16 U.S.C. § 460zz–2 — Mississippi River Coordinating Commission

(a) Establishment. This law creates a Mississippi River Coordinating Commission to help federal, state, and local authorities build and carry out an integrated resource management plan for the lands and waters named in section 460zz–1. The Secretary of the Interior appoints 22 members: (1) the National Park Service Director or designee; (2) the Chief of the Corps of Engineers or designee; (3) the Fish and Wildlife Service Director or designee; (4) three people, recommended by Minnesota's Governor, representing the state's Natural Resources, Transportation, and Environmental Quality departments; (5) one person representing the Minnesota Historical Society; (6) one representing the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities Area; (7) four elected officials representing Saint Paul and Minneapolis; (8) four elected officials, recommended by the Governor, representing other affected cities and counties; (9) one person representing the Metropolitan Parks and Open Spaces Commission; (10) one person, recommended by the Governor, representing commercial navigation interests; and (11) four members of the general public, recommended by the Governor. (b) Terms. (1) Except as noted below, members other than ex officio ones serve three-year terms. (2) Among the first members appointed: (A) under paragraph (4), one serves one year and one serves two years; (B) under paragraphs (7) and (8), one serves one year; (C) under paragraph (11), one serves one year, one serves two years, and one serves four years. (3) Anyone filling a vacancy serves only the rest of that term, and a member may keep serving after a term ends until a successor takes over. (c) Compensation. Members serve without pay, but get travel expenses, including a daily allowance, the same way as people who work for the government occasionally. (d) Chairperson. The Secretary appoints the Chairperson from Commission members nominated by Minnesota's Governor, for a three-year term. (e) Quorum. Twelve members make a quorum. (f) Meetings. The Commission meets when the Chairman or a majority of members calls a meeting. (g) Development of policies and programs. As a coordinator and advisor, using existing federal, state, regional, and local plans where they fit, the Commission helps the Secretary, Minnesota, and local governments develop: (1) policies protecting and improving the Area's environment; (2) policies for better public outdoor recreation; (3) policies conserving the Area's scenic, historical, cultural, natural, and scientific values; and (4) policies for commercial use of the Area's resources that still protects the values the Area was created to preserve. (h) Staff. The Secretary gives the Commission whatever staff and technical help is needed, after checking with the Commission. Federal agencies may provide information, staff, property, and services to the Commission, paid back by the Commission. The Secretary may accept staff loaned from Minnesota or its local governments and pay them back. The Commission can also hire temporary help. (i) Plan. Within 3 years after the full Commission is appointed, it must give the Secretary and Minnesota's Governor a complete land-and-water-use plan, built using and coordinating existing federal, state, regional, and local plans where they fit. The plan must include, at least: (1) a program managing current and future land and water use, which (A) covers various land and water protection and management tools, (B) states how federal, state, and local regulatory power will be used consistently with this part's purposes, and (C) recognizes existing economic activity in the Area — including barge transport and local industries and development compatible with this part — and manages it; (2) a program for coordinated carrying-out and management of the plan, assigning responsibilities across government levels, including (A) better coordination of policies and permits, (B) a financial plan supporting recommended public improvements, plus a way to coordinate government planning, (C) how the plan's goals fit with the existing Mississippi River channel-maintenance program and Minnesota/Saint Croix River programs, and (D) how the plan handles the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act as they apply to the Area's surface waters; (3) a piece detailing how local, state, and federal programs and policies can best work together to support this part's purposes; and (4) a program coordinating and combining, as much as possible, permits required by federal, state, and local agencies with authority over the Area's land and water. (j) Development of plan. In building the plan, the Commission must: (1) regularly consult local, federal, and state officials with authority over Area land and water; (2) consult with conservation, business, professional, and citizen groups; and (3) hold public hearings in the Area, and elsewhere as appropriate, so interested people can testify about the plan. (k) Approval of plan. The Commission sends the plan to the Secretary and Minnesota's Governor for review. The Governor must act within 90 days and send the plan to the Secretary with any recommendations. The Secretary must approve or disapprove within 90 days, considering: (1) whether public participation was adequate; (2) assurances from state and local officials that they'll carry out the plan; (3) whether enough regulatory and financial tools exist to carry it out; and (4) plans for ongoing oversight by the Secretary and Governor. If the Secretary disapproves, within 60 days the Secretary must tell the Governor and Commission in writing why, with suggested changes. The Commission then has 90 days to revise and resend the plan to the Governor, who reviews it and sends it, with recommendations, back to the Secretary, who approves or disapproves the revision within 60 days. (l) Interim program. Before the Commission's plan is adopted, the Secretary and Commission must watch all land and water use in the Area to make sure it fits this part's purposes, and must advise and work with the right federal, state, and local bodies to limit harm to the Area's protected values. (m) Commission review. The Commission helps the Secretary and Governor review and monitor how federal, state, and local agencies carry out the plan. After public comment, and subject to the Secretary's and Governor's approval under (k), the Commission may change the plan if it decides that's needed to serve this part's purposes. (n) Termination of Commission. The Commission ends 10 years after November 18, 1988. After that, Minnesota may set up a state commission to take over the Commission's review role under (m), and the Secretaries of the Interior and Army must join that state commission as members.