To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the forest conservation easement program, and for other purposes.
Forest Conservation Easement Program Act of 2023
This bill replaces the Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP) with a new forest conservation easement program. Both the HFRP and the new program provide for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to purchase easements on private land for forest conservation purposes.
Under the new program, USDA must provide cost-share assistance to states, local governments, Indian tribes, or certain organizations for their purchase of forest conservation easements.
The bill also sets aside program funding to purchase easements from certain classes of landowner, including beginning forest landowners, socially disadvantaged forest landowners, and veteran forest landowners.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.
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