ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF MIDEWIN NATIONAL TALLGRASS PRAIRIE.

SEC. 2914. ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF MIDEWIN NATIONAL TALLGRASS PRAIRIE. (a) Establishment.— On the effective date of the initial transfer of jurisdiction of portions of the Arsenal to the Secretary of Agriculture under section 2912(a), the Secretary of Agriculture shall establish the Midewin National Tailgrass Prairie. The MNP shall— (1) be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture; and 110 STAT. 600 (2) consist of the real property so transferred and such other portions of the Arsenal subsequently transferred under section 2912(b) or 2916 or acquired under section 2914(d). (b) Administration.— (1) In general.— The Secretary of Agriculture shall manage the Midewin National Tailgrass Prairie as a part of the National Forest System in accordance with this title and the laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to the National Forest System, except that the BankheadJones Farm Tenant Act of 1937 (7 U.S.C. 1010–1012) shall not apply to the MNP. (2) Initial management activities.— In order to expedite the administration and public use of the Midewin National Tailgrass Prairie, the Secretary of Agriculture may conduct management activities at the MNP to effectuate the purposes for which the MNP is established, as set forth in subsection (c), in advance of the development of a land and resource management plan for the MNP. (3) Land and resource management plan.— In developing a land and resource management plan for the Midewin National Tailgrass Prairie, the Secretary of Agriculture shall consult with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and local governments adjacent to the MNP and provide an opportunity for public comment. Any parcel transferred to the Secretary of Agriculture under this title after the development of a land and resource management plan for the MNP may be managed in accordance with such plan without need for an amendment to the plan. (c) Purposes of the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.— The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is established to be managed for National Forest System purposes, including the following: (1) To manage the land and water resources of the MNP in a manner that will conserve and enhance the native populations and habitats of fish, wildlife, and plants. (2) To provide opportunities for scientific, environmental, and land use education and research. (3) To allow the continuation of agricultural uses of lands within the MNP consistent with section 2915(b). (4) To provide a variety of recreation opportunities that are not inconsistent with the preceding purposes. (d) Other Land Acquisition for MNP.— (1) Availability of land acquisition funds.— Notwithstanding section 7 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460Z–9), the Secretary of Agriculture may use monies appropriated from the Land and Water Conservation Fund established under section 2 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 460/–5) for the acquisition of lands and interests in land for inclusion in the Midewin National Tailgrass Prairie. (2) Acquisition of lands.— The Secretary of Agriculture may acquire lands or interests therein for inclusion in the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie by donation, purchase, or exchange, except that the acquisition of private lands for inclusion in the MNP shall be on a willing seller basis only. (e) Cooperation With States, Local Governments and Other Entities.— In the management of the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized and encouraged to cooperate with appropriate Federal, State and local governmental agencies, private organizations and corporations. 110 STAT. 601Such cooperation may include cooperative agreements as well as the exercise of the existing authorities of the Secretary under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.) and the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1641 et seq.). The objects of such cooperation may include public education, land and resource protection, and cooperative management among government, corporate, and private landowners in a manner which furthers the purposes for which the Midewin National Tailgrass Prairie is established.