[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8836 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8836
To establish the Wildlife Movement and Movement Area Grant Program and
the State and Tribal Migration Research Program, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 25, 2024
Mr. Zinke (for himself and Mr. Beyer) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Wildlife Movement and Movement Area Grant Program and
the State and Tribal Migration Research Program, 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 ``Wildlife Movement Through
Partnerships Act''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to provide financial and technical
assistance for the purposes of promoting connectivity by improving
habitat quality in movement areas by migratory big game and other
wildlife--
(1) to identify and conserve movement areas by methods of
science and management expertise employed by State and Tribal
wildlife agencies and other wildlife professionals; and
(2) to coordinate and advance the purposes of--
(A) Secretarial Order 3362, entitled ``Improving
Habitat Quality in Western Big-Game Winter Range and
Migration Corridors'' and issued by the Secretary on
February 9, 2018;
(B) the wildlife crossings pilot program
established under section 171(b) of title 23, United
States Code; and
(C) the Migratory Big Game Initiative of the
Department of Agriculture.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Big game.--The term ``big game'' means native species
of large mammals, including deer, elk, pronghorn, wild sheep,
and moose, for which State and Tribal wildlife agencies have
established regulated means and methods of take.
(2) Connectivity.--The term ``connectivity'' means the
degree to which a species of wildlife moves within and among
areas of its habitat.
(3) Eligible recipient.--The term ``eligible recipient''
means--
(A) a State fish and wildlife agency or other State
agency responsible for managing natural resources or
wildlife;
(B) a State department of transportation;
(C) an Indian Tribe;
(D) a nonprofit organization described in section
501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt
from tax under section 501(a) of such Code, or a
coalition of those organizations, including an
organization that represents private landowners;
(E) an institution of higher education (as defined
in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1001(a)));
(F) a national or regional association representing
a State or Tribal fish and wildlife agency;
(G) a Federal agency that may carry out projects
that would support the purpose of this Act; and
(H) a county government.
(4) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means land or
water managed by the relevant agencies.
(5) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation established by section 2(a) of the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16
U.S.C. 3701(a)).
(6) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(7) Movement area.--The term ``movement area'' means--
(A) an area wildlife frequently use, or could
frequently use, to move, including for travel within,
or colonization, of additional habitat by wildlife that
occurs seasonally or more frequently in and around
corridors; or
(B) seasonal habitat where migration or other
natural movement of big game and other wildlife has
been observed and documented by--
(i) a State or Tribal wildlife agency; or
(ii)(I) a scientific report published in a
peer-reviewed professional publication; or
(II) any other professional scientific
publication recognized by a State or Tribal
wildlife agency.
(8) Relevant agencies.--The term ``relevant agencies''
means--
(A) the Department of the Interior, including the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of
Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Land Management, the
National Park Service, and the United States Geological
Survey;
(B) the Department of Agriculture, including the
Forest Service, the Natural Resources Conservation
Service, and the Farm Service Agency; and
(C) the Department of Transportation.
(9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(10) Wildlife.--The term ``wildlife'' means native
terrestrial vertebrate species.
SEC. 4. WILDLIFE MOVEMENT AND MOVEMENT AREA GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a nonregulatory
program, to be known as the ``Wildlife Movement and Movement Area Grant
Program'' (referred to in this section as the ``grant program'').
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the grant program is to fund projects
that improve or conserve habitat quality in movement areas, including
projects that--
(1) secure habitat leases, fence modification, non-Federal
land acquisition, conservation easements, improved hydrology,
human-wildlife vehicle collision reduction, and road and
infrastructure modification;
(2) arrange voluntary collaboration with landowners; and
(3) coordinate efforts among State and Tribal governments,
including departments of transportation and other relevant
agencies.
(c) Cooperative Agreement.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into a cooperative
agreement with the Foundation to administer the grant program for
purposes of providing competitive matching grants in varying amounts to
eligible recipients.
(d) Grants.--
(1) Proposals.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the
date on which amounts are made available to carry out
the grant program, and not less frequently than
annually thereafter, the Foundation, in consultation
with the Secretary, shall issue a request for proposals
for projects to fund under the grant program.
(B) Requirements.--A proposal submitted to the
Foundation by an eligible recipient for funding under
the grant program shall identify 1 or more movement
areas where habitat improvement will be achieved,
subject to the condition that the proposal shall
include written acknowledgment of support from a State
or Tribal fish and wildlife agency with jurisdiction
over the movement area in which the proposal will be
carried out.
(2) Cost sharing.--
(A) Federal share.--Except as provided in
subparagraph (C), the Federal share of the cost of a
project funded under the grant program shall not exceed
90 percent of the total cost of the project.
(B) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of
the cost of a project funded under the grant program--
(i) except as provided in subparagraph (C),
shall be not less than 10 percent of the total
cost of the project; and
(ii) may be provided in cash or in-kind, as
determined by the Foundation.
(C) Waiver.--The Foundation may waive the
requirements under subparagraphs (A) and (B) for
projects that would benefit Indian Tribes, historically
disadvantaged communities, or areas of persistent
poverty, as determined by the Foundation.
(e) Requirement.--After the date on which the Secretary enters into
a cooperative agreement with the Foundation under subsection (c), any
amounts received by the Foundation under this section shall be subject
to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16
U.S.C. 3701 et seq.), excluding section 10(a) of that Act (16 U.S.C.
3709(a)).
(f) Priority.--In funding projects under the grant program, the
Foundation may give priority to proposals that are--
(1) submitted by an eligible recipient described in section
3(3)(F); or
(2) jointly submitted by multiple eligible recipients.
(g) Funding.--After the date on which the Secretary enters into a
cooperative agreement with the Foundation under subsection (c), the
Foundation shall--
(1)(A) for each fiscal year, receive amounts made available
to carry out the grant program in an advance payment of the
entire amount on October 1, or as soon as practicable
thereafter, of that fiscal year, to remain available until
expended; and
(B) invest and reinvest those amounts for the benefit of
the grant program; and
(2) otherwise administer the grant program to support
partnerships between the public and private sectors in
accordance with this section.
(h) Report.--Not less frequently than once every 2 years, the
Foundation shall submit to the Secretary, the Secretary of Agriculture,
the Secretary of Transportation, and Congress a report on projects
funded under the grant program and the contribution of those projects
to conservation successes.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Secretary to carry out the grant program such sums as are
necessary for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030.
(2) Big game.--Of the amounts made available to carry out
the grant program for each fiscal year, not less than 50
percent shall be used for projects that directly conserve,
restore, or enhance big game movement areas.
SEC. 5. STATE AND TRIBAL MIGRATION RESEARCH PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program, to be
known as the ``State and Tribal Migration Research Program'' (referred
to in this section as the ``program''), to provide funds directly to
State fish and wildlife agencies and Indian Tribes through an agreed on
process between States, Indian Tribes, and the relevant agencies, to
collect and analyze data on the identification, characteristics, or
management of movement areas.
(b) Administration.--Funds provided under this section shall be
administered by the Science Applications program of the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the program such sums as are
necessary for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030.
SEC. 6. PARTNERS FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 4 of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife
Act (16 U.S.C. 3773) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking
``The Secretary shall carry out the Partners for Fish and
Wildlife Program'' and inserting the following:
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out the Partners for
Fish and Wildlife Program (referred to in this section as the
`Program')''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(b) Use of Funds.--Where prudent and necessary, funds under the
Program may be used to provide technical assistance to other Federal
agencies to implement voluntary programs with a focus on migration
corridor or seasonal habitat conservation efforts on private and Tribal
land.''.
(b) Reauthorization.--Section 5 of the Partners for Fish and
Wildlife Act (16 U.S.C. 3774) is amended by striking ``2019 through
2023'' and inserting ``2025 through 2030''.
SEC. 7. USGS WILDLIFE CORRIDOR MAPPING.
The Secretary, acting through the Director of the United States
Geological Survey, shall support the continuation of a Corridor Mapping
Team to provide technical assistance, as prioritized and required by
States and Indian Tribes, to Federal agencies, States, and Indian
Tribes working--
(1) to map movement areas using existing Global Positioning
System data or other sources of credible scientific
information; and
(2) to assess or research movement areas.
SEC. 8. USGS EXISTING EFFORTS.
(a) USGS Existing Efforts.--
(1) In general.--The Director of the United States
Geological Survey shall work with Federal and State agencies
and Indian Tribes to build on existing efforts to map movement
areas.
(2) Protection of information.--In carrying out this
subsection, the Director of the United States Geological
Survey, in cooperation with Federal and State agencies and
Indian Tribes, and consistent with rights afforded to sovereign
nations and applicable State law, shall carry out necessary
measures--
(A) to protect sensitive information with respect
to the protection of private property rights and the
precise locations of individuals; and
(B) to prevent the poaching, illegal taking, and
unfair chase of wildlife.
(3) Reports; published migration maps.--
(A) In general.--Annually, the Director of the
United States Geological Survey shall publish a report
on completed analyses of mapped migration corridors,
seasonal habitats, and connectivity areas.
(B) Requirement.--To the extent practicable, all
efforts shall be made to incorporate data with existing
State programs and use existing published maps
described in subparagraph (A).
(4) Reports.--Not less frequently than once every 2 years,
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on projects
funded under this subsection, including a description of the
conservation value of each project.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 2 of the Act of
September 2, 1960 (16 U.S.C. 753b), is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this Act such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2025
through 2030.
``(b) Set-aside.--Of the amounts made available to carry out this
Act for each fiscal year, not less than 50 percent shall be used for
projects that promote connectivity by improving habitat quality in
movement areas of big game and other wildlife.''.
SEC. 9. COORDINATION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall appoint a Senior Executive
Service employee, who has experience with big game movement, to serve
in the Office of the Secretary as coordinator of activities and
necessary staff to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this
Act.
(b) Authority and Responsibilities.--The Senior Executive Service
employee appointed under subsection (a) shall--
(1) advise and assist--
(A) State and Tribal agencies and other eligible
recipients;
(B) relevant Federal agencies and programs; and
(C) the Foundation; and
(2) maintain an informative summary of activities, and the
results of those activities, carried out under this Act.
(c) Interagency Coordination.--The Secretaries, or their authorized
representatives, of the relevant agencies shall regularly convene--
(1) to coordinate actions and funding across Federal
agencies for programs under this Act and the amendments made by
this Act; and
(2) to streamline coordination with States, Indian Tribes,
and non-governmental partners with respect to those actions and
that funding.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as are necessary for
each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030.
SEC. 10. REQUIREMENT; SAVINGS PROVISION.
(a) Requirement.--No funds obligated under this Act or an amendment
made by this Act shall be applied in a manner that requires non-
voluntary changes in agricultural or domestic livestock production,
permitted forestry practices, or access to valid existing rights, such
as for energy development and mining, or water rights, consistent with
Federal organic Acts and associated regulations.
(b) Savings Provision.--Nothing in this Act or an amendment made by
this Act--
(1) enlarges or diminishes the authority, jurisdiction, or
responsibility of a State to manage, control, or regulate fish
and wildlife under the law and regulations of the State on land
and waters within the State, including on Federal land;
(2) modifies or abrogates a treaty with any Indian Tribe or
enlarges or diminishes the authority, jurisdiction, or
responsibility of an Indian Tribe to manage, control, or
regulate wildlife on Tribal land;
(3) impacts the private property or privacy rights of
landowners;
(4) restricts or reduces public access for hunting,
angling, recreational shooting, or other compatible types of
outdoor recreation;
(5) affects military readiness for training occurring on
land of the Department of the Interior reserved by the
Department of the Defense;
(6) constitutes a Federal land designation or federally
designated migration route, an alteration or removal of such a
designation, or a directive to impact pre-existing
administrative or management authority in any manner; or
(7) amends or otherwise affects any