IB 
Union Calendar No. 456 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 2795 
[Report No. 116–558, Part I] 
To establish National Wildlife Corridors to provide for the protection and 
restoration of certain native fish, wildlife, and plant species, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 16, 2019 
Mr. BEYER (for himself and Mr. BUCHANAN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addi-
tion to the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, and Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
OCTOBER 9, 2020 
Additional sponsors: Ms. HAALAND, Mr. LUJA´N, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. TED LIEU 
of California, Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico, Mr. 
ROONEY of Florida, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. NEGUSE, Ms. NORTON, Mr. 
CONNOLLY, and Mrs. MURPHY of Florida 
OCTOBER 9, 2020 
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with an amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
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OCTOBER 9, 2020 
Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, and Transportation and Infra-
structure discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 16, 2019] 
A BILL 
To establish National Wildlife Corridors to provide for the 
protection and restoration of certain native fish, wildlife, 
and plant species, and for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act of 2019’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings and purposes. 
Sec. 3. Definitions. 
TITLE I—NATIONAL WILDLIFE CORRIDOR SYSTEM ON FEDERAL 
LAND AND WATER 
Sec. 101. National Wildlife Corridors. 
Sec. 102. Administrative designation of National Wildlife Corridors. 
Sec. 103. Management of National Wildlife Corridors. 
Sec. 104. Collaboration and coordination. 
Sec. 105. Effect. 
TITLE II—TRIBAL WILDLIFE CORRIDORS 
Sec. 201. Tribal Wildlife Corridors. 
Sec. 202. Protection of Indian tribes. 
TITLE III—WILDLIFE MOVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM ON NON- 
FEDERAL LAND AND WATER 
Sec. 301. Wildlife movement grant program. 
Sec. 302. National Coordination Committee. 
Sec. 303. Regional wildlife movement councils. 
TITLE IV—NATIONAL WILDLIFE CORRIDORS DATABASE 
Sec. 401. National wildlife corridors database. 
TITLE V—FUNDING 
Sec. 501. Wildlife Corridors Stewardship Fund. 
Sec. 502. Working landscapes. 
Sec. 503. Authorization of appropriations. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) the native fish, wildlife, and plant species in 
the United States are part of a rich natural heritage 
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and an important legacy to pass on to future genera-
tions; 
(2) the populations of many native fish, wildlife, 
and plant species in the United States are in decline; 
(3) scientists estimate that 1 in 5 animal and 
plant species in the United States is at risk of extinc-
tion, and many species are declining in numbers; 
(4) threats to the survival and diversity of many 
native fish, wildlife, and plant species in the United 
States include the loss, degradation, fragmentation, 
and obstruction of natural habitats; 
(5) climate change threatens native fish, wildlife, 
and plant species; 
(6) the 2019 global assessment report from the 
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Bio-
diversity and Ecosystem Services found that— 
(A) 1,000,000 wildlife and plant species 
worldwide are now threatened with extinction; 
and 
(B) 75 percent of the land-based environ-
ment, and approximately 66 percent of the ma-
rine environment, have been significantly altered 
by human actions; 
(7) the conservation of new and existing land-
scape and seascape corridors, through which native 
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species can transition from 1 habitat to another, 
plays an important role in helping— 
(A) to conserve native biodiversity; and 
(B) to ensure resiliency against impacts 
from a range of biotic and abiotic stressors; 
(8) the conservation, restoration, and establish-
ment of new ecological connections to facilitate the 
movement of species into more suitable habitats is a 
key climate change adaptation strategy; 
(9) the protection of new and existing corridors 
is often one of the first steps in restoration and recov-
ery planning; 
(10) States have recognized the importance of 
habitat connectivity, including— 
(A) a New England Governors and Eastern 
Canadian Premiers’ Conference on the impor-
tance of connectivity for ecosystem adaptability 
and resilience, biodiversity, and human commu-
nities; and 
(B) past Western Governors’ Association 
policy resolution; 
(11) the strategic plan of the United States Fish 
and Wildlife Service to respond to accelerating cli-
mate change entitled ‘‘Rising to the Urgent Chal-
lenge’’ acknowledges that ‘‘processes such as polli-
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nation, seed dispersal, nutrient cycling, natural dis-
turbance cycles, predator-prey relations, and others 
must be part of the natural landscapes we seek to 
maintain or restore . . . and are likely to function 
more optimally in landscapes composed of large habi-
tat blocks connected by well-placed corridors’’; 
(12) Federal and State agencies continue to de-
velop policies to address— 
(A) the importance of conserving fish, wild-
life, and plant corridors; 
(B) the gap between science and manage-
ment for at-risk species; and 
(C) ecological connectivity; and 
(13) Federal policies consistently recognize the 
importance of voluntary improvement projects by pri-
vate landowners to habitat conservation and restora-
tion for native species. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to support a diverse array of native species, 
including species protected under Federal, State, and 
Tribal law, that have experienced or may experience 
habitat loss, degradation, fragmentation, or obstruc-
tion to connectivity; 
(2) to provide long-term habitat connectivity for 
native species migration, dispersal, adaptation to cli-
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mate and other environmental change, and genetic ex-
change; 
(3) to help restore wildlife movements that have 
been disrupted by habitat loss, degradation, frag-
mentation, or obstruction; 
(4) to facilitate coordinated landscape- and 
seascape-scale connectivity planning and management 
across jurisdictions; and 
(5) to support State, Tribal, local, voluntary pri-
vate landowner, and Federal agency decisionmakers 
in the planning and development of National Wildlife 
Corridors. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.— 
The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Congress’’ 
means— 
(A) the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate; 
(B) the Committee on Environment and 
Public Works of the Senate; 
(C) the Committee on Appropriations of the 
Senate; 
(D) the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce of the House of Representatives; 
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(E) the Committee on Natural Resources of 
the House of Representatives; and 
(F) the Committee on Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives. 
(2) CONNECTIVITY.—The term ‘‘connectivity’’ 
means the degree to which the landscape or seascape 
facilitates native species movement. 
(3) CORRIDOR.—The term ‘‘corridor’’ means a 
feature of the landscape or seascape that— 
(A) 
provides 
habitat 
or 
ecological 
connectivity; and 
(B) allows for native species movement or 
dispersal. 
(4) DATABASE.—The term ‘‘Database’’ means the 
National Wildlife Corridors Database established 
under section 401(a). 
(5) FEDERAL LAND OR WATER.—The term ‘‘Fed-
eral land or water’’ means any land or water, or in-
terest in land or water, owned by the United States. 
(6) FUND.—The term ‘‘Fund’’ means the Wildlife 
Corridors Stewardship Fund established by section 
501(a). 
(7) HABITAT.—The term ‘‘habitat’’ means land, 
water, and substrate occupied at any time during the 
life cycle of a native species that is necessary, with re-
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spect to the native species, for spawning, breeding, 
feeding, growth to maturity, or migration. 
(8) INDIAN
LAND.—The term ‘‘Indian land’’ 
means land of an Indian tribe, or an Indian indi-
vidual, that is— 
(A) held in trust by the United States; or 
(B) subject to a restriction against alien-
ation imposed by the United States. 
(9) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ has 
the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian 
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 
U.S.C. 5304). 
(10) NATIONAL COORDINATION COMMITTEE.—The 
term ‘‘National Coordination Committee’’ means the 
National Coordination Committee established under 
section 302(a). 
(11) NATIONAL WILDLIFE CORRIDOR.—The term 
‘‘National Wildlife Corridor’’ means any Federal land 
or water designated as a National Wildlife Corridor 
under section 101(a). 
(12) NATIONAL WILDLIFE CORRIDOR SYSTEM.— 
The term ‘‘National Wildlife Corridor System’’ means 
the system of National Wildlife Corridors established 
by section 101(a). 
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(13) NATIVE SPECIES.—The term ‘‘native spe-
cies’’ means— 
(A) a fish, wildlife, or plant species that is 
or was historically present in a particular eco-
system as a result of natural migratory or evolu-
tionary processes, including subspecies and plant 
varieties; and 
(B) a migratory bird species that is native 
to the United States or its territories (as defined 
in section 2(b) of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act 
(16 U.S.C. 703(b))). 
(14) REGIONAL OCEAN PARTNERSHIP.—The term 
‘‘regional ocean partnership’’ means a regional orga-
nization of coastal or Great Lakes States, territories, 
or possessions voluntarily convened by Governors to 
address cross-jurisdictional ocean matters, or the 
functional equivalent of such a regional ocean organi-
zation designated by the Governor or Governors of a 
State or States. 
(15) REGIONAL
WILDLIFE
MOVEMENT
COUN-
CIL.—The term ‘‘regional wildlife movement council’’ 
means a regional wildlife movement council estab-
lished under section 303(a). 
(16) SECRETARIES.—The term ‘‘Secretaries’’ 
means— 
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(A) the Secretary of Agriculture; 
(B) the Secretary of Commerce; 
(C) the Secretary of Defense; 
(D) the Secretary of the Interior; and 
(E) the Secretary of Transportation. 
(17) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di-
rector of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 
(18) TRIBAL
WILDLIFE
CORRIDOR.—The term 
‘‘Tribal Wildlife Corridor’’ means a corridor estab-
lished by the Secretary under section 201(a)(1)(C). 
(19) 
UNITED
STATES.—The 
term 
‘‘United 
States’’, when used in a geographical sense, means— 
(A) a State; 
(B) the District of Columbia; 
(C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; 
(D) Guam; 
(E) American Samoa; 
(F) the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands; 
(G) the Federated States of Micronesia; 
(H) the Republic of the Marshall Islands; 
(I) the Republic of Palau; 
(J) the United States Virgin Islands; and 
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(K) the territorial sea (within the meaning 
of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.)) 
and the exclusive economic zone (as defined in 
section 3 of that Act (16 U.S.C. 1802)) within 
the jurisdiction or sovereignty of the Federal 
Government. 
(20) WILDLIFE MOVEMENT.—The term ‘‘wildlife 
movement’’ means the passage of individual members 
or populations of native species across a landscape or 
seascape. 
TITLE 
I—NATIONAL 
WILDLIFE 
CORRIDOR SYSTEM ON FED-
ERAL LAND AND WATER 
SEC. 101. NATIONAL WILDLIFE CORRIDORS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a system 
of corridors on Federal land and water, to be known as 
the ‘‘National Wildlife Corridor System’’, which shall con-
sist of National Wildlife Corridors designated as part of the 
National Wildlife Corridor System by— 
(1) statute; 
(2) rulemaking under section 102; or 
(3) a land management or land use plan devel-
oped or revised by the Secretaries. 
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(b) STRATEGY.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop 
a strategy for the effective development of the National 
Wildlife Corridor System— 
(1) to support the fulfillment of the purposes de-
scribed in section 2(b); 
(2) to ensure coordination and consistency across 
Federal agencies in the development, implementation, 
and management of National Wildlife Corridors; and 
(3) to develop a timeline for the implementation 
of National Wildlife Corridors. 
SEC. 102. ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGNATION OF NATIONAL 
WILDLIFE CORRIDORS. 
(a) RULEMAKING.— 
(1) NATIONAL WILDLIFE CORRIDORS.—Not later 
than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretaries, pursuant to the Secretaries’ respective 
land, water, and resource management planning and 
conservation authorities, shall establish a process, by 
regulation, for the designation and management of 
National Wildlife Corridors on Federal land or water 
under the respective jurisdictions of the Secretaries. 
(2) FEDERAL LAND AND WATER MANAGEMENT.— 
The Secretaries shall consider the designation of Na-
tional Wildlife Corridors in any process relating to 
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the issuance, revision, or modification of a manage-
ment plan for land or water under the respective ju-
risdiction of the Secretaries. 
(b) CRITERIA
FOR DESIGNATION.—The regulations 
promulgated by the Secretary under subsection (a)(1) shall 
ensure that, in designating a National Wildlife Corridor, 
the Secretaries— 
(1) base the designation of the National Wildlife 
Corridor on— 
(A) coordination with existing— 
(i) National Wildlife Corridors; 
(ii) corridors established or recognized 
by States; and 
(iii) Tribal Wildlife Corridors; and 
(B) the best available science of— 
(i) existing native species habitat; and 
(ii) likely future native species habi-
tats; 
(2) determine that the National Wildlife Cor-
ridor supports the connectivity, persistence, resilience, 
and adaptability of the native species for which it has 
been designated by providing for— 
(A) dispersal and genetic exchange between 
populations; 
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(B) range shifting, range expansion, or 
range restoration, such as in response to climate 
change; 
(C) seasonal movement or migration; or 
(D) succession, movement, or recolonization 
following— 
(i) a disturbance, such as fire, flood, 
drought, or infestation; or 
(ii) population decline or previous ex-
tirpation; 
(3) consult the Database; and 
(4) consider recommendations from the National 
Coordination Committee under section 302(e)(2)(C). 
(c) DESIGNATION OF FEDERAL LAND OR WATER RE-
QUIRING RESTORATION OR CONNECTION OF HABITAT.—The 
Secretaries may designate as a National Wildlife Corridor 
land or water that— 
(1) is necessary for the natural movements of 1 
or more native species; 
(2) requires restoration, including— 
(A) land or water that is degraded; and 
(B) land or water from which a species is 
currently absent— 
(i) but may be colonized or recolonized 
by the species naturally; or 
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(ii) to which the species may be re-
introduced or restored based on habitat 
changes; and 
(3) is fragmented or consists of only a portion of 
the habitat required for the connectivity needs of 1 or 
more native species. 
(d) NOMINATION FOR DESIGNATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In establishing the process for 
designation under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary 
shall include procedures under which— 
(A) any State, Tribal, or local government, 
or a nongovernmental organization engaged in 
the conservation of native species and the im-
provement of the habitats of native species, may 
submit to the Secretaries a nomination to des-
ignate as a National Wildlife Corridor Federal 
land or water under the respective jurisdiction of 
the Secretaries; and 
(B) the Secretaries shall consider and, not 
later than 1 year after the date on which the 
nomination was submitted under subparagraph 
(A), respond to any nomination submitted under 
that subparagraph. 
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(2) SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.—A nomina-
tion for designation under paragraph (1)(A) shall in-
clude supporting documentation, including— 
(A) the native species for which the Na-
tional Wildlife Corridor would be designated; 
(B) summaries and references of, with re-
spect to the designation of a National Wildlife 
Corridor— 
(i) the best science available at the 
time of the submission of the nomination for 
designation documenting why the corridor 
is needed; and 
(ii) the most current scientific reports 
available at the time of the submission of 
the nomination for designation; 
(C) information with respect to how the 
nomination was coordinated with potential part-
ners; 
(D) a description of supporting stake-
holders, such as States, Indian tribes, local gov-
ernments, scientific organizations, nongovern-
mental organizations, and affected voluntary 
private landowners; and 
(E) any additional information the Secre-
taries, in consultation with the National Coordi-
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nation Committee, determine is relevant to the 
nomination. 
(e) DESIGNATION ON MILITARY LAND.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Any designation of a Na-
tional Wildlife Corridor on a military installation 
(as defined in section 100 of the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C. 
670))— 
(A) shall be consistent with the use of mili-
tary installations and State-owned National 
Guard installations to ensure the preparedness of 
the Armed Forces; and 
(B) may not result in a net loss in the ca-
pability of military installation lands to support 
the military mission of the installation. 
(2) SUSPENSION OR TERMINATION OF DESIGNA-
TION.—The Secretary of Defense may suspend or ter-
minate the designation of any National Wildlife Cor-
ridor on a military installation if the Secretary of 
Defense considers the suspension or termination to be 
necessary for military purposes, after public notice 
of— 
(A) the suspension or termination; and 
(B) any voluntary steps taken by the De-
partment of Defense to attempt to provide simi-
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lar ecological connectivity elsewhere on the mili-
tary installation. 
SEC. 103. MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL WILDLIFE COR-
RIDORS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretaries shall, consistent 
with other applicable Federal land and water management 
requirements, laws, and regulations, manage each National 
Wildlife Corridor under the respective administrative juris-
diction of the Secretaries in a manner that contributes to 
the long-term connectivity, persistence, resilience, and 
adaptability of native species for which the National Wild-
life Corridor is identified, including through— 
(1) the maintenance and improvement of habitat 
connectivity within the National Wildlife Corridor; 
(2) the implementation of strategies and activi-
ties that enhance the ability of native species to re-
spond to climate change and other environmental fac-
tors; 
(3) the maintenance or restoration of the integ-
rity and functionality of the National Wildlife Cor-
ridor; 
(4) the mitigation or removal of human infra-
structure that obstructs the natural movement of na-
tive species; and 
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(5) the use of existing conservation programs, in-
cluding Tribal Wildlife Corridors, under the respec-
tive jurisdiction of the Secretaries to contribute to the 
connectivity, persistence, resilience, and adaptability 
of native species. 
(b) NATIONAL WILDLIFE CORRIDORS SPANNING MUL-
TIPLE JURISDICTIONS.—In the case of a National Wildlife 
Corridor that spans the administrative jurisdiction of 2 or 
more of the Secretaries, the relevant Secretaries shall coordi-
nate management of the National Wildlife Corridor in ac-
cordance with section 104(b) to advance the purposes de-
scribed in section 2(b). 
(c) ROAD MITIGATION.—In the case of a National 
Wildlife Corridor that intersects, adjoins, or crosses a new 
or existing State, Tribal, or local road or highway, the rel-
evant Secretaries shall coordinate with the Secretary of 
Transportation and State, Tribal, and local transportation 
agencies, as appropriate, to identify and implement vol-
untary environmental mitigation measures— 
(1) to improve public safety and reduce vehicle- 
caused native species mortality while maintaining 
habitat connectivity; and 
(2) to mitigate damage to the natural movements 
of native species through strategies such as— 
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(A) the construction, maintenance, or re-
placement of native species underpasses, over-
passes, and culverts; and 
(B) the maintenance, replacement, or re-
moval of dams, bridges, culverts, and other 
hydrological obstructions. 
(d) COMPATIBLE USES.—A use of Federal land or 
water that was authorized before the date on which the Fed-
eral land or water is designated as a National Wildlife Cor-
ridor may continue if the applicable Secretaries determine 
that the use is compatible with the wildlife movements of 
the species for which the National Wildlife Corridor was 
designated, consistent with applicable Federal laws and reg-
ulations. 
SEC. 104. COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION. 
(a) COLLABORATION.—The Secretaries may partner 
with and provide funds to States, local governments, Indian 
tribes, the National Coordination Committee, voluntary 
private landowners, and the regional wildlife movement 
councils to support the purposes described in section 2(b). 
(b) COORDINATION.—To the maximum extent prac-
ticable and consistent with applicable law, the Secretary 
or Secretaries, as applicable, shall develop the strategy 
under section 101(b), designate National Wildlife Corridors 
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under section 102, and manage National Wildlife Corridors 
under section 103— 
(1) in consultation and coordination with— 
(A) other relevant Federal agencies; 
(B) States, including— 
(i) State fish and wildlife agencies; 
and 
(ii) other State agencies responsible for 
managing the natural resources and wild-
life; 
(C) Indian tribes; 
(D) units of local government; 
(E) other interested stakeholders identified 
by the Secretary, including applicable voluntary 
private landowners; 
(F) landscape- and seascape-scale partner-
ships, including— 
(i) the National Fish Habitat Partner-
ship; 
(ii) the National Marine Fisheries 
Service; 
(iii) 
regional 
fishery 
management 
councils established under section 302(a) of 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1852(a)); 
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(iv) relevant regional ocean partner-
ships; 
(v) the Climate Science Centers of the 
Department of the Interior; and 
(vi) the Landscape Conservation Coop-
erative Network; 
(G) the National Coordination Committee; 
and 
(H) the regional wildlife movement councils. 
SEC. 105. EFFECT. 
(a) 
RELATIONSHIP
TO
OTHER
CONSERVATION 
LAWS.—Nothing in this Act amends or otherwise affects 
any other law (including regulations) relating to the con-
servation of native species. 
(b) JURISDICTION OF STATES AND INDIAN TRIBES.— 
Nothing in this Act or an amendment made by this Act 
affects the jurisdiction of a State or an Indian tribe with 
respect to fish and wildlife management, including the regu-
lation of hunting, fishing, and trapping, in a National 
Wildlife Corridor or a Tribal Wildlife Corridor. 
TITLE II—TRIBAL WILDLIFE 
CORRIDORS 
SEC. 201. TRIBAL WILDLIFE CORRIDORS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
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(A) NOMINATIONS.—An Indian tribe may 
nominate a corridor within Indian land of the 
Indian tribe as a Tribal Wildlife Corridor by 
submitting to the Secretary, in consultation with 
the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (re-
ferred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’), an 
application at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary 
may require. 
(B) DETERMINATION.—Not later than 90 
days after the date on which the Secretary re-
ceives an application under subparagraph (A), 
the Secretary shall determine whether the nomi-
nated Tribal Wildlife Corridor described in the 
application meets the criteria established under 
paragraph (2). 
(C) PUBLICATION.—On approval of an ap-
plication under subparagraph (B), the Secretary 
shall publish in the Federal Register a notice of 
the establishment of the Tribal Wildlife Corridor, 
which shall include a map and legal description 
of the land designated as a Tribal Wildlife Cor-
ridor. 
(2) CRITERIA.— 
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(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall establish criteria for deter-
mining whether a corridor nominated by an In-
dian tribe under paragraph (1)(A) qualifies as a 
Tribal Wildlife Corridor. 
(B) INCLUSIONS.—The criteria established 
under subparagraph (A) shall include, at a min-
imum, the following: 
(i) The restoration of historical habitat 
for the purposes of facilitating connectivity. 
(ii) The management of land for the 
purposes of facilitating connectivity. 
(iii) The management of land to pre-
vent the imposition of barriers that may 
hinder current or future connectivity. 
(3) REMOVAL.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—An Indian tribe may 
elect to remove the designation of a Tribal Wild-
life Corridor on the Indian land of the Indian 
tribe by notifying the Secretary. 
(B) EFFECT OF REMOVAL.—An Indian tribe 
that elects to remove a designation under sub-
paragraph (A) may not receive assistance under 
subsection (c) or (d)(1) or section 301. 
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(b) COORDINATION OF LAND USE PLANS.—Section 
202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Indian tribes by’’ and in-
serting the following: ‘‘Indian tribes— 
‘‘(1) by’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1) (as so designated), by 
striking the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 
and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) for the purposes of determining whether the 
land use plans for land in the National Forest Sys-
tem would provide additional connectivity to benefit 
the purposes of a Tribal Wildlife Corridor established 
under section 10(a)(1) of the Wildlife Corridors Con-
servation Act of 2019.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) TRIBAL WILDLIFE CORRIDORS.—On the estab-
lishment of a Tribal Wildlife Corridor under section 
10(a)(1) of the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act of 2019, 
the Secretary shall conduct a meaningful consultation with 
the Indian tribe that administers the Tribal Wildlife Cor-
ridor to determine whether, through the revision of 1 or 
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more existing land use plans, the Tribal Wildlife Corridor 
can— 
‘‘(1) be expanded into public lands; or 
‘‘(2) otherwise benefit connectivity (as defined in 
section 3 of that Act) between public lands and the 
Tribal Wildlife Corridor.’’. 
(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 
provide to Indian tribes technical assistance relating to the 
establishment, management, and expansion of a Tribal 
Wildlife Corridor, including assistance with accessing wild-
life data and working with voluntary private landowners 
to access Federal and State programs to improve wildlife 
habitat and connectivity on non-Federal land. 
(d) AVAILABILITY OF ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) 
CONSERVATION
PROGRAMS
CONSIDER-
ATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—In evaluating applica-
tions under conservation programs described in 
subparagraph (B), the Secretary of Agriculture 
may consider whether a project would enhance 
connectivity through the expansion of a Tribal 
Wildlife Corridor. 
(B) PROGRAMS DESCRIBED.—The conserva-
tion programs referred to in subparagraph (A) 
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are any of the following conservation programs 
administered by the Secretary of Agriculture: 
(i) The conservation reserve program 
established under subchapter B of chapter 1 
of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831 et seq.). 
(ii) The environmental quality incen-
tives program established under subchapter 
A of chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3839aa et seq.). 
(iii) The conservation stewardship pro-
gram established under subchapter B of 
chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3839aa–21 et seq.). 
(iv) The agricultural conservation ease-
ment program established under subtitle H 
of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3865 et seq.). 
(2) WILDLIFE MOVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM.—An 
Indian tribe that has a Tribal Wildlife Corridor es-
tablished on the Indian land of the Indian tribe shall 
be eligible for a grant under the wildlife movements 
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grant program under section 301, subject to other ap-
plicable requirements of that grant program. 
(e) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section author-
izes or affects the use of private property or Indian land. 
SEC. 202. PROTECTION OF INDIAN TRIBES. 
(a) FEDERAL TRUST RESPONSIBILITY.—Nothing in 
this Act amends, alters, or waives the Federal trust respon-
sibility to Indian tribes. 
(b) FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.— 
(1) 
EXEMPTION.—Information 
described 
in 
paragraph (2) shall not be subject to disclosure under 
section 552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly 
known as the ‘‘Freedom of Information Act’’), if the 
head of the agency that receives the information, in 
consultation with the Secretary and the affected In-
dian tribe, determines that disclosure may— 
(A) cause a significant invasion of privacy; 
(B) risk harm to human remains or re-
sources, cultural items, uses, or activities; or 
(C) impede the use of a traditional religious 
site by practitioners. 
(2) INFORMATION DESCRIBED.—Information re-
ferred to in paragraph (1) is information received by 
a Federal agency— 
(A) pursuant to this Act relating to— 
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(i) the location, character, or owner-
ship of human remains of a person of In-
dian ancestry; or 
(ii) resources, cultural items, uses, or 
activities identified by an Indian tribe as 
traditional or cultural because of the long- 
established significance or ceremonial na-
ture to the Indian tribe; or 
(B) pursuant to the Native American 
Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 
U.S.C. 3001 et seq.). 
TITLE III—WILDLIFE MOVEMENT 
GRANT PROGRAM ON NON- 
FEDERAL LAND AND WATER 
SEC. 301. WILDLIFE MOVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 
wildlife movement grant program (referred to in this sec-
tion as the ‘‘grant program’’) to encourage wildlife move-
ment in accordance with this subsection. 
(b) GRANTS.—Beginning not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, based on 
recommendations from the National Coordination Com-
mittee under section 302(e)(2)(C), shall make grants to 1 
or more projects that— 
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(1) are a regional priority project identified by 
a regional wildlife movement council; 
(2) satisfy the purposes described in section 2(b); 
and 
(3) increase connectivity for native species. 
(c) ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS.—A person that is eligible 
to receive a grant under the grant program is— 
(1) a voluntary private landowner or group of 
landowners; 
(2) a State fish and wildlife agency or other 
State agency responsible for managing natural re-
sources and wildlife; 
(3) an Indian tribe; 
(4) a unit of local government; 
(5) an agricultural cooperative; 
(6) water, irrigation, or rural water districts or 
associations, or other organizations with water deliv-
ery authority (including acequias and land grant 
communities in the State of New Mexico); 
(7) institutions of higher education; 
(8) an entity approved for a grant by a regional 
wildlife movement council; and 
(9) any group of entities described in para-
graphs (1) through (8). 
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(d) REQUIREMENTS.—In administering the grant pro-
gram, the Secretary shall use the criteria, guidelines, con-
tracts, reporting requirements, and evaluation metrics de-
veloped by the National Coordination Committee under sub-
paragraphs (A) and (B) of section 302(e)(2). 
SEC. 302. NATIONAL COORDINATION COMMITTEE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 18 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall estab-
lish a committee, to be known as the ‘‘National Coordina-
tion Committee’’. 
(b) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.—The Secretary shall 
provide administrative support for the National Coordina-
tion Committee. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.—The National Coordination Com-
mittee shall be composed of— 
(1) the Secretary (or a designee); 
(2) the Secretary of Transportation (or a des-
ignee); 
(3) the Secretary of Agriculture (or a designee); 
(4) the Secretary of Commerce (or a designee); 
(5) the Secretary of Defense (or a designee); 
(6) the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs 
(or a designee); 
(7) the Executive Director of the Association of 
Fish and Wildlife Agencies (or a designee); 
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(8) 2 representatives of intertribal organizations, 
to be appointed by the Secretary; 
(9) the chairperson of each regional wildlife 
movement council (or a designee); and 
(10) not more than 3 representatives of non-
governmental, science, or academic organizations with 
expertise 
in 
wildlife 
conservation 
and 
habitat 
connectivity, to be appointed by the Secretary in a 
manner that ensures that the membership of the Na-
tional Coordination Committee is fair and balanced. 
(d) DUTIES.—The National Coordination Com-
mittee— 
(1) shall establish standards for regional wildlife 
movement plans to allow for better cross-regional col-
laboration; and 
(2) shall, with respect to the wildlife movement 
grant program under section 301— 
(A) establish criteria and develop guidelines 
for the solicitation of applications for grants by 
regional wildlife movement councils; 
(B) develop standardized contracts, report-
ing requirements, and evaluation metrics for 
grant recipients; and 
(C) make recommendations annually to the 
Secretary for the selection of grant recipients on 
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SEC. 503. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) NATIONAL WILDLIFE CORRIDOR SYSTEM.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out title I for 
fiscal year 2020 and each fiscal year thereafter— 
(1) to the Secretary, $7,500,000; 
(2) to the Secretary of Agriculture, $3,000,000; 
(3) to the Secretary of Defense, $1,500,000; 
(4) to the Secretary of Commerce, $3,000,000; 
and 
(5) 
to 
the 
Secretary 
of 
Transportation, 
$3,000,000. 
(b) TRIBAL WILDLIFE CORRIDORS.—There is author-
ized to be appropriated to carry out title II $5,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2020 and each fiscal year thereafter. 
(c) WILDLIFE MOVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM AND RE-
GIONAL WILDLIFE MOVEMENT COUNCILS.— 
(1) WILDLIFE MOVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the 
wildlife movement grant program under section 
301 $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 and each 
fiscal year thereafter. 
(B) 
REQUIREMENTS.—Amounts 
appro-
priated under subparagraph (A) may be used to 
complement or match other Federal or non-Fed-
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