[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2862 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2862

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant program to 
 remove nonnative plant species that contribute to drought conditions, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 14, 2019

Ms. Sinema (for herself and Mr. Cornyn) introduced the following bill; 
 which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and 
                              Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant program to 
 remove nonnative plant species that contribute to drought conditions, 
                        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 ``Drought Relief through Innovative 
Projects Act of 2019'' or the ``DRIP Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. NONNATIVE PLANT SPECIES REMOVAL GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        partnership between two or more entities that--
                    (A) shall include--
                            (i) at least 1 flood control district; and
                            (ii) at least 1 city, county, township, 
                        town, borough, parish, village, or other 
                        general purpose political subdivision of a 
                        State or Indian tribe (as defined in section 4 
                        of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
                        Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)); and
                    (B) may include any other entity (such as a 
                nonprofit organization or institution of higher 
                education), as determined by the Secretary.
            (2) Nonnative plant species.--The term ``nonnative plant 
        species'' means a plant species that--
                    (A) is nonnative or alien to an ecosystem; and
                    (B) if introduced to that ecosystem, will cause, or 
                is likely to cause, economic harm, environmental harm, 
                or harm to human health.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.
    (b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a grant program 
to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities--
            (1) to remove nonnative plant species in riparian areas 
        that contribute to drought conditions;
            (2) to replace those nonnative plant species with native 
        plant species; and
            (3) to maintain and monitor riparian areas in which 
        nonnative plant species have been removed and replaced.
    (c) Applications.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this section, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary 
        an application at such time, in such manner, and containing 
        such information as the Secretary may require, including--
                    (A) a plan for how the eligible entity will use 
                grant funds to carry out the activities described in 
                paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (b);
                    (B) a description of the manner in which the 
                eligible entity has carried out the consultation 
                required under paragraph (2); and
                    (C) information demonstrating that each native 
                plant species described in subsection (b)(2) will--
                            (i)(I) reduce flood risk;
                            (II) improve hydrology and water storage 
                        capacities; or
                            (III) reduce fire hazard; and
                            (ii) protect and restore rivers and streams 
                        and associated riparian habitats, including 
                        fish and wildlife resources that are dependent 
                        on those habitats.
            (2) Consultation.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under 
        this section shall consult with local stakeholders, including 
        conservation groups, to create the plan described in paragraph 
        (1)(A).
    (d) Report.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary a report at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, 
including information on methodology and outcomes of nonnative plant 
species removal and replacement efforts.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2020 
and each fiscal year thereafter.
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