I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5316 
To establish a carbon sequestration pilot program under which the Secretary 
of the Interior may make grants for projects to evaluate methods to 
increase the amount of carbon captured on qualified public lands in 
order to achieve a wide range of benefits, including reductions in green-
house gases, increased water retention and water quality in watersheds, 
nutrient cycling, reduced erosion, and forage quality. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 24, 2016 
Mr. HUFFMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To establish a carbon sequestration pilot program under 
which the Secretary of the Interior may make grants 
for projects to evaluate methods to increase the amount 
of carbon captured on qualified public lands in order 
to achieve a wide range of benefits, including reductions 
in greenhouse gases, increased water retention and water 
quality in watersheds, nutrient cycling, reduced erosion, 
and forage quality. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Healthy Soils and 
Rangelands Solutions Act’’. 
SEC. 2. CARBON SEQUESTRATION PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau 
of Land Management, shall establish a Carbon Sequestra-
tion Pilot Program to make grants to eligible entities for 
projects to carry out eligible activities. 
(b) SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD.—As part of the pro-
gram, the Secretary shall establish a science advisory 
board to provide analysis and recommendations regard-
ing— 
(1) the selection of eligible entities and eligible 
activities to receive grants under the program, based 
on the best available science; and 
(2) appropriate monitoring requirements to be 
required under subsection (c). 
(c) MONITORING AND REPORTING.—As a condition 
of a grant under the program, the grant recipient shall 
comply with monitoring and reporting requirements to 
quantify project performance and communicate results. 
(d) INNOVATION COMPETITION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make 
grants, through a challenge competition, to eligible 
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entities for projects to carry out innovative ap-
proaches to eligible activities. 
(2) LISTING.—The Secretary shall list the chal-
lenge 
competition 
under 
this 
subsection 
on 
www.challenge.gov (or any successor website of the 
Federal Government that lists challenge competi-
tions run by Federal agencies). 
(e) OUTREACH, EDUCATION, AND TECHNICAL AS-
SISTANCE.—The Secretary— 
(1) may provide technical assistance for eligible 
activities; and 
(2) shall expand outreach and education with 
respect to carbon sequestration and best practices 
related to eligible activities. 
(f) ACCEPTANCE
OF OUTSIDE FUNDS.—The Sec-
retary may accept nonappropriated funds, including funds 
from other public sources, private companies, nonprofit or-
ganizations, or foundations, to carry out the program. 
(g) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—With respect to each 
project administered under the program, not later than 
three years after the awarding of the grant, at least every 
two years thereafter for the duration of the project, and 
not later than 180 days after the completion of the 
project, the Secretary, working with grantees and any 
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(B) restoring degraded qualified public 
lands; 
(C) application of compost on qualified 
public lands; or 
(D) using biochar as an amendment on 
qualified public lands. 
(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means an owner or operator of qualified public 
lands, a university, a nongovernmental organization, 
or an Indian tribe. 
(5) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means 
the Carbon Sequestration Pilot Program established 
by this section. 
(6) QUALIFIED
PUBLIC
LANDS.—The term 
‘‘qualified public lands’’ means any land and interest 
in land owned by the United States within the sev-
eral States and administered by the Secretary of the 
Interior through the Bureau of Land Management, 
the National Park Service, or the United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service, without regard to how the 
United States acquired ownership, except lands lo-
cated on the Outer Continental Shelf. 
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(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di-
rector of the Bureau of Land Management. 
Æ 
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