National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program

(a)

National Wildlife Refuge System 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 or 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 within or adjacent to National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters; (ii)conduct appropriate prevention, early detection, rapid response, and 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 each database of the Department of the Interior; (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; and (E)ensure that both identification of and response to priority invasive species threats on lands and waters adjacent to the National Wildlife Refuge System are carried out only at the request of the owner of such lands or waters. (3)

Provision of assistance

In carrying out the Program, the Secretary may— (A)conduct outreach as appropriate to Federal, State, local, and Tribal governments and institutions, as well as private individuals and organizations, to address the management of invasive species within or adjacent to National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters, 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 an entity described in subparagraph (A) and as appropriate, enter into an agreement to provide the expertise and use of an Invasive Species Strike Team established under paragraph (2) to respond to existing or newly detected invasive species. (4)

Coordination of management actions

The Secretary shall encourage the National Wildlife Refuge System to coordinate the invasive species management actions of each Invasive Species Strike Team with adjacent landowners and the State or Tribal agencies within the State or Tribal lands on 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 the date of the enactment of this section and 5 years after the date of the enactment of this section. (B)

Contents of report

Each report submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include— (i)a summary of the work of each Invasive Species Strike Team 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. (b)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2033. (c)

Definitions

In this section: (1)

Early detection

The term early detection means a process of surveying for, reporting, and verifying the presence of an invasive species before the founding population of such invasive species becomes established or spreads so widely that eradication is no longer feasible. (2)

Eradication

The term eradication means the removal or destruction of an entire population of specific invasive species, or removal of a group of invasive species at a pre-defined geographic scale, confirmed through species-specific post-treatment monitoring with no or little chance of reinvasion. (3)

Invasive species

The term invasive species means, with respect to a given ecosystem, a non-native organism the introduction of which causes or is likely to cause— (A)economic or environmental harm; or (B)harm to human, animal, or plant health. (4)

Prevention

The term prevention means actions, such as outreach, education, or inspection stations, associated with stopping invasive species from being introduced or spreading into a new location or ecosystem through various pathways. (5)

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. (6)

Program

The term Program means the National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program authorized under subsection (a)(1). (7)

Rapid response

The term rapid response means a process that is employed to eradicate or contain the founding or incipient population of an invasive species from a specific location. (8)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. (9)

State

The term State means— (A)each of the several States; (B)the District of Columbia; and (C)each territory and possession of the United States.