Native Plant Species Pilot Program Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.9619 | Sponsor: Rep. Cartwright, Matt (D-PA)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Native Plant Species Pilot Program Act of 2022
This bill directs the Department of the Interior to carry out a pilot program to prioritize the use of native plant species within geographically diverse units of the National Park System and public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management.
In carrying out the pilot program, Interior shall

To establish a pilot program for native plant species, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Native Plant Species Pilot Program 
Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM FOR NATIVE PLANT SPECIES.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Invasive species.--The term ``invasive species'' means, 
        with respect to a particular ecosystem, a nonnative organism, 
        the introduction of which causes or is likely to cause economic 
        or environmental harm or harm to human, animal, or plant 
        health.
            (2) Locally adapted.--The term ``locally adapted'' means, 
        with respect to plants, plants that--
                    (A) originate from an area that is geographically 
                proximate to a planting area; and
                    (B) are environmentally adapted to and likely to 
                become established and persist in that planting area.
            (3) Native plant species.--The term ``native plant 
        species'' means, with respect to a particular ecosystem, a 
        species that, other than as a result of an introduction, 
        historically occurred or currently occurs in that ecosystem.
            (4) Nonnative.--The term ``nonnative'' means, with respect 
        to a particular ecosystem, an organism, including the seeds, 
        eggs, spores, or other biological material of the organism 
        capable of propagating that species, that occurs outside of the 
        natural range of the organism.
            (5) Plant material.--The term ``plant material'' means a 
        plant or the seeds, eggs, spores, or other biological material 
        of a plant capable of propagating the species of the plant.
    (b) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which 
funds are made available to carry out this section, the Secretary 
shall, in accordance with any existing laws and management policies, 
carry out a pilot program to prioritize the use of native plant species 
within geographically diverse units of the National Park System and 
public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management.
    (c) Implementation.--In carrying out the pilot program under 
subsection (b), the Secretary shall, to the extent practicable--
            (1) give preference to the use of locally adapted native 
        plant materials where appropriate;
            (2) incorporate efforts to prevent, control, or eradicate 
        the spread of invasive species;
            (3) incorporate efforts to use native plants in areas that 
        have experienced a recent wildfire event; and
            (4) identify situations in which the use of non-native 
        plants may be warranted.
    (d) Coordination.--The Secretary shall, in carrying out the pilot 
program under subsection (b), coordinate activities with--
            (1) the National Seed Strategy of the Bureau of Land 
        Management;
            (2) the Plant Conservation Alliance; and
            (3) the Plant Materials Centers of the Natural Resources 
        Conservation Service.
    (e) Termination of Authority.--The authority to carry out the pilot 
program under subsection (b) terminates on the date that is 5 years 
after the date on which the pilot program is established under that 
subsection.
    (f) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which the 
authority to carry out the pilot program terminates under subsection 
(e), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing--
            (1) the results of the pilot program carried out under 
        subsection (b); and
            (2) the cost-effectiveness of using native plants in units 
        of the National Park System and public land administered by the 
        Bureau of Land Management.
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