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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7221 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7221
To provide for the conservation and designation of habitat connectivity
areas, with support from the voluntary conservation programs
administered by the Secretary of Agriculture, as American wildlife
corridors, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 5, 2024
Mr. Beyer (for himself and Mr. Buchanan) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to
the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the conservation and designation of habitat connectivity
areas, with support from the voluntary conservation programs
administered by the Secretary of Agriculture, as American wildlife
corridors, 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 ``Wildlife Corridors and USDA
Conservation Programs Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. HABITAT CONNECTIVITY AREA DESIGNATION.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) American wildlife corridor.--The term ``American
wildlife corridor'' means land identified, under subsection
(b)(1), as a habitat connectivity area within a covered land,
including any land adjacent to such identified habitat
connectivity area, designated under subsection (c).
(2) Covered land.--The term ``covered land'' means land
that is enrolled under, or otherwise related to, a conservation
program that is administered by the Secretary.
(3) Covered producer.--The term ``covered producer'' means
an owner, operator, or producer of a covered land that has an
American wildlife corridor on such covered land.
(4) Directors.--The term ``Directors'' means the Secretary
of the Interior acting through--
(A) the Director of the United States Geological
Survey; and
(B) the Director of the United Fish and Wildlife
Service.
(5) Habitat connectivity.--The term ``habitat
connectivity'' means the degree to which landscapes,
waterscapes, and seascapes allow species to move freely,
including during seasonal migration and in response to changing
environmental conditions, and ecological processes to function
unimpeded.
(6) Habitat connectivity area.--The term ``habitat
connectivity area'' means an area of intact habitat or a
distinct component of the landscape, waterscape, or seascape
the designation of which, under subsection (c)(2), may provide
habitat connectivity.
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
(b) Identification of Habitat Connectivity Areas.--
(1) Identification.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this Act, and periodically thereafter, the
Secretary, in collaboration with the Directors, shall identify
habitat connectivity areas within covered lands, including any
lands adjacent to such identified habitat connectivity areas
that may provide additional habitat connectivity.
(2) Maps.--Subject to section 1244(b) of the Food Security
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3844(b)), as amended by section 3 of
this Act, upon identifying habitat connectivity areas under
paragraph (1), the Secretary, in collaboration with the
Directors, shall--
(A) develop maps of--
(i) the identified habitat connectivity
areas, including any adjacent lands described
in paragraph (1); and
(ii) the covered land containing any
identified habitat connectivity areas; and
(B) expand and build upon any existing efforts by
the Department of Agriculture in developing such maps.
(3) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which
the Secretary identifies habitat connectivity areas under
paragraph (1), and periodically thereafter upon any new such
identifications, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a
report that--
(A) includes a description of habitat connectivity
areas identified under paragraph (1);
(B) includes a review of any associated data or
surveys related to activities carried out under
paragraph (1);
(C) includes the maps developed under paragraph (2)
in aggregate form; and
(D) identifies gaps in information with respect to
carrying out paragraphs (1) and (2), including--
(i) information relating to whether the
identified habitat connectivity areas are being
used as a wildlife corridor;
(ii) additional information required to
identify additional habitat connectivity areas;
and
(iii) any other information the Secretary,
in collaboration with the Directors, determines
necessary.
(c) Designation of American Wildlife Corridors.--
(1) Criteria.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue regulations to
establish criteria, for the purpose of designating habitat
connectivity areas under paragraph (2), that--
(A) considers whether a designation is in concert
with existing land and resource management plans of the
applicable covered land; and
(B) determines, using the best-available science,
whether a habitat connectivity area identified under
subsection (b)(1), including any adjacent lands as
described in that subsection--
(i) supports the persistence, resilience,
adaptability, and movement of fish and
wildlife;
(ii) has the potential to benefit more than
1 species of fish and wildlife; or
(iii) has the potential to benefit fish or
wildlife species that is listed as threatened
or endangered under the Endangered Species Act
of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
(2) Designation.--Not later than 3 years after the date on
which the Secretary establishes criteria pursuant to paragraph
(1), the Secretary shall designate habitat connectivity areas
identified under subsection (b)(1), including any adjacent
lands that may provide additional habitat connectivity, using
the criteria established pursuant to paragraph (1), as an
American wildlife corridor for the purposes of encouraging the
long-term maintenance and conservation of the American wildlife
corridor.
(d) Conservation of American Wildlife Corridors.--
(1) Technical assistance.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary, in collaboration
with the Directors, shall develop and establish
technical standards and requirements, including best
practices for the long-term conservation of an American
wildlife corridor, to provide technical assistance,
outreach, and education to covered producers with
respect to the conservation of the applicable American
wildlife corridor.
(B) Authorized actions of secretary.--In providing
technical assistance under paragraph (1)(B), the
Secretary may encourage a covered producer to--
(i) implement strategies and activities
that will provide sustainable production and
conservation of wildlife habitats concurrently
on covered land;
(ii) maintain or improve habitats and
habitat connectivity in American wildlife
corridors on covered land;
(iii) establish wildlife monitoring plans;
and
(iv) implement strategies and activities
that enhance the ability of fish and wildlife
to respond to changing environmental
conditions.
(2) Contract modification.--In furthering the purposes of
an American wildlife corridor designation under subsection
(c)(2), the Secretary may, with respect to a contract entered
into with a covered producer relating to an American wildlife
corridor on a covered land of such covered producer--
(A) give priority for reenrollment in the
conservation program administered by the Secretary of
such covered land; and
(B) terminate or modify such contract if--
(i) the covered producer agrees to the
termination or modification of such contract;
and
(ii) such covered land is enrolled in--
(I) the agricultural conservation
easement program established under
section 1265 of the Food Security Act
of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3865); or
(II) the healthy forests reserve
program established under section 501
of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act
of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6571).
(e) Cooperative Agreements.--To carry out this section, the
Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with--
(1) Federal agencies;
(2) State, Tribal, and local governments;
(3) nongovernmental organizations; or
(4) academic institutions.
SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Privacy of Personal Information Relating to Natural Resources
Conservation Programs.--Section 1244(b)(1)(B)(i) of the Food Security
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3844(b)(1)(B)(i)) is amended by inserting ``,
including the Wildlife Corridors and USDA Conservation Programs Act of
2024'' after ``Farm Service Agency''.
(b) Regulatory Certainty.--Section 1244(p) of the Food Security Act
of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3844(p)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ``, or an American
wildlife corridor (as such term is defined by section 2(a) of
the Wildlife Corridors and USDA Conservation Programs Act of
2024),'' after ``wildlife resource concern''; and
(2) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``, or an American
wildlife corridor,'' after ``wildlife resource concern''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.
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