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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7146 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7146

  To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide grants to covered 
   entities to develop, modify, or implement climate adaptation and 
   climate mitigation proposals on agricultural land, and for other 
                               purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 30, 2024

 Ms. Schrier (for herself, Ms. Perez, Ms. Strickland, and Mr. Nickel) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                              Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
  To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide grants to covered 
   entities to develop, modify, or implement climate adaptation and 
   climate mitigation proposals on agricultural land, 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 ``Partnerships for Agricultural 
Climate Action Act''.

SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE FOR CLIMATE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION.

    Section 1240H of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-8) 
is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``, Tribal,'' 
                after ``provided by State''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``for 
                pollution reduction'' and inserting ``for pollution and 
                emissions reductions'';
            (2) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
            (3) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
    ``(d) Grants for Climate Mitigation and Climate Adaptation.--
            ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Climate adaptation.--The term `climate 
                adaptation' means, with respect to an agricultural 
                management system, management changes to such 
                agricultural management system to reduce vulnerability 
                to and recover from climate and other related 
                disturbances, such that the system thrives in the face 
                of severe weather impacts and other associated 
                challenges, including management changes that builds 
                agricultural resilience through actions such as 
                improved nutrient management and enhancing soil health.
                    ``(B) Climate mitigation.--The term `climate 
                mitigation' means, with respect to an agricultural 
                management system, management changes to such 
                agricultural management system to reduce greenhouse gas 
                emissions and sequester carbon in soil and plant 
                biomass on agricultural land.
                    ``(C) Covered entity.--The term `covered entity' 
                means--
                            ``(i) the department of agriculture of a 
                        State;
                            ``(ii) an applicable Tribal Government 
                        authority;
                            ``(iii) an agricultural or silvicultural 
                        producer association or other group of 
                        producers;
                            ``(iv) a farmer cooperative;
                            ``(v) an institution of higher education;
                            ``(vi) a conservation commission or 
                        district; or
                            ``(vii) an organization or entity with an 
                        established history of working cooperatively 
                        with producers on agricultural land, as 
                        determined by the Secretary, to address local 
                        conservation priorities related to agricultural 
                        production or nonindustrial private forestland 
                        management in connection to climate mitigation 
                        or adaptation.
                    ``(D) Eligible proposal.--The term `eligible 
                proposal' means a proposal for climate mitigation and 
                climate adaptation activities on agricultural land, 
                which--
                            ``(i) is broadly consistent with part III 
                        of the Action Plan for Climate Adaptation and 
                        Resilience, titled `USDA's Adaptation Actions', 
                        published by the Department of Agriculture 
                        (August 2021);
                            ``(ii) is broadly consistent with 
                        conservation practices identified by the 
                        Natural Resources Conservation Service to 
                        reduce greenhouse gas emissions or to sequester 
                        carbon;
                            ``(iii) is broadly consistent with the 
                        latest available scientific research on 
                        regionally-relevant climate mitigation and 
                        adaptation strategies for agricultural land; 
                        and
                            ``(iv) identifies effective strategies, 
                        including strategies developed from traditional 
                        ecological knowledge such as indigenous 
                        agricultural knowledge practices, for 
                        increasing adoption of regionally appropriate 
                        management practices and systems implemented on 
                        privately owned agricultural land under the 
                        jurisdiction of the applicable State government 
                        or Tribal Government that achieve at least two 
                        of the following outcomes:
                                    ``(I) Increase in carbon 
                                sequestration.
                                    ``(II) Reduction of greenhouse gas 
                                emissions.
                                    ``(III) Increased resilience 
                                against extreme weather.
                    ``(E) Indigenous agricultural knowledge.--The term 
                `indigenous agricultural knowledge' means the applied 
                knowledge for raising or producing food and other 
                agricultural products grounded in indigenous belief 
                systems and practices that have been time-tested over 
                millennia.
                    ``(F) Traditional ecological knowledge.--The term 
                `traditional ecological knowledge' means a cumulative 
                body of knowledge, practice, and belief, developed by 
                Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and 
                other Indigenous communities, evolving by adaptive 
                processes and handed down through generations by 
                cultural transmissions, about the relationship of 
                living beings (including humans) with one another and 
                their environments, including indigenous agricultural 
                knowledge.
                    ``(G) Tribal government.--The term `Tribal 
                Government' means--
                            ``(i) the governing body of an Indian 
                        tribe;
                            ``(ii) the governing body of a State-
                        recognized Tribal organization; and
                            ``(iii) the governing body of a Native 
                        Hawaiian community or organization.
            ``(2) In general.--The Secretary shall provide grants to 
        covered entities to--
                    ``(A) develop or modify an eligible proposal; or
                    ``(B) implement an eligible proposal.
            ``(3) Application.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A covered entity applying for a 
                grant under this subsection shall prepare and submit an 
                application at such time, in such a manner, and 
                containing such information as the Secretary shall 
                require, including an assurance that grant funds 
                received under this subsection shall supplement, not 
                supplant, the expenditure of funds of such covered 
                entity in developing, modifying, or implementing 
                eligible proposals.
                    ``(B) Option for tribal governments.--At the sole 
                discretion of a Tribal Government, such Tribal 
                Government may, in lieu of submitting an applications 
                under subparagraph (A), opt to join an application 
                submitted by any other covered entity for an eligible 
                proposal relating to agricultural lands under the 
                jurisdiction of such Tribal Government and that are 
                located within, at least in part, the geographic 
                boundary of such covered entity.
                    ``(C) Solicitation of applications.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Not later than 180 days 
                        after the date of enactment of the Partnerships 
                        for Agricultural Climate Action Act, the 
                        Secretary shall solicit applications for grants 
                        under this subsection.
                            ``(ii) Additional solicitations.--The 
                        Secretary shall solicit applications for 
                        funding for eligible proposals on a recurring 
                        basis after the first round of applications 
                        until all amounts appropriated to carry out 
                        this subsection are expended.
                    ``(D) Performance measures.--Each application 
                submitted under this paragraph shall include 
                performance measures to be used to evaluate an eligible 
                proposal that was developed, modified, or implemented 
                using a grant received under this subsection.
            ``(4) Selection.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than two years after 
                the date of enactment of the Partnerships for 
                Agricultural Climate Action Act, the Secretary shall 
                select applications submitted under paragraph (3) to 
                receive a grant under this subsection in accordance 
                with this paragraph.
                    ``(B) Criteria.--In selecting applications to 
                receive a grant under this subsection--
                            ``(i) in the case of an application for 
                        developing or modifying an eligible proposal, 
                        the Secretary shall select applications for 
                        eligible proposals that will, if implemented--
                                    ``(I) have a high potential for 
                                carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas 
                                emissions reductions; and
                                    ``(II) increase the resilience of 
                                agricultural management systems to 
                                extreme weather and climate conditions;
                            ``(ii) in the case of an application for 
                        implementing an eligible proposal, the 
                        Secretary shall select applications for 
                        eligible proposals that--
                                    ``(I) have a high potential for 
                                carbon sequestration or greenhouse gas 
                                emissions reductions;
                                    ``(II) increase the resilience of 
                                agricultural management systems to 
                                extreme weather and climate conditions; 
                                and
                            ``(iii) the Secretary shall select 
                        applications for eligible proposals that are 
                        based on any other criteria that the Secretary 
                        determines necessary or appropriate to carry 
                        out this subsection.
                    ``(C) Geographical diversity.--In providing grants 
                under this subsection, the Secretary shall, to the 
                maximum extent practicable, ensure geographic 
                diversity.
                    ``(D) Priority.--In providing grants under this 
                subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to--
                            ``(i) a covered entity for an eligible 
                        proposal that--
                                    ``(I) includes dedicated resources 
                                to historically underserved producers 
                                or farming operations, including--
                                            ``(aa) beginning farmers or 
                                        ranchers;
                                            ``(bb) socially 
                                        disadvantaged farmers or 
                                        ranchers;
                                            ``(cc) veteran farmers and 
                                        ranchers, as defined in section 
                                        2501(a) of the Food, 
                                        Agriculture, Conservation, and 
                                        Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 
                                        2279(a)); and
                                            ``(dd) small or mid-sized 
                                        farms that are structured as 
                                        family farms, as defined in 
                                        section 761.2 of title 7, Code 
                                        of Federal Regulations;
                                    ``(II) includes plans to transition 
                                whole farm systems to ecologically 
                                sound production systems that--
                                            ``(aa) increase carbon 
                                        sequestration;
                                            ``(bb) reduce greenhouse 
                                        gas emissions; or
                                            ``(cc) build resilience to 
                                        extreme weather; or
                                    ``(III) supports additional 
                                conservation goals, including--
                                            ``(aa) improving soil 
                                        health;
                                            ``(bb) erosion control;
                                            ``(cc) improving nutrient 
                                        management;
                                            ``(dd) improving water 
                                        quality;
                                            ``(ee) enhancing pollinator 
                                        forage; and
                                            ``(ff) habitat restoration; 
                                        and
                            ``(ii) the applicable Tribal Government 
                        authority for an eligible proposal that 
                        includes use of traditional ecological 
                        knowledge or indigenous agricultural knowledge 
                        practices.
            ``(5) Partnerships option.--A covered entity may enter into 
        partnership agreements for the development, modification, or 
        implementation of an eligible proposal with one or more other 
        covered entities.
            ``(6) Use of implementation grants.--A covered entity may 
        use a grant provided under paragraph (2)(B) for activities to 
        implement an eligible proposal, including--
                    ``(A) provision of technical assistance to 
                producers;
                    ``(B) provision of financial assistance to 
                producers;
                    ``(C) on-farm research and demonstration;
                    ``(D) extension, education, outreach, and training;
                    ``(E) monitoring and evaluating soil carbon 
                sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and 
                other conservation outcomes;
                    ``(F) local producer-to-producer networking and 
                mentoring activities; and
                    ``(G) other activities as the Secretary determines 
                appropriate.
            ``(7) Grant term.--
                    ``(A) Development and modification grants.--With 
                respect to a grant under paragraph (2)(A), the 
                Secretary--
                            ``(i) shall provide such grant for a term 
                        of not less than one year and not more than two 
                        years; and
                            ``(ii) may renew such grant once at the end 
                        of a term under clause (i), under which renewal 
                        the Secretary may provide additional grant 
                        funds after the initial grant funds have been 
                        expended.
                    ``(B) Implementation grants.--With respect to a 
                grant under paragraph (2)(B), the Secretary--
                            ``(i) shall provide such grant for a term 
                        of not less than one year and not more than 
                        five years; and
                            ``(ii) may renew such grant at the end of a 
                        term under clause (i), under which renewal the 
                        Secretary may provide additional grant funds 
                        after the initial grant funds have been 
                        expended.
            ``(8) Grant amount.--
                    ``(A) Maximum amount.--The Secretary may provide a 
                grant to a covered entity--
                            ``(i) in the case of a grant under 
                        paragraph (2)(A), in an amount not to exceed 
                        $7,500,000 per fiscal year; and
                            ``(ii) in the case of a grant under 
                        paragraph (2)(B), in an amount not to exceed 
                        $15,000,000 per fiscal year.
                    ``(B) Federal share.--
                            ``(i) Grants to certain covered entities.--
                        The Secretary shall not provide a grant under 
                        this subsection to a covered entity that is not 
                        an applicable Tribal Government authority in an 
                        amount that exceeds--
                                    ``(I) 75 percent of the cost of 
                                developing or modifying an eligible 
                                proposal under paragraph (2)(A); or
                                    ``(II) 50 percent of the cost of 
                                implementing an eligible proposal under 
                                paragraph (2)(B).
                            ``(ii) Grants to tribal governments.--The 
                        Secretary shall not provide a grant under this 
                        subsection to an applicable Tribal Government 
                        authority in an amount that exceeds--
                                    ``(I) 100 percent of the cost of 
                                developing or modifying an eligible 
                                proposal under paragraph (2)(A); or
                                    ``(II) 85 percent of the cost of 
                                implementing an eligible proposal under 
                                paragraph (2)(B).
                            ``(iii) Restriction.--Clause (ii) does not 
                        apply to Tribal Governments that opt to join an 
                        application submitted by another covered entity 
                        under paragraph (3)(B).
                    ``(C) Non-federal funds.--The Secretary shall 
                provide a grant under this subsection on the condition 
                that any non-Federal share of expenditures be provided 
                from non-Federal sources.
            ``(9) Performance measures review and evaluation.--Each 
        covered entity that receives a grant under this subsection 
        shall submit to the Secretary a review and evaluation of the 
        progress of such covered entity, using the performance measures 
        included in the application under paragraph (3)(D), at such 
        intervals as the Secretary shall establish.
            ``(10) Effect of noncompliance.--If the Secretary, after 
        reasonable notice to a covered entity, determines that there 
        has been a failure by such covered entity to comply with the 
        terms of a grant made under this subsection, the Secretary may 
        disqualify, for one or more years, such covered entity from 
        receipt of future grants under this subsection.
            ``(11) Audit requirement.--For each year that a covered 
        entity receives funds from a grant provided under this 
        subsection, such covered entity shall--
                    ``(A) conduct an audit of any expenditures by such 
                covered entity that were paid for using such funds; and
                    ``(B) not later than 30 days after the completion 
                of the audit under subparagraph (A), submit to the 
                Secretary a copy of such audit.
            ``(12) Administrative expenses.--
                    ``(A) Secretary.--The Secretary may not use more 
                than 3 percent of the funds made available to carry out 
                this subsection for a fiscal year for administrative 
                expenses.
                    ``(B) Certain covered entities.--A covered entity, 
                that is not an applicable Tribal Government authority, 
                receiving a grant under this section may not use more 
                than 10 percent of the granted funds for administrative 
                expenses.
                    ``(C) Tribal governments.--An applicable Tribal 
                Government authority receiving a grant under this 
                section may not use more than 15 percent of the granted 
                funds for administrative expenses.
            ``(13) Funding.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Of the funds made available to 
                carry out this subchapter, the Secretary shall carry 
                out this subsection using $150,000,000 for each of 
                fiscal years 2023 through 2031.
                    ``(B) Allocation of funds.--The Secretary shall 
                distribute funds made available to carry out this 
                subsection as follows:
                            ``(i) At least 33 percent of funds to 
                        support the development and modification of 
                        eligible proposals under paragraph (2)(A).
                            ``(ii) At least 33 percent of funds to 
                        support the implementation of eligible 
                        proposals under paragraph (2)(B).
                    ``(C) Reservation of funds.--Of the funds made 
                available for grants under this subsection, 33 percent 
                shall be reserved for grants provided to the applicable 
                Tribal Government authorities.''.
                                 <all>
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