Developing Alternative Mitigation Systems for Beavers Act or the DAMS for Beavers Act
This bill directs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to establish a competitive grant program to assist projects that use nonlethal measures to reduce property damage caused by beavers and maintain or enhance habitat for beavers and other wildlife.
In awarding grants, the FWS may prioritize projects that (1) include monitoring and research that facilitates evaluation of such projects and identification of best practices, (2) includes educational and outreach activities, (3) are located in an area that ensures grant recipients represent diverse geographic areas, and (4) satisfy any other criteria to effectively reduce damage to property and maintain or enhance habitat for beavers and other wildlife.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9501 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9501
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a grant program to
assist projects that use nonlethal coexistence measures to reduce
property damage caused by beavers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 13, 2022
Ms. DelBene (for herself, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr.
Bowman, Ms. Norton, Mr. Carson, Mr. Levin of Michigan, and Ms. Tlaib)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a grant program to
assist projects that use nonlethal coexistence measures to reduce
property damage caused by beavers, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Developing Alternative Mitigation
Systems for Beavers Act'' or the ``DAMS for Beavers Act''.
SEC. 2. BEAVER DAMAGE MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a grant program
under which the Secretary may award grants on a competitive basis to
assist projects that use nonlethal coexistence measures to--
(1) reduce property damage caused by beavers; and
(2) maintain or enhance habitat for beavers and other
wildlife.
(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant under the Program, an
applicant shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require, which shall include the following:
(1) A description of the experience, qualifications, and
training (including planned training) of the applicant with
respect to the use of nonlethal coexistence measures.
(2) In the case of an application submitted by an applicant
other than a State or Tribal wildlife or natural resources
management agency (or equivalent), a certification that the
applicant has consulted with such an agency (or equivalent).
(3) In the case of an application submitted by an applicant
other than the owner of the property on which a relevant
proposed project will be located, a certification from such
owner that such owner--
(A) approves the project; and
(B) for the duration of the project, will only
allow the use of nonlethal coexistence measures on the
property for purposes of reducing property damage
caused by beavers (except in the case of a circumstance
subject to an exclusion under subsection (d)(2)(A)(i)).
(c) Priority.--In awarding grants under the Program, the Secretary
may give priority to a project that--
(1) includes monitoring and research that facilitates
evaluation of the project and identification of best practices;
(2) includes educational and outreach activities;
(3) is located in an area that ensures grant recipients
under the Program represent diverse geographic areas; and
(4) satisfies any other criteria the Secretary determines
relevant to effectively reducing damage to property and
maintaining or enhancing habitat for beavers and other
wildlife.
(d) Conditions.--
(1) In general.--As a condition of receiving a grant under
the Program, for the duration of the project facilitated with
grant funds a grant recipient may only use nonlethal
coexistence measures for purposes of reducing property damage
caused by beavers on the property on which the project will be
carried out.
(2) Exclusion.--
(A) In general.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply if
the Secretary determines that--
(i) an activity other than a nonlethal
coexistence measure is necessary to protect
human health or safety; or
(ii) the project assisted with grant funds
has been implemented for not less than 1 year
and such project has not sufficiently reduced
the damage caused by beavers.
(B) Documentation.--The Secretary shall maintain a
record of each determination made under subparagraph
(A).
(e) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of a project for
which a grant is awarded under the Program may not exceed 75 percent.
(f) Annual Report to Congress.--Not later than 90 days after the
end of each fiscal year for which grants are awarded under the Program,
the Secretary shall submit to Congress, and make publicly available, a
report that includes--
(1) a detailed description of the projects funded by grants
under the Program;
(2) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Program in
selecting projects according to the priorities described in
subsection (c); and
(3) recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the
Program.
(g) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) Nonlethal coexistence measure.--
(A) In general.--The term ``nonlethal coexistence
measure'' means a measure that does not incorporate--
(i) the gripping, trapping, injuring, or
killing of a beaver;
(ii) the destruction or removal of a beaver
dam or lodge;
(iii) the relocation of a beaver; or
(iv) the installation of beaver dam
analogues.
(B) Inclusions.--The term ``nonlethal coexistence
measure'' may include fencing used to protect culverts,
fencing and paint-sand mixtures used to protect trees,
and flow management devices used to control water
levels in beaver ponds.
(2) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the grant program
established under subsection (a).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this section $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023
through 2027.
(2) Limitation.--Not more than 10 percent of the funds made
available each fiscal year under paragraph (1) may be used for
administrative expenses of the Program.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
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