National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program

(a)

Purpose

The purpose of this Act is to legislatively authorize the National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program within the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to eradicate, control, and reduce the adverse effects of invasive species on and adjacent to National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters, primarily through prevention, biosecurity, early detection, and rapid response. (b)

Invasive Species Strike Team Program

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall carry out a program to identify and respond to priority invasive species threats within and adjacent to National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters in coordination with partners, to be known as the National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program. (2)

Requirements

In carrying out the Program, the Secretary shall— (A)establish at least 1 invasive species strike team within each region of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service trained in early detection and rapid response for multiple invasive species taxa to— (i)conserve, manage, and, where appropriate, restore, habitat conditions that help native biological communities flourish on and adjacent to National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters; (ii)conduct prevention, early detection surveillance, eradication, containment, mapping, monitoring, and active management of invasive species; (iii)use integrated pest management techniques and tools; (iv)conduct inreach and outreach, including trainings and table-top exercises, including on the use of the Incident Command System, as part of their planning and operations; and (v)use risk assessments, research, innovations, management outcomes, monitoring, and evaluation to improve the effectiveness of detection and response activities; (B)engage in partnerships and collaborations with— (i)Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments; (ii)nongovernmental institutions; (iii)nonprofit organizations; and (iv)private individuals and entities to advance mutual priorities and promote efficiency and cost-savings; (C)collaborate in the development of a set of consistent taxonomy standards and work with others to implement such standards among all Department of the Interior databases; and (D)utilize national and regional standardized reporting platforms, such as— (i)the National Agricultural Pest Information System; (ii)the National Data Repository of the National Plant Diagnostic Network; (iii)the Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System; (iv)the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database of the United States Geological Survey; (v)iMapInvasives; and (vi)State databases. (3)

Provision of assistance

In carrying out the Program, the Secretary is authorized to— (A)conduct outreach to Federal, State, Territorial, local, and Tribal governments, nongovernmental institutions, nonprofit organizations, and private individuals and entities to address the management of property adjacent to a unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System, including providing or entering into, upon request— (i)financial assistance, including direct expenditures; (ii)technical assistance; (iii)contracts; or (iv)grants or cooperative agreements; and (B)upon the request of another Federal department or agency or a State, Tribal, or Territorial agency, enter into an agreement within the mission and authorities of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service with such department or agency to provide the expertise and use of invasive species strike teams established under paragraph (2) to respond to invasive species under the jurisdiction of such department or agency, or to rapidly respond to a newly detected invasive species. (4)

Coordination of management actions

The Secretary shall encourage the National Wildlife Refuge System to coordinate invasive species management actions of each Invasive Species Strike Team with adjacent landowners and the State agencies within the State of which Invasive Species Strike Team activities may occur. (5)

Report

(A)

In general

The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate, and make available to the public on the website of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, a report regarding the Program 2 years after enactment and 5 years after enactment. (B)

Contents of report

Each report submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include— (i)a summary of each Invasive Species Strike Team’s work to address priority invasive species within the National Wildlife Refuge System; and (ii)progress made by the Program toward the prevention, detection, control, or eradication of each priority invasive species. (c)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030. (d)

Definitions

In this section: (1)

Invasive species

The term invasive species means, with regard to a particular ecosystem, a non-native organism whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human, animal, or plant health. (2)

Early detection

The term early detection means a process of surveying for, reporting, and verifying the presence of a non-native species before the founding population becomes established or spreads so widely that eradication is no longer feasible. (3)

Priority invasive species

The term priority invasive species means an invasive species that is a major concern and necessary to map, monitor, and manage based on the following factors: (A)Potential impact on other native species. (B)Ability to alter habitats. (C)Ability to harm human health. (D)Severity of economic impact. (4)

Program

The term Program means the National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program authorized under subsection (b)(1). (5)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. (6)

State

The term State means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, and each territory and possession of the United States.