Sec. 201. Reforestation grant program
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/bill/115/hr/6503/ih/section-201A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The President is authorized to establish a grant program to carry out the purpose described in section 2(b), including reversing deforestation and improving reforestation and afforestation in Haiti and in Armenia. The President is authorized to award grants and contracts, for a period not to exceed 3 years, to carry out projects that, in the aggregate, reverse deforestation and improve reforestation and afforestation in Haiti or in Armenia. Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the President may not award a grant under this section in an amount greater than $500,000 per year.
The President may award a grant under this section in an amount greater than $500,000 per year if the President determines that the recipient of the grant has demonstrated success with respect to a project that was funded under this section. Grants awarded pursuant to subsection
(b)may be used— to provide a financial incentive to protect forests; to provide hands-on management and oversight of replanting efforts; to support sustainable, income-generating, forest-related economic growth; to provide— seed money to start cooperative reforestation and afforestation efforts; and subsequent conditional funding for such efforts contingent upon required tree care and maintenance activities; to promote the widespread use of— improved cooking stove technologies that do not involve the harvesting of forest growth; and other renewable fuel technologies that reduce deforestation and improve human health; and to secure the involvement and commitment of local communities— to protect forests in existence as of the date of the enactment of this Act; and to partner in and carry out afforestation and reforestation activities. Activities to secure the participation of local communities under paragraph (1)(F) should include 1 or more of the following activities: Creation of local jobs involving establishing, protecting, and managing reforested areas. Collaboration to analyze biodiversity and ecosystem services integral to sustainability and business decisions. Cooperative conservation programs, including— working with local water sources to ensure clean water through improved forestland and watershed; or working with food suppliers to ensure sustainable agroforestry products. To the maximum extent practicable, projects using grant funds shall support, and be consistent with, the proposal developed under section 101(a)(2) that is the subject of the project. An entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the President may reasonably require. Each application submitted under paragraph (1)— should be consistent with the findings, recommendations, and ongoing work relating to— the United States Agency for International Development Haiti Reforestation Project for Haiti; or the 2009 United States Agency for International Development report entitled Biodiversity Analysis Update for Armenia Final Report: Prosperity, Livelihoods, and Conserving Ecosystems (PLACE) IQC Task Order #4 ; and shall include— a description of the objectives to be attained; a description of the manner in which grant funds will be used; a plan for evaluating the success of the project based on verifiable evidence; and to the extent that the applicant intends to use nonnative species in afforestation efforts— an explanation of the benefit of using nonnative species rather than native species; and verification that the species to be used are not invasive. In awarding grants under this section, preference shall be given to applicants that propose— to develop market-based solutions to the challenges of reforestation in Haiti and Armenia, including the use of conditional cash transfers and similar financial incentives to protect reforestation efforts; to partner with local communities and cooperatives; and to focus on efforts that build local capacity to sustain growth after the completion of the underlying grant project. The President shall collect and widely disseminate information about the effectiveness of the demonstration projects assisted under this section.