[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8104 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8104

  To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to improve wildlife habitat 
 connectivity and wildlife migration corridors, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 20, 2024

     Mr. Vasquez (for himself, Mr. Zinke, and Ms. Leger Fernandez) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                              Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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''.

SEC. 2. CONSERVATION PROGRAMS.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 1240A of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa-1) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(11) Habitat connectivity.--The term `habitat 
        connectivity' means the degree to which landscape or habitat 
        elements facilitate native species movement among seasonal 
        habitats.
            ``(12) Big game species.--The term `big game species' means 
        native species of large mammals including, wild deer, elk, 
        pronghorn, wild sheep, and 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 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) Limitation.--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).''.
            (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) Limitation.--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).
                    ``(C) Emergency grazing and haying access 
                preserved.--No priority resource concern, practice, or 
                incentive pertaining to restoration and enhancement of 
                wildlife habitat connectivity and wildlife migration 
                corridors on the acres described above will prevent or 
                alter emergency grazing and haying access for grassland 
                acres enrolled in the conservation research program.''.
            (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 control 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 (as that term is defined in section 1240A) 
                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 Big Game 
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 (as that 
        term is defined in section 1240A) 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; and
                    ``(B) studying the effects of virtual fencing 
                technology on natural and cultural resources, such as--
                            ``(i) sensitive riparian areas; and
                            ``(ii) crucial winter range and stopover 
                        habitats for native big game species (as that 
                        term is defined in section 1240A of the Food 
                        Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-1)).''.
                                 <all>