116 HR 1572 IH: Botanical Sciences and Native Plant Materials Research, Restoration, and Promotion Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2019-03-06
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.This Act may be cited as the Botanical Sciences and Native Plant Materials Research, Restoration, and Promotion Act
. 2.The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Title I—Promoting Botanical Research and Botanical Sciences Capacity
Sec. 101. Department of the Interior botanical research.
Sec. 102. Staff enhancement.
Title II—Generating Demand for Native Plant Materials
Sec. 201. Policy for use of locally adapted native plant materials.
Title III—Authorization of Federal native plant materials related activities
Sec. 301. Interagency plant materials efforts.
Sec. 302. Bureau of Land Management plant conservation program.
Sec. 303. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation plant conservation programs.
3.As used in this Act, the following terms have the following meanings: (1)The term invasive plant species means a plant species that is nonnative with respect to an ecosystem and whose introduction into that ecosystem will cause, or is likely to cause, economic harm, environmental harm, or harm to human, animal, or plant health.
(2)The term locally adapted, with respect to plants, means plants that originate from an area that is geographically proximate to a planting area and that are environmentally adapted to, and likely to succeed in becoming established and persisting within, such area.
(3)The term native plant species means indigenous terrestrial and aquatic plant species that evolved naturally in a defined native ecosystem.
(4)The term nonnative plant species means a plant that has been introduced by humans to a location outside its native or natural range and may, depending on relevant facts and circumstances, include a species introduced from another continent, ecosystem, seed zone, or habitat within an ecosystem.
(5)The term plant materials includes, with respect to a native plant species or a nonnative plant species, such a plant or its seeds, eggs, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating that species.
<enum>I</enum><header>Promoting Botanical Research and Botanical Sciences Capacity</header>
<section id="HE54F57484D8849058C969AEFFB94A012"><enum>101.</enum><header>Department of the Interior botanical research</header>
<subsection id="H752C664970044256B797030D9579279A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land Management, United States Geological Survey, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and such other agencies and instrumentalities as the Secretary determines appropriate, shall support a robust program of intramural and extramural botanical science research as relevant and appropriate to support the Department’s land management responsibilities.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H86E78DD272624A928326AF23CE40BC9C"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Areas of emphasis</header><text>Research conducted pursuant to this section shall include a focus on the following topics:</text> <paragraph id="H4B3ED9D1D47F481E82249867677B86FC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Effective approaches to restoring habitat damaged by wildfires that incorporate the use of appropriate plant materials.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA4B9F02C572F4B23B0C4631703BBE3C7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Effective methods for developing and using locally adapted native plant materials in land management activities.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HCA64166A83434D018085B948CF4A13CA"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Effective mitigation strategies for combating invasive plant species.</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="HE3FE26B252CD4A018CE4B9EDE127E06B"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Mitigation strategies related to the impacts of long- and medium-term environmental changes such as changes in moisture levels, temperature, landscape fragmentation, nonnative animal and plant species, and human activity.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HD55FCA58C1B64AFCB4160353B261561B"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Methods to promote the recovery of threatened and endangered species.</text> </paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H3471D1775CC44224ACB10C65020EB48E"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Extramural research</header><text>As determined appropriate by the Secretary, research conducted under this section may be carried out through competitively awarded grants or contracts, or cooperative agreements, awarded in accordance with all applicable requirements governing such activities.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HB3861A2AE9F24D9D8DC84509DA195570"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Authorization of Appropriations</header><text>To carry out the purposes of this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2020, and such sums as may be necessary for subsequent fiscal years.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H0584F00000C549E88DBE68437042F3D1"><enum>102.</enum><header>Staff enhancement</header>
<subsection id="HFCD119335BF142478F6E9EF4A8E81DC1"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>For the purpose of improving the Department’s land management capabilities, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to augment the expertise of the Department of the Interior in the botanical sciences by—</text>
<paragraph id="HEDF825CED0DF4E35862CDC16D101FEFD"><enum>(1)</enum><text>hiring additional personnel with expertise in the botanical sciences; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H575185555CDD4789A8D4C0703B875867"><enum>(2)</enum><text>establishing a loan forgiveness program to facilitate the hiring of such personnel.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H48F445BAA5DD40E08D0F0A81672D1729"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Authorization</header>
<paragraph id="H6B71854DF1C142889E33AC5939E1141B"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Subject to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, by not later than September 30, 2020, the Secretary shall hire not more than 20 full-time Botanical Science Personnel to support the Department’s land management responsibilities. The Secretary shall determine the appropriate placement of such personnel within the appropriate agencies of the Department with major land management responsibilities. The Secretary may waive any limitation on the number of full-time equivalent personnel assigned to the Department and its constituent agencies in order to carry out the purposes of this section.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H26636180FD7F4FFDA072FA0A16C274C0"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Treatment; hiring requirements</header><text>Personnel hired pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be—</text> <subparagraph id="HCAA2475596E34528A607004AF1E39340"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in addition to any positions authorized before the date of the enactment of this Act and any existing vacancies within the Department on such date;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB7F8E7477C2A4BF4BC24C501AEC0D78E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>part of the Competitive Service; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5B999F79691643498ACA8559306D712C"><enum>(C)</enum><text>hired in compliance with all applicable provisions of title 5, United States Code.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H914EF3D2C172466C97203213C832F994"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Loan repayment program</header>
<paragraph id="HBDE5B65665A347BCB2AA1F9C0FF0F110"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary shall establish a program to provide educational loan repayment to qualifying individuals who agree to a term of employment with the Department as Botanical Science Personnel.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HECA24EC5459447A493AFB87923CA2476"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Eligibility</header><text>To be eligible to participate in the loan repayment program under this subsection, an individual shall—</text>
<subparagraph id="H90D6A2411A164633A186EC72D31409A0"><enum>(A)</enum><text>either—</text> <clause id="H6D682F5EF38E4B66B004F4BCAF569F72"><enum>(i)</enum><text>have a degree in botanical sciences;</text>
</clause><clause id="H843382240AA6454D83D7D52CFF3FDE67"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>be enrolled in an approved graduate training program in botanical sciences; or</text> </clause><clause id="H9D8D53FF50D34024A655B065B203C4ED"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>be enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited educational institution, and in the final year of a course of a study or program, offered by such institution and approved by the Secretary, leading to a degree in botanical sciences; and</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFEB9ACE961E447C9BBE635103A32F0AC"><enum>(B)</enum><text>submit to the Secretary an application for a contract described in paragraph (4).</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H93DDFB41E70848F9AFF05048FE7B3072"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Information to be included with Application and contract forms</header><text>In disseminating application forms and contract forms to individuals desiring to participate in the loan repayment program, the Secretary shall include with such forms a fair summary of the rights and liabilities of an individual whose application is approved (and whose contract is accepted). Such information shall be written in a manner calculated to be understood by the average individual applying to participate in the loan repayment program.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HDDAC9C7A4ADA4700A070A7F6378A1807"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Contracts</header>
<subparagraph id="H0062938A0D484739828C9C284EF89436"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>An individual becomes a participant in the loan repayment program only upon the Secretary and the individual entering into a written contract whereby—</text>
<clause id="H2DC35E44E49D4168BE5D7B8DB3D0EB9A"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the Secretary agrees to pay on behalf of the individual loans in accordance with paragraph (5), subject to the availability of appropriated funds; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H8C1ED29C0228418E82D31AEE45C773DF"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the individual agrees to—</text> <subclause id="H0CCF6EC6909B480AB325C81833555421"><enum>(I)</enum><text>accept loan payments on behalf of the individual; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H6F0DADA2654C426E8E72B2656489A602"><enum>(II)</enum><text>if applicable, maintain enrollment and acceptable academic standing in a course of study or training described in paragraph (2) and serve for a time period equal to 2 years or such longer period as the individual may agree to as a botanical scientist employed by the Department.</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H247513805766416B84EFDC28C66018F7"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Other terms and conditions</header><text>Such contracts shall include all other necessary and appropriate terms and conditions to clarify the rights, obligations, and liabilities of the parties.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H6845FC323D3A4524AC098F6073B77941"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Repayment</header>
<subparagraph id="H37F3404755F14CCE80DC1D5F25176F96"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>A loan repayment provided for an individual under a written contract under the repayment program authorized by this subsection shall consist of payment on behalf of the individual of the principal, interest, and related expenses on government and commercial loans received by the individual regarding the undergraduate or graduate education of the individual (or both), which loans were made for tuition, other reasonable educational expenses, or reasonable living expenses, as determined by the Secretary.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H4E5FC648EE694137A5CE598726432475"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Amounts</header><text>For each year of obligated service that an individual contracts to serve, the Secretary may pay up to $50,000 (plus, beginning with fiscal year 2020, an amount determined by the Secretary on an annual basis to reflect inflation) on behalf of the individual for loans described in this paragraph. In making a determination of the amount to pay for a year of such service by an individual, the Secretary may enter into an agreement with the holder of any such loan for which payments are made to establish a schedule for the making of such payments.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HF508AD10EA394106B4327DFD939DF92D"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Employment ceiling</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of law, individuals who have entered into written contracts with the Secretary under this section, while undergoing academic or other training, shall not be counted against any employment ceiling affecting the Department.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H02C75E6EDFE34528BE1AF80D252FEA67"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Definition</header><text>For the purposes of this section, the term <term>Botanical Science Personnel</term> means individuals with post-secondary education in the field of botany, including plant ecologists and individuals with a bachelor’s degree in plant biology.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HC02CDC59C3094C0DA780461031726326"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Authorization of Appropriations</header><text>To carry out the purposes of this section, there are authorized to be appropriated—</text> <paragraph id="HB7D998CA873A463A9DF89D87225C0BE3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>for fiscal year 2020—</text>
<subparagraph id="H19FCF8D6392E4CE7B0E192B2E8EA3FC9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>$3,000,000 for subsection (b); and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7E868E46E2CD45FBAF32CE18A4A2F3F2"><enum>(B)</enum><text>$1,000,000 for subsection (c); and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HDB662E6DC5904B449D4F67DCB590A46C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>for each fiscal year after fiscal year 2020, such sums as may be necessary.</text> </paragraph></subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>Generating Demand for Native Plant Materials</header> <section id="HC0E808C8E62D4B61B6CAF6061E74D935"><enum>201.</enum><header>Policy for use of locally adapted native plant materials</header> <subsection id="H3138E30F2E914AFBA14103E88C5EEE56"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Policy</header><text>In undertaking a land management activity on Federal lands under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior, including maintenance and restoration in response to degradation caused by human activity or natural events (such as fire, flood, or infestation), it is the policy of the United States that preference shall be made to the extent practicable for the use of locally adapted native plant materials.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H7161AFB3486042F297B4893D5D89534B"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Implementation</header><text>The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, and the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the heads of land management agencies of the Department of the Interior, shall—</text>
<paragraph id="HC5B164BF6D6E45ECA83ED819F445D0F6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>implement the policy established by subsection (a) through appropriate administrative actions; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H22019F74ABA244F7980EFBB813A9E4EF"><enum>(2)</enum><text>specifically identify situations in which the use of nonnative plant materials may be warranted, including situations in which—</text>
<subparagraph id="H90F0135F142A4FA48DD3CC7AD90B0613"><enum>(A)</enum><text>emergency conditions require the protection of basic resource values;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1AAA2DF63DB24188BB2CD83DF7591679"><enum>(B)</enum><text>an interim, non-persistent measure is needed to aid in the reestablishment of native plant species;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB00C7DFB4F954DD9989089B045B48751"><enum>(C)</enum><text>native plant materials are not reasonably available; or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDA2295CCCBED45888C009E914E0C4B72"><enum>(D)</enum><text>the plant community subject to the land management activity has been permanently altered.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF6E2C43C9FE94DE69C6D52866BEDB7B7"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Dissemination of recommendations for other federal agencies with substantial land use
responsibilities</header><text>The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, and the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the heads of land management agencies of the Department of the Interior, shall develop recommended activities for the Departments of Defense, the Department of Transportation, and the Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service to undertake in order to incorporate to the extent practicable the use of locally adapted native plant materials in restoration and management of public lands and buildings funded by, or under the jurisdiction of, such agencies.</text>
</subsection></section><enum>III</enum><header>Authorization of Federal native plant materials related activities</header>
<section id="H4BF0C3677CAA423F987168CA911F7665"><enum>301.</enum><header>Interagency plant materials efforts</header>
<subsection id="H0B33B2390776467D9F3938F927E9CCCC"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Activities</header><text>The heads of the agencies shall collaborate, as appropriate, regarding land use responsibility to undertake the following activities related to native plant materials:</text>
<paragraph id="H81D3872F585A4B30897A582306027145"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Identify seed needs and ensure the reliable availability of genetically appropriate seed.</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="HF5D8CD0E3F9F433D8D2C5078592DE7B1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Conduct research to develop genetically appropriate seed and to improve technology for seed production and ecological restoration.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8D2CDB9F666942D7B38FB5EC288D5A54"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Support land managers’ ability to make timely and informed seeding decisions for ecological restoration.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HDB1089AF9DA64E40A17A631A2731FB6B"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Efforts to enhance, protect, and restore plant materials necessary to support pollinators and dispersers.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB78641B6885C4A7BB28729CD753D93FA"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Efforts to coordinate activities aimed at sustaining and restoring public lands through the use of techniques and materials that promote to the extent practicable the use of locally adapted native plant materials.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF9A114EE5DAF48EA988BA072E9916AD8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Agencies</header><text>For the purposes of this section, the term <term>agencies</term> means the following:</text> <paragraph id="H7F04AE105EE842AE8B53F8AE84D64DEB"><enum>(1)</enum><text>In the Department of the Interior, the following:</text>
<subparagraph id="H9F7AF42B331140A89BAA28CC02FC71D3"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The Bureau of Indian Affairs.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5B7B5510378E4ED8BEA2418E9F0A27D4"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The Bureau of Land Management.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H52E017BE26834779A32DF4278CA0FD85"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The National Park Service.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9E4AA2ABC87343CB9253711B76BD8669"><enum>(D)</enum><text>The United States Fish and Wildlife Service.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9152FD163E574F3194E951B51C4FC654"><enum>(E)</enum><text>The United States Geological Survey.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H19C243AC040D47F887DB4E3FDEEEEA2E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>In the Department of Agriculture, the following:</text>
<subparagraph id="H772AE8245F014628B0C59A58886E31D6"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The Agricultural Research Service.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCDF225A94C7243B2BD2F2379D31C6F25"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The Forest Service.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8EDD0A06949B450A92AF69B7EB3E2C92"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The National Institute of Food and Agriculture.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBAC9E68B79654FEBB6DDF67FF08E68BC"><enum>(D)</enum><text>The Natural Resources Conservation Service.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HF3F361C602C048DDAC3EC508DED279BF"><enum>302.</enum><header>Bureau of Land Management plant conservation program</header>
<subsection id="H20875BADD41F4C719A1A02DB71C49A6E"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Bureau of Land Management is authorized to undertake activities to develop and use native plant materials.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H2FA4922BC0C74548A3E28279E74C2614"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Activities</header><text>The following activities are within the scope of this authority:</text> <paragraph id="H80F4187306B3431999A32DBC6CCB506F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Identifying, evaluating, and protecting rare plants on public lands.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HC862EFB7A3194BF5817F3E1400A74559"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Understanding the effects of human activity on native plant species and communities on public lands.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HAC21D8F4DA744459A8BEF5E82B07E9CD"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Supporting efforts to develop genetically appropriate native plant materials for restoring and maintaining habitat for animal and plant species, including sage grouse, and monitoring the effectiveness of such materials.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HD948A695FDF3468F823372315DC45270"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Ensuring that the needs of the agency for native plant materials are met.</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H852D9A3C8857476C862C53E8BFB2B3AB"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Developing seed transfer zones and guidelines.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H456F9FB8330A40C1AEBAA1B06117A971"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Supporting public-private partnerships to catalogue and store plant materials.</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H45014715AAF048F1B49D350EC12851E6"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Coordinating a national network of seed storage warehouses.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H229A0F4FEA574804A1C4299A25A5AE64"><enum>(8)</enum><text>Implementing habitat conservation and restoration on a landscape scale.</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H8E79262658424AF199D1B03AE3957A97"><enum>(9)</enum><text>Supporting public-private efforts, and volunteer efforts to support plant conservation.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HCA78F9BB5ADD45379AC4B6887701CB73"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Authorization of Appropriations</header><text>To carry out the purposes of this section, there are authorized to be appropriated—</text> <paragraph id="H8FF09D18203147E18466E3552C293789"><enum>(1)</enum><text>for fiscal year 2020, $35,000,000; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H63C5CF5FAD9649D9A0D8A8F232878DB2"><enum>(2)</enum><text>for each fiscal year after fiscal year 2020, such sums as may be necessary.</text> </paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H8A42F04B9FA5450BBEA0975CCD85F714"><enum>303.</enum><header>National Fish and Wildlife Foundation plant conservation programs</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H71B508D5EAF64DDCA12DD2E387EF81ED"><enum>(1)</enum><text>ensure that a robust program of activities specifically focused on the conservation and protection of native plants is incorporated into its existing programs and activities; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H51BDBDBA9626470D86C2E226F9F23AC7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>provide a report to Congress on its implementation of this section.</text> </paragraph></section>