23.0986.01000
Sixty-eighth
Legislative Assembly SENATE BILL NO. 2290
of North Dakota
Introduced by
Senators Patten, Kessel
Representatives Kempenich, J. Olson
1 A BILL for an Act to provide an appropriation to the agriculture commissioner for grasslands
2 grazing grants; and to provide an exemption.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
4 SECTION 1. APPROPRIATION - STRATEGIC INVESTMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS
5 FUND - AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER - GRASSLANDS GRAZING GRANTS. There is
6 appropriated out of any moneys in the strategic investment and improvements fund in the state
7 treasury, not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $6,100,000, or so much of the sum as may be
8 necessary, to the agriculture commissioner for the purpose of providing grasslands grazing
9 grants to an organization representing cooperative grazing associations in the state, for the
10 biennium beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2025.
11 To be eligible for a grant under this program, an organization must provide one dollar of
12 matching funds from nonstate sources for every four dollars of grant funding. An organization
13 that receives a grant under this program may distribute the funding to cooperative grazing
14 associations for eligible infrastructure projects, which must be located on national grasslands
15 within the state. Eligible infrastructure projects include water development; fencing;
16 conservation initiatives; compliance with federal permitting requirements, including fees for
17 professional services; and other projects to enhance wildlife habitat or capture carbon, or to
18 increase the health of grasslands. Program participants shall develop and implement a grazing
19 land plan in compliance with local soil conservation district guidance and the plan must be
20 approved by the local soil conservation district. The agriculture commissioner shall establish
21 additional guidelines for the program.
22 SECTION 2. EXEMPTION. The amount of $5,000,000 appropriated from the strategic
23 investment and improvements fund for grasslands grazing grants in the grants line item in
Page No. 1 23.0986.01000
 Sixty-eighth
Legislative Assembly
1 section 1 of chapter 9 of the 2021 Session Laws is not subject to section 54-44.1-11 and may
2 be continued into the biennium beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2025.
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