text: SECTION 1. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROTECT NATIVE ANADROMOUS FISH IN THE 
                STANISLAUS RIVER, CALIFORNIA.
  
      (a) Establishment of Nonnative Predator Fish Removal Pilot 
  Program.--The Secretary of Commerce and the districts, in consultation 
  with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, shall jointly develop 
  and conduct a nonnative predator fish removal pilot program to remove 
  nonnative striped bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, black bass, 
  and other nonnative predator fishes from the Stanislaus River, 
  California. The pilot program shall--
              (1) be scientifically based;
              (2) include methods to quantify the number and size of 
          predator fishes removed each year, the impact of such removal 
          on the overall abundance of predator fishes, and the impact of 
          such removal on the populations of juvenile anadromous fish 
          found in the Stanislaus River by, among other things, 
          evaluating the number of juvenile anadromous fish that migrate 
          past the rotary screw trap located at Caswell;
              (3) among other methods, use wire fyke trapping, portable 
          resistance board weirs, and boat electrofishing;
              (4) be developed, including the application for all 
          necessary scientific research and species enhancement permits 
          under section 10(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
          (16 U.S.C. 1539(a)(1)) for the performance of the pilot 
          program, not later than 6 months after the date of the 
          enactment of this Act;
              (5) be implemented as quickly as possible following the 
          issuance of all necessary scientific research and species 
          enhancement permits needed to begin the pilot program; and
              (6) be implemented for a period of 7 consecutive calendar 
          years.
      (b) Management.--The management of the pilot program shall be the 
  joint responsibility of the Secretary and the districts. Such parties 
  shall work collaboratively to ensure the performance of the pilot 
  program, and shall discuss and agree upon, among other things, changes 
  in the structure, management, personnel, techniques, strategy, data 
  collection, reporting, and conduct of the pilot program.
      (c) Conduct.--
              (1) In general.--By agreement between the Secretary and the 
          districts, the pilot program may be conducted by their own 
          personnel, qualified private contractors hired by the 
          districts, personnel of, on loan to, or otherwise assigned to 
          the National Marine Fisheries Service, or a combination 
          thereof.
              (2) Participation by the national marine fisheries 
          service.--If the districts elect to conduct the program using 
          their own personnel or qualified private contractors hired by 
          them in accordance with paragraph (1), the Secretary may assign 
          an employee of, on loan to, or otherwise assigned to the 
          National Marine Fisheries Service, to be present for all 
          activities performed in the field. Such presence shall ensure 
          compliance with the agreed-upon elements specified in 
          subsection (b). The districts shall pay the cost of such 
          participation in accordance with subsection (d).
              (3) Timing of election.--The districts shall notify the 
          Secretary of their election on or before October 15 of each 
          calendar year of the pilot program. Such an election shall 
          apply to the work performed in the subsequent calendar year.
      (d) Funding.--
              (1) In general.--The districts shall be responsible for 100 
          percent of the cost of the pilot program.
              (2) Contributed funds.--The Secretary may accept and use 
          contributions of funds from the districts to carry out 
          activities under the pilot program.
              (3) Estimation of cost.--On or before December 1 of each 
          year of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to the 
          districts an estimate of the cost to be incurred by the 
          National Marine Fisheries Service for the pilot program in the 
          following calendar year, if any, including the cost of any data 
          collection and posting under subsection (e). If an amount equal 
          to the estimate is not provided through contributions pursuant 
          to paragraph (2) before December 31 of that year--
                      (A) the Secretary shall have no obligation to 
                  conduct the pilot program activities otherwise 
                  scheduled for such following calendar year until such 
                  amount is contributed by the districts; and
                      (B) the districts may not conduct any aspect of the 
                  pilot program until such amount is contributed by the 
                  districts.
              (4) Accounting.--On or before September 1 of each year, the 
          Secretary shall provide to the districts an accounting of the 
          costs incurred by the Secretary for the pilot program in the 
          preceding calendar year. If the amount contributed by the 
          districts pursuant to paragraph (2) for that year was greater 
          than the costs incurred by the Secretary, the Secretary shall--
                      (A) apply the excess contributions to costs of 
                  activities to be performed by the Secretary under the 
                  pilot program, if any, in the next calendar year; or
                      (B) if no such activities are to be performed, 
                  repay the excess contribution to the districts.
      (e) Reporting and Evaluation.--
              (1) In general.--On or before the 15th day of each month, 
          the Secretary shall post on the Internet website of the 
          National Marine Fisheries Service a tabular summary of the raw 
          data collected under the pilot program in the preceding month.
              (2) Report.--On or before June 30 of the year following the 
          completion of the pilot program, the Secretary and the 
          districts shall jointly submit for peer review a report that--
                      (A) discusses the findings and conclusions of the 
                  pilot program;
                      (B) synthesizes the data collected under paragraph 
                  (1); and
                      (C) makes recommendations for further study and 
                  action.
      (f) Permits Process.--
              (1) Requirement.--Not later than 180 days after the filing 
          by the Secretary and the districts of an application for 
          scientific research and species enhancement permits under 
          section 10(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 
          U.S.C. 1539(a)(1)) for the pilot program, the Secretary of the 
          Interior, the Secretary of Commerce, or both, as appropriate, 
          shall issue to the National Marine Fisheries Service and the 
          districts all such permits that are necessary for the 
          performance of the pilot program. Each such permit shall 
          authorize activities under the permits to be carried out by the 
          districts and by the National Marine Fisheries Service.
              (2) Delegation of authority.--The districts and the 
          Secretary may delegate the authority to conduct activities 
          under such permits to any qualified private contractor retained 
          in accordance with subsection (c).
              (3) Failure to issue permits.--The pilot program, including 
          amendments thereto by the appropriate Federal agencies, shall 
          constitute a conservation plan that complies with section 
          10(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 
          1539(a)(2)) if the Secretaries have not carried out paragraph 
          (1) within 270 days after the filling of an application in 
          accordance with such paragraph.
              (4) Treatment of striped bass.--For purposes of the 
          application of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act 
          (title III of Public Law 102-575) with respect to the pilot 
          program, striped bass shall not be treated as anadromous fish.
      (g) NEPA.--
              (1) Limitation on application.--If the Secretaries have not 
          carried out subsection (f)(1) within 365 days after the filing 
          by the Secretary of Commerce and the districts of an 
          application referred to in that subsection, section 102(2)(C) 
          of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
          4332(2)(C)) shall not apply with respect to this section and 
          the issuance of any permit under this section, during the 7-
          year period beginning on the date of the submission of such 
          application.
              (2) Emergency environmental reviews.--The Secretary of the 
          Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall consult with the 
          Council on Environmental Quality in accordance with section 
          1506.11 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (including 
          successor regulations) to develop alternative arrangements to 
          comply with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
          U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), as necessary to expedite the benefits of 
          the pilot program for the conservation of threatened species 
          and endangered species.
      (h) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section:
              (1) Districts.--The term ``districts'' means the Oakdale 
          Irrigation District and the South San Joaquin Irrigation 
          District, California.
              (2) Pilot program.--The term ``pilot program'' means the 
          nonnative predator fish removal pilot program established under 
          this section.
              (3) Secretary of commerce.--The term ``Secretary of 
          Commerce'' means the Secretary of Commerce acting through the 
          National Marine Fisheries Service.
      (i) State Law Preempted.--
              (1) In general.--Any restriction imposed under California 
          law on the catch, take, or harvest of any nonnative or 
          introduced aquatic or terrestrial species that preys upon 
          anadromous fish and that occupies or is found in the Stanislaus 
          River, or the permitting thereof, is hereby void and is 
          preempted.
              (2) State permits not required.--Neither the districts nor 
          the Secretaries are required to obtain a Scientific Collection 
          Permit or any other permit or authorization from the California 
          Department of Fish and Wildlife or any other division or 
          instrumentality of the State of California pursuant to section 
          1002(a) of the California Fish and Game Code, section 5514(a) 
          of the California Fish and Game Code, section 650 or title 14 
          of the California Code of Regulations, or any other provision 
          of California law to implement any aspect of the pilot program.
      (j) Sunset.--The authorities provided under this section shall 
  expire 7 years after date of the issuance of the permits referred to in 
  subsection (f)(1).
target: Directs the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Oakdale and South San Joaquin Irrigation Districts in California (the districts) to jointly develop and conduct a pilot program to remove non-native striped bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, black bass, and other non-native predator fish from the Stanislaus River. Requires the program to: (1) be scientifically based; (2) include methods to quantify the number and size of predator fish removed each year, the impact of such removal on the overall abundance of predator fish, and the impact of such removal on the populations of certain juvenile anadromous fish found in the Stanislaus River; and (3) be implemented for seven consecutive years.  Requires the districts to be responsible for the cost of such program. Authorizes the Service to accept and use contributions of funds from the districts to carry out activities under the program. Directs: (1) the Service to post, each month, on its Internet website a tabular summary of the raw data collected under the program in the preceding month; and (2) the Service and the districts, by June 30 of the year following the completion of the program, to jointly submit for peer review a report that discusses program's findings and conclusions, synthesizes the data collected, and makes recommendations for further study and action.  Voids and preempts any California legal restriction imposed on, or the permitting of, the catch, take, or harvest of any non-native or introduced aquatic or terrestrial species that preys upon specified stocks of anadromous fish and that occupies or is found in the Stanislaus River.
feat_title: To direct the Secretary of Commerce, with the Oakdale Irrigation District and the South San Joaquin Irrigation District, California, to develop and conduct a pilot program to remove nonnative predator fishes from the Stanislaus River, California, and for other purposes.