointment and number of members; factors in selectionThe United States Section shall appoint an advisory committee for each of the Great Lakes, upon which committee each State bordering on the lake may be represented by not more than four members. In making such appointments, the United States Section shall make its selection for each State from a list proposed by the Governor of that State; and shall give due consideration to the interests of—(1) State agencies having jurisdiction over fisheries; (2) the commercial fishing industry of the lake; (3) the sports fishing of the lake; and (4) the public at large. (b) Membership on other committeesA member of the advisory committee for one lake may also be a member of the advisory committee for one or more other lakes. (c) CompensationThe members of the advisory committee shall receive no compensation from the Government of the United States for their services as such members. Not more than ten members of all the committees, designated by the committees and approved by the United States Section, may be paid by the Government of the United States for transportation expenses and per diem incident to attendance at the annual meeting of the Commission or of the United States Section. (d) MeetingsThe members of the advisory committee for each lake shall be invited to attend all nonexecutive meetings of the United States Section relating to that lake and at such meetings shall be granted opportunity to examine and be heard on all proposed recommendations, programs, and activities relating to that lake.

16 U.S.C. § 935 Acquisition of real property; construction and operation of lamprey control works; entry into agreements for construction and operation of works

In order to carry out the obligations of the United States under the Convention, the United States Section is authorized— (a) to acquire any real property, or any interest therein, by purchase, exchange, gift, dedication, condemnation, or otherwise; (b) to construct, operate, and maintain any project or works designed to facilitate compliance with the provisions of the Convention relating to the sea lamprey control program; and (c) to enter into contract or agreement with any State or other public agency or private agency or individual for the construction, operation, or maintenance of any such project or works.

16 U.S.C. § 936 Secretary of the Interior; authority to transfer lamprey control projects and act on behalf of United States Section

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized, upon the request of the United States Section— (a) to transfer to the United States Section any lamprey control project or works under his jurisdiction now existing or now under construction; and (b) to act for or on behalf of the United States Section in the exercise of the powers granted by this chapter.

16 U.S.C. § 937 United States Section as agency of United States

The United States Section shall, for the purposes of these 11 So in original. Probably should be “those”. provisions of title 28, relating to claims against the United States and tort claims procedure, be deemed to be an agency of the United States.

16 U.S.C. § 938 Notice of proposals

At least thirty days before approving a proposal to utilize a lamprey control measure or install a device in any stream, the United States Section shall cause notice of such proposal to be sent to the official agency having jurisdiction over fisheries in each of the States through which the stream flows.

16 U.S.C. § 939 Transmission of recommendations

The Secretary of State shall upon the receipt from the Commission of any recommendation of a conservation measure made in accordance with article IV of the Convention transmit a copy of the recommendation with his comments thereon to the Governor of each Great Lakes State for consideration and such action as may be found to be appropriate. The Secretary of State shall also inform such other public agencies as he may deem appropriate.

16 U.S.C. § 939a Cooperation with other agencies

Any agency of the United States Government is authorized to cooperate with the United States Section in the conduct of research programs and related activities and, on a reimbursable or other basis, to enter into agreements with the United States Section for the purpose of assisting it in carrying out the program for the control of lamprey populations.

16 U.S.C. § 939b State laws and regulations

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as preventing any of the Great Lakes States from making or enforcing laws or regulations within their respective jurisdictions so far as such laws or regulations do not conflict with the Convention or this chapter.

16 U.S.C. § 939c Authorization of appropriations

There is hereby authorized to be appropriated from time to time such sums as may be necessary for carrying out the purposes and provisions of the Convention and this chapter.