[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4193 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4193
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to improve wildlife habitat
connectivity and wildlife migration corridors, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 18, 2024
Mr. Heinrich introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
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 of 2024''.
SEC. 2. CONSERVATION PROGRAMS.
(a) Definition of Native Big Game Species.--Section 1201(a) of the
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801(a)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (18) through (27) as
paragraphs (19) through (28), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (17) the following:
``(18) Native big game species.--The term `native big game
species' means a native species of a large mammal, including a
wild deer, an elk, a pronghorn, a wild sheep, and a 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 native 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) Limitations.--
``(i) Other federal programs.--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).
``(ii) Protection of emergency grazing and
haying.--An activity to restore or enhance
wildlife habitat connectivity or wildlife
migration corridors carried out using a payment
under subparagraph (A) shall not prevent or
alter emergency haying or emergency grazing
carried out in accordance with the requirements
of 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) Limitations.--
``(i) Other federal programs.--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).
``(ii) Protection of emergency grazing and
haying.--An activity to restore or enhance
wildlife habitat connectivity or wildlife
migration corridors carried out using a payment
under subparagraph (A) shall not prevent or
alter emergency haying or emergency grazing
carried out in accordance with the requirements
of the conservation reserve program under
subchapter B of chapter 1.''.
(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 manage 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 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 Native Big Game
Migration 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 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; or
``(B) studying the effects of virtual fencing
technology on--
``(i) natural and cultural resources, such
as--
``(I) sensitive riparian areas; and
``(II) crucial winter range and
stopover habitats for native big game
species (as defined in section 1201(a)
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16
U.S.C. 3801(a))); or
``(ii) overall range health.''.
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