Soil and Water Protection Act of 1992

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Soil and Water Protection Act of 
1992''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) farmers, ranchers, and foresters have a sound 
        understanding of protecting the Nation's rich natural 
        resources;
            (2) soil and water damage and contamination have occurred 
        and may occur in the future;
            (3) energy shortages have occurred and may occur in the 
        future;
            (4) farmers, ranchers, and foresters are energy driven 
        enterprises in conjunction with substantial soil and water 
        usage;
            (5) farmers, ranchers and foresters can substantially make 
        more efficient energy expenditures using energy saving 
        management techniques;
            (6) practices such as fertility management, conservation 
        tillage, and integrated pest management will provide future 
        generations the enjoyment of improved environmental conditions 
        such as better ground and surface water quality and soil 
        fertility;
            (7) saving and conserving energy will benefit the public 
        land; and
            (8) Federal agricultural policies and programs influence 
        sound energy conservation and environmental objectives.

SEC. 3. FEDERAL ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through 
the Soil Conservation Service, shall establish a Federal energy 
conservation program.
    (b) Criteria.--The Federal energy conservation program shall target 
and promote more efficient energy use in, and the conservation of 
energy with respect to, tillage practices, chemical and fertilizer 
management, irrigation management, livestock facility management, 
horticulture, and wood utilization. The Secretary shall provide grants 
and technical and educational assistance for projects in eligible 
States including (but not limited to) projects for--
            (1) demonstrating the advantages of conservation tillage 
        practices that promote energy efficiency and conservation;
            (2) training, pest scouting, and soil sampling in order to 
        promote education concerning prescription application of animal 
        manures, fertilizers, lime, soil conditioners and pesticide 
        usage;
            (3) improving the efficient use of irrigation systems to 
        reduce energy consumption;
            (4) managing livestock facilities for energy conservation;
            (5) managing horticultural facilities for energy 
        conservation; and
            (6) improving efficiency in utilization of wood, including 
        milling of forest products and the use of wood for production 
        of energy.

SEC. 4. FEDERAL GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, through the Soil Conservation 
Service, shall make grants to individuals or institutions that present 
to the Secretary an application and a plan for the energy conservation 
project--
            (1) which was developed in consultation with an individual 
        recognized by the Secretary to have expertise in energy 
        conservation; and
            (2) that is within an eligible State which has an energy 
        conservation program.
    (b) Advice From State Agriculture Energy Conservation Review 
Panel.--In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall take 
into consideration the advice received from the State agriculture 
energy conservation review panel pursuant to section 6(c)(2).
    (c) Limitations.--(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
Federal grant under this section for a project may not exceed $5,000.
    (2) In the case of a project in which a school, hospital, or other 
similar institution that is improving its energy efficiency by 
converting its heating system to a wood burning system, the Federal 
grant may not exceed $150,000.
    (3) Funds made available under this Act may not be used to pay for 
labor costs associated with a project.
    (4) Grants for a project may not be made until after receipts have 
been provided to the Secretary for the actual cost incurred for the 
project.

SEC. 5. ALLOCATION AMONG ELIGIBLE STATES.

    The Secretary shall allocate funds made available to carry out this 
Act for a fiscal year to each State which is eligible for assistance. 
The allocation among States shall be equitable, based on the following:
            (1) The number and size of farms.
            (2) The potential for energy conservation.
            (3) The number and size of forest industries.
    The Secretary may allocate up to 25 percent of the funds allocated 
to any State with substantial forest industry to forest energy 
conservation projects.

SEC. 6. STATE PARTICIPATION AND ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Eligible State.--The Secretary may provide assistance under 
this Act in a fiscal year for projects in a State which, before the 
beginning of that fiscal year--
            (1) submits to the Secretary a plan describing in detail 
        how the State will cooperate with the United States in carrying 
        out this Act, including providing for--
                    (A) encouragement to persons to participate in the 
                energy conservation program;
                    (B) criteria to be used for recommending projects 
                to be funded by the program; and
                    (C) individuals with expertise in energy efficiency 
                to advise program participants on energy conservation 
                matters; and
            (2) has established an agriculture energy conservation 
        review panel in accordance with subsection (c).
    (b) Cost Share.--The State may offer assistance and services in 
cooperation with the Secretary to enhance energy conservation efforts 
under this Act.
    (c) State Agriculture Energy Conservation Review Panel.--(1) An 
eligible State, together with the United States, shall establish an 
energy conservation review panel comprised of 6 members as follows:
            (A) The head of the State agricultural agency, or his 
        designee.
            (B) The State forester or equivalent State official, or his 
        designee.
            (C) The president of that State's Association of 
        Conservation Districts, or his designee.
            (D) The State conservationist of the Soil Conservation 
        Service for that State, or his designee.
            (E) The Cooperative Research Service Director for that 
        State, or his designee.
            (F) The Cooperative Extension Director for the State, or 
        his designee.
    (2) The State agriculture energy conservation review panel shall 
advise and recommend to the Secretary those projects that meet the 
requirements of this Act. In providing such advice and recommendations, 
the panel shall review and evaluate each project using the criteria 
referred to in subsection (a)(1)(B).

SEC. 7. DEMONSTRATIONS, EDUCATION, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Agricultural Experiment Stations.--The Secretary shall 
establish and maintain demonstrations of energy-saving and energy 
efficient practices at agricultural experiment stations that can be 
implemented by agriculture procedures and the public.
    (b) Extension Service.--The Secretary, through the Extension 
Service, shall disseminate informational and educational materials and 
conduct demonstrations and training sessions.
    (c) Technical and Material Assistance.--In carrying out the Federal 
energy conservation program, the Secretary, acting through the Soil 
Conservation Service, shall provide such technical and material 
assistance to participants as the Secretary determines appropriate.

SEC. 8. REPORT.

    Not later than March 31, 1994 and annually thereafter, the 
Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress describing the results 
of the Federal energy conservation program. In particular, the report 
shall include--
            (1) the number and identification of States participating 
        in the program;
            (2) a description of the projects for which grants were 
        made pursuant to the program;
            (3) the energy efficiency practices performed and the 
        estimated amount of conservation energy use as a result of the 
        program; and
            (4) the number of States expected to participate in the 
        program the next fiscal year.

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated $150,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 1994 through 1996 to carry out this Act.

Summary: Soil and Water Protection Act of 1992 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, through the Soil Conservation Service, to establish a Federal energy conservation grant program.