[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8104 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8104
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to improve wildlife habitat
connectivity and wildlife migration corridors, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 20, 2024
Mr. Vasquez (for himself, Mr. Zinke, and Ms. Leger Fernandez)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to improve wildlife habitat
connectivity and wildlife migration 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 ``Habitat Connectivity on Working
Lands Act''.
SEC. 2. CONSERVATION PROGRAMS.
(a) Definitions.--Section 1240A of the Food Security Act of 1985
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa-1) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(11) Habitat connectivity.--The term `habitat
connectivity' means the degree to which landscape or habitat
elements facilitate native species movement among seasonal
habitats.
``(12) Big game species.--The term `big game species' means
native species of large mammals including, wild deer, elk,
pronghorn, wild sheep, and moose.''.
(b) Regional Conservation Partnership Program Critical Conservation
Areas.--Section 1271F(a)(2)(C) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16
U.S.C. 3871f(a)(2)(C)) is amended by inserting ``, including
restoration and enhancement of wildlife habitat connectivity and
wildlife migration corridors, with a focus on big game species'' before
``; and''.
(c) Enrollment in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and
the Conservation Stewardship Program of Grassland Enrolled in the
Conservation Reserve Program.--
(1) Environmental quality incentives program.--Section
1240B(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-
2(d)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (6), by striking ``A producer''
and inserting ``Except as provided in paragraph (8), a
producer''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(8) Cost-share payments for grassland enrolled in the
conservation reserve program.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary may provide
payments under the program for costs associated with
planning, design, materials, equipment, installation,
labor, management, maintenance, or training with
respect to eligible land that is--
``(i) enrolled in the conservation reserve
program under section 1231(d)(2)(A); and
``(ii) of ecological significance, as
described in section 1231(d)(2)(B)(iii).
``(B) Limitation.--A producer shall not be eligible
for payments under subparagraph (A) for practices if
the producer receives payments or other benefits for
the same practice on the same land under another
Federal program (other than the conservation reserve
program under subchapter B of chapter 1).''.
(2) Conservation stewardship program.--Section 1240J(b) of
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-22(b)) is
amended--
(A) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding
subparagraph (A), by inserting ``and except as provided
in paragraph (3),'' after ``paragraph (2),''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Cost-share payments for grassland enrolled in the
conservation reserve program.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary may provide
payments under the program for costs associated with
planning, design, materials, equipment, installation,
labor, management, maintenance, or training with
respect to eligible land that is--
``(i) enrolled in the conservation reserve
program under section 1231(d)(2)(A); and
``(ii) of ecological significance, as
described in section 1231(d)(2)(B)(iii).
``(B) Limitation.--A producer shall not be eligible
for payments under subparagraph (A) for conservation
activities if the producer receives payments or other
benefits for the same conservation activities on the
same land under another Federal program (other than the
conservation reserve program under subchapter B of
chapter 1).
``(C) Emergency grazing and haying access
preserved.--No priority resource concern, practice, or
incentive pertaining to restoration and enhancement of
wildlife habitat connectivity and wildlife migration
corridors on the acres described above will prevent or
alter emergency grazing and haying access for grassland
acres enrolled in the conservation research program.''.
(3) Payment limitation for rental payments under the
conservation reserve program.--Section 1234(g)(1) of the Food
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834(g)(1)) is amended by
striking ``$50,000'' and inserting ``$125,000''.
(d) Increased Payments Under the Environmental Quality Incentives
Program.--Section 1240B(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C.
3839aa-2(d)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3)(F), by inserting ``and wildlife
habitat connectivity'' before ``; or''; and
(2) in paragraph (7)(A)--
(A) in clause (iii), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(B) in clause (iv), by striking the period at the
end and inserting ``; or''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(v) addresses the conservation and
restoration of wildlife habitat, including
wildlife habitat connectivity and wildlife
migration corridors.''.
(e) Conservation Practice Standards.--Section 1242 of the Food
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3842) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``(j) Addressing Barriers to Habitat Connectivity.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
``(A) to the maximum extent practicable, fully
incorporate nonstructural methods to control livestock
distribution, such as virtual fencing, into the
conservation practice standards; and
``(B) provide for the appropriate range of
conservation practices and resource mitigation measures
available to landowners using nonstructural methods
described in subparagraph (A).
``(2) Availability of adequate technical assistance.--The
Secretary shall ensure that adequate technical assistance is
available for the implementation of--
``(A) nonstructural methods described in paragraph
(1)(A); and
``(B) other practices that support habitat
connectivity (as that term is defined in section 1240A)
through Federal conservation programs.''.
(f) Administrative Requirements for Conservation Programs.--Section
1244 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3844) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(q) Encouragement of Habitat Connectivity and Big Game
Corridors.--In carrying out any conservation program administered by
the Secretary, the Secretary may, as appropriate, encourage--
``(1) the conservation of landscape corridors and
hydrologic connectivity, where native big game species (as that
term is defined in section 1240A) and ecological processes can
transition from one habitat to another, in order to conserve
native biodiversity and ensure resiliency against impacts from
a range of stressors; and
``(2) the use of conservation practices that support the
development, restoration, and maintenance of landscape
corridors and hydrologic connectivity.''.
SEC. 3. HIGH-PRIORITY RESEARCH AND EXTENSION AREAS.
Section 1672(d) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade
Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925(d)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(21) Virtual fencing.--Research and extension grants may
be made under this section for the purposes of--
``(A) understanding and addressing the barriers to
the adoption of virtual fencing technology; and
``(B) studying the effects of virtual fencing
technology on natural and cultural resources, such as--
``(i) sensitive riparian areas; and
``(ii) crucial winter range and stopover
habitats for native big game species (as that
term is defined in section 1240A of the Food
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-1)).''.
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