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(1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection
(c); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(b) STREAMLINED APPLICATION PROCESS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out each con-
servation program under this title, the Secretary shall
ensure that the application process used by producers
and landowners is streamlined to minimize com-
plexity and eliminate redundancy.
‘‘(2) REVIEW AND STREAMLINING.—
‘‘(A) REVIEW.—The Secretary shall carry
out a review of the application forms and proc-
esses for each conservation program covered by
this subsection.
‘‘(B) STREAMLINING.—On completion of the
review the Secretary shall revise application
forms and processes, as necessary, to ensure
that—
‘‘(i) all required application informa-
tion is essential for the efficient, effective,
and accountable implementation of con-
servation programs;
‘‘(ii) conservation program applicants
are not required to provide information that
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is readily available to the Secretary through
existing information systems of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture;
‘‘(iii) information provided by the ap-
plicant is managed and delivered efficiently
for use in all stages of the application proc-
ess, or for multiple applications; and
‘‘(iv) information technology is used ef-
fectively to minimize data and information
input requirements.
‘‘(3) IMPLEMENTATION AND NOTIFICATION.—Not
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Food and Energy Security Act of 2007, the Secretary
shall submit to Congress a written notification of
completion of the requirements of this subsection.’’.
(b) ADMINISTRATION.—Section 1244 of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3844) (as amended by sub-
section (a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(d) COOPERATION REGARDING PROTECTION.—In the
case of a landowner who enrolls land in a conservation pro-
gram authorized under this title that results in a net con-
servation benefit for a listed, candidate, or other species,
the Secretary shall cooperate at the request of the landowner
with the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Com-
merce, as appropriate, to make available to the landowner
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safe harbor or similar assurances and protections under sec-
tions 7(b)(4) and 10(a), as applicable, of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1536(b)(4), 1539(a)).
‘‘(e) ELIGIBILITY OF PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out a conserva-
tion program administered by the Secretary, the Sec-
retary shall accept applications from, and shall pro-
vide cost-share and incentive payments and other as-
sistance to, producers who elect to apply through an
organization that represents producers and of which
producers make up a majority of the governing body,
if the Secretary determines that—
‘‘(A) the full objective of the proposed activ-
ity, practice, or plan cannot be realized without
the participation of all or substantially all of the
producers in the affected area; and
‘‘(B) the benefits achieved through the pro-
posed activity, practice, or plan are likely to be
greater and to be delivered more cost-effectively if
provided through a single organization with re-
lated conservation expertise and management ex-
perience.
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—Any applicable payment lim-
itation shall apply to each participating producer
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and not to the organization described in paragraph
(1).
‘‘(f) PARTNERSHIPS AND COOPERATION.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out each pro-
gram under subtitle D (excluding the wetlands reserve
program and the conservation reserve program), the
Secretary, acting through the State Conservationist,
shall designate special projects to enhance conserva-
tion outcomes by working with multiple producers to
address conservation issues, if recommended by the
State Conservationist, in consultation with the State
technical committee.
‘‘(2) GUIDELINES.—The Secretary shall establish
guidelines to be used by States in the designation of
special projects under paragraph (1).
‘‘(3) 
PURPOSES.—The 
purposes 
of 
special
projects carried out under this subsection shall be to
achieve local, statewide, or regional conservation ob-
jectives by—
‘‘(A) encouraging producers to cooperate in
the installation and maintenance of conservation
practices that affect multiple agricultural oper-
ations;
‘‘(B) encouraging producers to cooperate in
meeting applicable Federal, State, and local reg-
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ulatory requirements regarding natural resources
and the environment;
‘‘(C) encouraging producers to share infor-
mation and technical and financial resources;
‘‘(D) facilitating cumulative conservation
benefits in geographic areas; and
‘‘(E) promoting the development and dem-
onstration of innovative conservation methods.
‘‘(4) ELIGIBLE PARTNERS.—State and local gov-
ernment entities (including irrigation and water dis-
tricts and canal companies), Indian tribes, farmer co-
operatives, institutions of higher education, non-
governmental organizations, and producer associa-
tions shall be eligible to apply under this subsection.
‘‘(5) SPECIAL PROJECT APPLICATION.—To apply
for designation as a special project, partners shall
submit 
an 
application 
to 
the 
Secretary 
that
includes—
‘‘(A) a description of the geographic area,
the current conditions, the conservation objectives
to be achieved through the special project, and
the expected level of participation by agricul-
tural and nonindustrial private forest land-
owners;
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‘‘(B) a description of the partners collabo-
rating to achieve the project objectives and the
roles, responsibilities, and capabilities of the
partners;
‘‘(C) a description of the program resources
from 1 or more programs under subtitle D that
are requested from the Secretary, in relevant
units, and the non-Federal resources that will be
leveraged by the Federal contribution;
‘‘(D) a description of the plan for moni-
toring, evaluating, and reporting on any
progress made towards achieving the purposes of
the special project; and
‘‘(E) such other information as described in
guidelines established by the Secretary under
paragraph (2).
‘‘(6) DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall
enter into multiyear agreements with partners to
facilitate the delivery of conservation program
resources in a manner to achieve the purposes
described in paragraph (3).
‘‘(B) PROJECT SELECTION.—
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‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall
conduct a competitive process to select
projects funded under this subsection.
‘‘(ii) FACTORS CONSIDERED.—In con-
ducting the process described in clause (i),
the Secretary shall make public the factors
to be considered in evaluating applications.
‘‘(iii) PRIORITY.—The Secretary may
give priority to applications based on—
‘‘(I) the highest percentage of pro-
ducers involved, and the inclusion of
the highest percentage of working agri-
cultural land in the area;
‘‘(II) the highest percentage of on-
the-ground conservation to be imple-
mented;
‘‘(III) non-Federal resources to be
leveraged;
‘‘(IV) innovation in conservation
methods and delivery, including out-
come-based performance measures and
methods; and
‘‘(V) other factors, as determined
by the Secretary.
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‘‘(C) TECHNICAL
AND
FINANCIAL
ASSIST-
ANCE.—The Secretary and partners shall provide
appropriate technical and financial assistance to
producers participating in a special project in
an amount determined by the Secretary to be
necessary to achieve the purposes described in
paragraph (3).
‘‘(D) ADMINISTRATION.—
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall
ensure that resources made available under
this subsection are delivered in accordance
with applicable program rules relating to
basic program functions, including rules
governing appeals, payment limitations,
and conservation compliance.
‘‘(ii) 
FLEXIBILITY.—The 
Secretary
may adjust elements of the programs under
this title, as requested by the State Con-
servationist, to better reflect unique local
circumstances and purposes, if the Sec-
retary determines that such adjustments are
necessary to achieve the purposes of this
subsection.
‘‘(iii) ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENTS.—
The Secretary may establish additional re-
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quirements beyond applicable program rules
in order to effectively implement this sub-
section.
‘‘(7) SPECIAL RULES APPLICABLE TO REGIONAL
WATER ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS.—
‘‘(A) DEFINITIONS.—In this paragraph:
‘‘(i) ELIGIBLE
PARTNER.—The term
‘eligible partner’ means—
‘‘(I) an eligible partner identified
in paragraph (4); and
‘‘(II) a water or wastewater agen-
cy of a State.
‘‘(ii) ELIGIBLE PROJECT.—
‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘eli-
gible project’ means a project that is
specifically targeted to improve water
quality or quantity in an area.
‘‘(II) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘eli-
gible project’ includes a project that
involves—
‘‘(aa) resource condition as-
sessment and modeling;
‘‘(bb) water quality, water
quantity, or water conservation
plan development;
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‘‘(cc) 
management 
system
and 
environmental 
monitoring
and evaluation;
‘‘(dd) cost-share restoration
or enhancement;
‘‘(ee) incentive payments for
land management practices;
‘‘(ff) easement purchases;
‘‘(gg) conservation contracts
with landowners;
‘‘(hh) 
improved 
irrigation
systems;
‘‘(ii) 
water 
banking 
and
other forms of water transactions;
‘‘(jj) groundwater recharge;
‘‘(kk) 
stormwater 
capture;
and
‘‘(ll) other water-related ac-
tivities that the Secretary deter-
mines will help to achieve the
water quality or water quantity
benefits identified in the agree-
ment in subparagraph (E).
‘‘(B) REGIONAL WATER ENHANCEMENT PRO-
CEDURES.—With respect to proposals for eligible
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projects by eligible partners, the Secretary shall
establish specific procedures (to be known collec-
tively as ‘regional water enhancement proce-
dures’) in accordance with this paragraph.
‘‘(C) MEANS.—Regional water enhancement
activities in a particular region shall be carried
out through a combination of—
‘‘(i) multiyear agreements between the
Secretary and eligible partners;
‘‘(ii) other regional water enhancement
activities carried out by the Secretary; and
‘‘(iii) regional water enhancement ac-
tivities carried out by eligible partners
through other means.
‘‘(D) MULTIYEAR AGREEMENTS WITH ELIGI-
BLE PARTNERS.—
‘‘(i) SOLICITATION
OF
PROPOSALS.—
Not later than 90 days after the date of en-
actment of this subsection, the Secretary
shall invite prospective eligible partners to
submit proposals for regional water en-
hancement projects.
‘‘(ii) ELEMENTS
OF
PROPOSALS.—To
be eligible for consideration for participa-