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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6877 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6877
To amend section 1242 of the Food Security Act of 1985 to enhance and
update conservation practice standards, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 19, 2023
Ms. Spanberger (for herself and Mr. Nunn of Iowa) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend section 1242 of the Food Security Act of 1985 to enhance and
update conservation practice standards, 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 ``Streamlining Conservation Practice
Standards Act''.
SEC. 2. DELIVERY OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
Section 1242(h) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C.
3842(h)) is amended--
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Review'' and
inserting ``Establishment and Review'';
(2) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as
follows:
``(A) not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the Streamlining Conservation Practice
Standards Act, and at least every 5 years thereafter on
a rolling basis, complete a review of each conservation
practice standard, including engineering design
specifications;'';
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(C) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at
the end and inserting a semicolon; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) provide a process for public input on each
conservation practice standard under such review,
including a process for consideration of State and
local input;
``(F) publicly post a summary of any input received
under subparagraph (E) and any decisions made relating
to such input; and
``(G) revise any conservation practice standard
based on the results of such review, as determined
appropriate by the Secretary, and publish any such
revised standard.'';
(3) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
``(3) Process for establishment of interim and new
conservation practice standards.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of the Streamlining Conservation
Practice Standards Act, the Secretary shall develop a
streamlined process under which the Secretary shall
establish interim conservation practice standards and
new conservation practice standards.
``(B) Development.--In developing the streamlined
process under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall--
``(i) ensure that the public can engage
with the Department of Agriculture, including
by recommending interim conservation practice
standards; and
``(ii) establish--
``(I) the types of data, metrics,
and other relevant information that are
necessary for the establishment of
interim conservation practice standards
and new conservation practice
standards;
``(II) the process by which an
interim conservation practice standard
may become a new conservation practice
standard; and
``(III) specific requirements for
an expedited review of a new
conservation practice for the purpose
of establishing a new conservation
practice standard for such practice.
``(C) Considerations.--In establishing an interim
conservation practice standard or a new conservation
practice standard under this subsection, the Secretary
shall consider--
``(i) input from State technical committees
on recommendations that identify innovations or
advancements in conservation practices;
``(ii) technological advancements,
including advancements from projects developed
under section 1240H; and
``(iii) State and local input in the form
of--
``(I) recommendations for interim
conservation practice standards; and
``(II) partnership-led proposals
for new and innovative techniques to
facilitate implementing agreements and
grants under this title.
``(D) Transparency.--The Secretary shall make
available on a public website a detailed description of
the process for recommending, reviewing, and
establishing interim conservation practice standards
and new conservation practice standards under this
paragraph.'';
(4) in paragraph (4)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)--
(i) by striking ``Agriculture Improvement
Act of 2018'' and inserting ``Streamlining
Conservation Practice Standards Act''; and
(ii) by striking ``a report on'' and
inserting ``a report detailing'';
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking
``administrative'' and inserting ``streamlined'';
(C) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(D) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at
the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(E) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) any other information the Secretary
determines useful to improve such streamlined process
for reviewing and establishing conservation practice
standards.''; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) Funding.--The Secretary shall use funding from the
annual appropriations for conservation operations of the
Natural Resources Conservation Service to carry out this
subsection.''.
SEC. 3. COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION.
Section 1241(j)(1)(A) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C.
3841(j)(1)(A)) is amended by inserting ``, including schedules for
revising existing conservation practice standards and establishing
interim conservation practice standards or new conservation practice
standards under section 1242(h)'' before the semicolon at the end.
SEC. 4. CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANTS AND PAYMENTS.
(a) Competitive Grants for Innovative Conservation Approaches.--
Section 1240H(a)(1) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-
8(a)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
``(1) Grants.--Out of the funds made available to carry out
this subchapter, the Secretary may award competitive grants
that are intended to stimulate development and evaluation of
new and innovative approaches to leveraging the Federal
investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in
conjunction with agricultural production or forest resource
management, through the program, including grants for the
development and evaluation of new and innovative technologies
that may be incorporated into conservation practice
standards.''.
(b) Reporting and Database.--Section 1240H(d)(2)(A) of the Food
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-8(d)(2)(A)) is amended--
(1) in clause (i)--
(A) by inserting ``, including both management and
structural conservation practices,'' after
``conservation practices''; and
(B) by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) by redesignating clause (ii) as clause (iii);
(3) by inserting after clause (i) the following:
``(ii) data that may be used to evaluate
new and emerging technologies and
recommendations for State and regional
applications of such new and emerging
technologies; and''; and
(4) in clause (iii), as so redesignated, by inserting ``for
consideration under the streamlined process developed under
section 1242(h)(3)'' before the period at the end.
<all>
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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