[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 93 (Friday, June 29, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7204-S7205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CRAIG (for himself and Mrs. Feinstein):
  S. 1153. A bill to amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to establish a 
grassland reserve program to assist owners in restoring and protecting 
grassland; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the ``Grassland 
Reserve Act'', a bill to authorize a voluntary program to purchase 
permanent or 30 year easement from willing producers in exchange for 
protection of ranches, grasslands, and lands of high resource value. I 
am pleased that Senators Feingold, and Thomas, have joined as original 
cosponsors.
  Grasslands provided critical habitat for complex plant and animal 
communities throughout much of North America. However, many of these 
lands have been, and are under pressure to be, converted to other uses, 
threatening and eliminating plant and animal communities unique to this 
continent. A significant portion of the remaining grasslands occur on 
working ranches. Ranchland provides important open-space buffers for 
animal and plant habitat. Moreover, ranching forms the economic 
backbone for much of rural western United States. Loss of this economic 
activity will invariably lead to the loss of the open space that is 
indispensable for plant and animal communities and for citizens who 
love the western style of life.
  As a rancher from a rural community in Idaho, I have noticed the 
changes taking place in some parts of my State where, for a number of 
reasons, working ranchers have been sold into ranchetts leaving the 
landscape divided by fences and homes where cattle and wildlife once 
roamed. Currently, no Federal programs exist to conserve grasslands, 
ranches, and other lands of high resource values, other than wetlands, 
on a national scale. I believe the United States needs a voluntary 
program to conserve these lands, and the Grasslands Reserve Act does 
just that.
  Specifically, this bill establishes the Grasslands Reserve program 
through the Natural Resources Conservation Service to assist owners in 
restoring and conserving eligible land. To be eligible to participate 
in the program an owner must enroll 100 contiguous acres of land west 
of the 90th meridian or 50 contiguous acres of land east of the 90th 
meridian. A maximum of 1,000,000 acres may be enrolled in the program 
in the form of a permanent or a 30-year easement. Land eligible for the 
program includes: native grasslands,

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working ranches, other areas that contain animal or plant populations 
of significant ecological value, and land that is necessary for the 
efficient administration of the easement.
  The terms of the easements allow for grazing in a manner consistent 
with maintaining the viability of native grass species. All uses other 
than grazing, such as hay production, may be implemented according to 
the terms of a written agreement between the landowner and easement 
holder. Easements prohibit the production of row crops, and other 
activities that disturb the surface of the land covered by the 
easement. The Secretary will work with the State technical committees 
to establish criteria to evaluate and rank applications for easements 
which will emphasize support for grazing operations, plant and animal 
biodiversity, and native grass and shrubland under the greatest threat 
of conversion. The Secretary may prescribe terms to the easement 
outlining how the land shall be restored including duties of the land 
owner and the Secretary. If the easement is violated, the Secretary may 
require the owner to refund all or part of the payments including 
interest. The Secretary may also conduct periodic inspections, after 
providing notice to the owner, to determine that the landowner is in 
compliance with the terms of the easement. The easement may be held and 
enforced by a private conservation, land trust organization, or a State 
agency in lieu of the Secretary, if the Secretary determines that 
granting such permission will promote grassland protection and the 
landowner agrees.
  This legislation requires the Secretary to make payments for 
permanent easements based on the fair market value of the land less the 
grazing value of the land encumbered by the easement, and for 30 year 
easements the payment will be 30 percent of the fair market value of 
the land less the grazing value of the land encumbered by the easement. 
Payments may be made in one lump sum or over a 10 year period. 
Landowners may also choose to enroll their land in a 30-year rental 
agreement instead of a 30-year easement where the Secretary would make 
thirty annual payments which approximate the value of a lump sum 
payment the owner would receive under a 30-year easement. The Secretary 
is required to assess the payment schedule every five years to make 
sure that the payments do approximate the value of a 30-year easement. 
USDA is also required to cover up to 75 percent of the cost of 
restoration and provide owners with technical assistance to execute the 
easement and restore the land.
  I believe this legislation fills a need we have in our agriculture 
policy and I look forward to working with other members to include the 
Grasslands Reserve program in a responsible and balanced farm bill.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, today I am pleased to join my 
colleague from Idaho to introduce legislation that provides fair 
compensation to producers and other landowners who maintain open spaces 
for plants and animals to thrive.
  This bill creates a voluntary program authorizing the United States 
Department of Agriculture, USDA, to obtain either 30-year or permanent 
easements from landowners in exchange for a cash payment. Easements 
allow for grazing while maintaining the viability of native grass 
species. Moreover, these uses must only occur upon the conclusion of 
the local bird nesting season.
  Vast amounts of grassland are being lost to urban development every 
year in large part because of economic pressures faced by ranchers, 
livestock producers, and other grassland owners.
  Currently, there are no long-term programs to protect grasslands on a 
national scale. The Grassland Reserve Act provides real options to 
financially-strapped land owners of grasslands who wish to keep their 
lands in a natural state. There is a need for this bill because 
existing programs to protect lands, such as the Forest Legacy program, 
target forested lands only.
  This legislation represents a win-win situation for both the 
environment and people who make their livelihood on grasslands. The 
loss of grassland is a serious problem for preserving wildlife habitat 
and a rural way of life. This bill is a step in the right direction to 
protect these lands from future development.
  I have always felt that protecting our Nation's unique natural areas, 
including grasslands, should be one of our highest priorities. I invite 
my colleagues to join Senator Craig and me in supporting this 
legislation.
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