Bob Kerrey: “I rise to the floor today to support the North Platte National Wildlife Refuge boundary revision. The proposed bill…”

“I rise to the floor today to support the North Platte National Wildlife Refuge boundary revision. The proposed bill would remove about 2,470 acres of land from the refuge and transfer it to the Bureau of Reclamation. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that the land, establish as a refuge early in this century, no longer serves the goals of the national refuge system. Although the area is no longer suitable as a wildlife refuge, it does offer citizens of Nebraska a valuable recreation area. Thousands of Nebraska's citizens enjoy both water and land recreation in the area. The transfer of the land to the Bureau of Reclamation will allow the Bureau to lease the land to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission who will manage the property. The Department of the Interior strongly supports this legislation. I commend both Federal and State officials for working closely with the local community to achieve this coordinated agreement. It is a fine example of the Federal Government, the State government, and the local community working together to improve the quality and accessibility public areas.”