Great Lakes Assurance Program Verification Act of 2015

To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a Great Lakes basin initiative for agricultural nonpoint source pollution prevention. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Great Lakes Assurance Program Verification Act of 2015 2. Great Lakes basin initiative for agricultural nonpoint source pollution prevention (a) In general The Food Security Act of 1985 is amended by inserting after section 1240H the following new section: 1240I. Great Lakes basin initiative for agricultural nonpoint source pollution prevention (a) Establishment The Secretary, in consultation with the Great Lakes States, shall establish a Great Lakes basin initiative for agricultural nonpoint source pollution prevention in accordance with this section. (b) Initiative elements (1) Grants to States In implementing the initiative, the Secretary shall provide grants to Great Lakes States to fund the following: (A) Education and outreach, for producers in the Great Lakes basin, regarding— (i) nonpoint pollution of ground and surface water from agricultural activities; (ii) State verification programs; and (iii) the initiative. (B) Technical assistance, including training, to producers in the Great Lakes basin for the implementation of activities that reduce or prevent nonpoint pollution of ground and surface water from agricultural activities. (C) Development and implementation of voluntary State verification programs, with a funding priority for voluntary State verification programs that incorporate Department of Agriculture conservation planning and practice standards. (2) Funding priority for certain producers In implementing the initiative, the Secretary shall establish a funding priority within the Great Lakes basin for payments to producers under this chapter for producers that participate in the initiative with the purpose of achieving verification through a State verification program. (c) Use of existing data In establishing the initiative, the Secretary shall, where available, use existing plans, models, and assessments. (d) Collaboration In carrying out activities under the initiative, a State may collaborate with entities that have agricultural or environmental expertise, including academic or nonprofit organizations. (e) Definitions In this section: (1) Great Lakes State The term Great Lakes State (2) Initiative The term initiative (3) Nonpoint source pollution The term nonpoint source pollution 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq. (4) State verification program The term State verification program (f) Funding Of the funds made available to carry out this chapter, the Secretary shall carry out this section using— (1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2017; (2) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2018; (3) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2019; and (4) $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2020. . (b) Conforming amendment Section 1240C of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–3 (d) Special rule for Great Lakes basin In evaluating applications of producers in the Great Lakes basin under this chapter, the Secretary shall prioritize applications in accordance with section 1240I(b)(2). .

Summary: Great Lakes Assurance Program Verification Act of 2015 This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a Great Lakes basin initiative for agricultural nonpoint source pollution prevention. (Nonpoint source pollution comes from diffuse sources and is caused by precipitation moving over or through the ground and carrying pollution.) In implementing the initiative, USDA must: provide grants to Great Lakes states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Wisconsin) for education and outreach, technical assistance, and voluntary programs to verify implementation of practices to reduce nonpoint pollution from agricultural activities; establish a funding priority within the Great Lakes basin for payments to producers that participate in the initiative to achieve verification through a state verification program; and use existing data. In carrying out the initiative, states may collaborate with entities that have agricultural or environmental expertise, including academic or nonprofit organizations.