[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2459 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2459

 To establish a competitive grant program to support the conservation 
and recovery of native plant and animal species in the State of Hawaii, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 3, 2023

 Mr. Case (for himself and Ms. Tokuda) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a competitive grant program to support the conservation 
and recovery of native plant and animal species in the State of Hawaii, 
                        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 ``Hawaii Native Species Conservation 
and Recovery Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) the State;
                    (B) a unit of local government in the State;
                    (C) a Native Hawaiian organization;
                    (D) a nonprofit organization;
                    (E) a business; and
                    (F) an institution of higher education.
            (2) Grant program.--The term ``grant program'' means the 
        Hawaii Native Species Conservation and Recovery Grant Program 
        established under section 3(a).
            (3) Native hawaiian organization.--The term ``Native 
        Hawaiian organization'' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 3 of the NATIVE Act (25 U.S.C. 4352).
            (4) Native species.--The term ``native species'' means a 
        plant or animal species that is native to the State.
            (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 the State of Hawaii.

SEC. 3. HAWAII NATIVE SPECIES CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which 
amounts are appropriated to carry out this Act, the Secretary shall 
establish a grant program, to be known as the ``Hawaii Native Species 
Conservation and Recovery Grant Program'', to annually provide, through 
cooperative agreements, grants, micro grants, or other means, funding 
to eligible entities to carry out projects that--
            (1) achieve the funding priorities developed under 
        subsection (c); and
            (2) meet the criteria developed under subsection (e).
    (b) Purpose.--The grant program shall identify priorities and 
provide funding and technical assistance to carry out coordinated, 
science-based conservation and recovery projects in the State--
            (1) to prevent and mitigate the introduction and spread of 
        invasive species, pests, and diseases that threaten native 
        species;
            (2) to address the ecological consequences of climate 
        change on native species;
            (3) to address loss and degradation of native species' 
        habitats;
            (4) to manage, maintain, and restore populations of native 
        species;
            (5) to increase scientific capacity to support the 
        planning, monitoring, and research activities necessary for the 
        conservation and recovery of native species;
            (6) to improve information collection, ecological 
        monitoring, and management relating to the activities described 
        in paragraphs (1) through (5); and
            (7) to engage the public through outreach, education, and 
        community involvement to increase capacity and support for the 
        conservation and recovery of native species in the State.
    (c) Development of Priorities.--In carrying out the grant program, 
the Secretary shall coordinate with the following individuals to 
develop annual, science-based funding priorities for the grant program 
that support the purposes described in subsection (b):
            (1) The heads of Federal agencies, including--
                    (A) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration (or a designee);
                    (B) the Administrator of the Environmental 
                Protection Agency (or a designee);
                    (C) the Secretary of Agriculture (or a designee); 
                and
                    (D) the head of any other applicable Federal agency 
                (or a designee), as determined by the Secretary.
            (2) The Chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Land and Natural 
        Resources (or a designee).
            (3) The Chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture (or 
        a designee).
            (4) Any other relevant stakeholder involved in the 
        conservation and recovery of native species in the State that 
        the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
    (d) Request for Proposals.--The Secretary shall publish in the 
Federal Register an annual request for proposals, in accordance with 
the funding priorities developed under subsection (c).
    (e) Criteria.--The Secretary, in coordination with the individuals 
described in subsection (c), shall annually develop criteria for 
ranking project proposals to receive funding under the grant program.
    (f) Recusal.--If the State or a unit of local government in the 
State applies for a grant under the grant program, then the individuals 
described in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (c) who are 
representatives of the State or that unit of local government, as 
applicable, shall recuse themselves from all funding decisions relating 
to those applications.
    (g) Cost Sharing.--
            (1) Federal share.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
                Federal share of the cost of a project carried out 
                under the grant program shall not exceed 75 percent.
                    (B) Exceptions.--The Federal share of the cost of a 
                project carried out under the grant program may be 100 
                percent, as determined by the Secretary--
                            (i) for any project, in the discretion of 
                        the Secretary; or
                            (ii) if the project--
                                    (I) is carried out by a Native 
                                Hawaiian organization;
                                    (II) significantly contributes to 
                                youth workforce readiness in the 
                                implementation of the project; or
                                    (III) is carried out using a grant 
                                awarded under the grant program in an 
                                amount of not more than $50,000.
            (2) In-kind contributions.--The non-Federal share of the 
        cost of a project carried out under the grant program may be 
        provided in the form of an in-kind contribution of services, 
        materials, or access to land.
    (h) Requirement.--Of the amounts made available to carry out the 
grant program for each fiscal year, not less than 5 percent shall be 
used to award grants for projects described in subclauses (I) through 
(III) of subsection (g)(1)(B)(ii).
    (i) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may provide technical 
assistance to eligible entities to assist in the implementation of 
projects that receive funding under the grant program.
    (j) Consultation With Native Hawaiian Organizations.--The 
Secretary, in carrying out the grant program, shall consult with Native 
Hawaiian organizations with respect to any project that receives 
funding under the grant program with implications for the Native 
Hawaiian Community.
    (k) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Funds made available to carry out 
the grant program for each fiscal year shall supplement and not 
supplant other funds made available to carry out the purposes described 
in paragraphs (1) through (7) of subsection (b) in the State.

SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORT.

    Annually, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the 
implementation of this Act, including--
            (1) a description of each project that has received funding 
        under the grant program; and
            (2) the status of each project described in paragraph (1) 
        that is in progress on the date of submission of the applicable 
        report.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary to carry out this Act $30,000,000 for the first fiscal year 
that begins after the date of enactment of this Act and for each of the 
9 fiscal years thereafter.
    (b) Administrative Expenses.--Of the amounts made available for 
each fiscal year under subsection (a), the Secretary shall use not more 
than 5 percent for administrative expenses relating to carrying out the 
grant program.
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