Sec. 101. Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Subaccount
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Section 3 of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act ( 16 U.S.C. 669b ) is amended— in subsection (a)— by striking
(1)An amount equal to and inserting An amount equal to ; and by striking paragraph (2); and subsection (c)— by redesignating paragraphs
(2)and
(3)as paragraphs
(10)and (11); and by striking paragraph
(1)and inserting the following: In this subsection: The term restoration means the implementation of conservation actions and practices that reestablish or enhance environmental conditions and ecosystem functions that benefit the diversity, resilience, health, and productivity of plants and animals. The term rewilding means a restoration approach that prohibits human management activities and relies only on natural processes to maintain or improve habitat. The terms territory and territories mean the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. There is established in the fund a subaccount to be known as the Wildlife Habitat Conservation and Restoration Subaccount . Amounts in the Subaccount shall be available until expended, subject to future appropriations, for apportionment in accordance with this Act. Subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for such purposes, the Secretary shall allocate not more than $300,000,000 to the Subaccount for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029. Funds received by a State fish and wildlife department as a result of a wildlife conservation and restoration program or project of such department that is carried out on Federal or State land and funded by the Subaccount shall be retained and used by such department to carry out additional authorized wildlife conservation and restoration programs or projects pursuant to this Act. No funds may be appropriated to the Subaccount after fiscal year 2029. Amounts transferred to the Subaccount shall supplement, but not replace, existing funds available to the States from— the funds distributed pursuant to the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act ( 16 U.S.C. 777 et seq. ); and the fund. The Secretary shall distribute 10 percent of amounts in the Subaccount in each fiscal year through a competitive grant program to State fish and wildlife departments, the District of Columbia fish and wildlife department, fish and wildlife departments of territories, or to regional associations of fish and wildlife departments (or any group composed of more than 1 such entity). Recipients of a grant issued under subparagraph
(A)shall use such grant funds for the purpose of catalyzing innovation of techniques, tools, strategies, or collaborative partnerships that accelerate, expand, or replicate effective and measurable recovery efforts for habitat of species of greatest conservation need and species listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. ). The Secretary shall appoint a review committee comprised of— 1 State Director from each regional association of State fish and wildlife departments; the head of a department responsible for fish and wildlife management in a territory; 1 delegate from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, for the purpose of providing technical assistance; 2 individuals who represent 2 different nonprofit organizations, each of which participated in carrying out wildlife conservation and restoration activities using funds apportioned from the Subaccount during the 5-year period ending on the date of appointment of such individual; and 2 individuals who represent 2 different nonprofit hunting and fishing organizations who are each a member of— the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council of the Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture and classified as representing a wildlife & habitat conservation/management organization ; or the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council of the Department of the Interior and classified as representing a recreational fishery resource conservation organization . Using not more than 3 percent of the amounts distributed under subparagraph
(A)to carry out a competitive grant program, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service shall provide any personnel or administrative support services necessary for such committee to carry out its responsibilities under this Act. Such committee shall evaluate each proposal submitted under this paragraph and recommend projects for funding, giving preference to solutions that accelerate the recovery of habitat for species identified as priorities through regional scientific assessments of species of greatest conservation need. Funds apportioned from the Subaccount under paragraph (2)(B)— shall be used for purposes and practices consistent with section 2 of the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act ; shall be used to develop, carry out, revise, or enhance the Wildlife Conservation Strategy of a State, territory, or the District of Columbia, as required under section 4(e), by carrying out, revising, or enhancing existing wildlife conservation and restoration programs or strategies and developing and implementing new wildlife conservation and restoration programs or strategies, as determined by the appropriate State fish and wildlife department; shall be used to assist in the restoration of habitat for species found in the State, territory, or the District of Columbia that are listed as endangered species, threatened species, candidate species or species proposed for listing, or species petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. ) or under State law; may be used for management of animals, including harvesting; may be used for the conservation and restoration of habitat for species of greatest conservation need whose range is shared with another State, territory, Indian Tribe, or foreign government; may be used to manage, control, and prevent invasive species, disease, and other risks to the habitat of species of greatest conservation need; may be used for forest and vegetation management activities if a primary purpose of such activity is to modify, improve, enhance, or create wildlife habitat or reduce the risk of damage or destruction to wildlife habitat due to wildfires, insects, or disease, including— planting, seeding, and harvesting; mechanical thinning; prescribed burning; chemical applications designed to restore natural range variation including creating and maintaining early seral communities; and prescribed haying and grazing practices; may be used to carry out voluntary, collaborative conservation work with willing landowners consistent with section 2 of the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act to keep private lands working; and may be used to provide incentives to private landowners to carry out habitat conservation work for threatened and endangered species or species of greatest conservation need on the land owned by such private landowners and to provide financial assistance or technical assistance to such private landowners to carry out such work. Funds apportioned from the Subaccount may not be used for— rewilding; the reintroduction or management of a species in a manner not supported by the applicable State fish and wildlife management authorities; or climate-focused decisions that lack a connection to the State comprehensive plan developed under section 4(e)(1). Not less than 15 percent of the total amount apportioned to a State, territory, or the District of Columbia from the Subaccount during the period of fiscal years 2025 through 2029 shall be used for purposes described in paragraph (5)(A)(iii). Apportionment of funds from the Subaccount may not be conditioned upon the provision of public access to private lands, waters, or holdings. For the purposes of the non-Federal fund matching requirement for a wildlife conservation and restoration program or project funded by the Subaccount, a State, territory, or the District of Columbia may use as matching non-Federal funds— in-kind contributions of services and materials; voluntarily donated privately owned easements; in circumstances described in subparagraph (B), revenue generated through the sale of State hunting and fishing licenses; and other sources consistent with part 80 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of the enactment of the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act . Revenue described in subparagraph (A)(iii) may only be used to fulfill the requirements of such non-Federal fund matching requirement if— no Federal funds apportioned to the State fish and wildlife department of such State from the Wildlife Restoration Program or the Sport Fish Restoration Program have been reverted because of a failure to fulfill such non-Federal fund matching requirement by such State during the previous 2 years; and the project or program being funded benefits the habitat of a species that is a— hunted or fished species; and species of greatest conservation need. Land acquired by a State, territory, or the District of Columbia using funds apportioned from the Subaccount— may only be purchased from a willing seller; may only be so acquired for the purposes described in paragraph (5)(A)(iii); may only be so acquired when no other source of funding is available to purchase such land; and shall be open to the public for wildlife-related outdoor recreation, including hunting, trapping, fishing, or recreational shooting to the extent allowed by State law. . Section 4 of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act ( 16 U.S.C. 669c ) is amended— in subsection (d)— in paragraph (1)— by inserting , after deducting the amount distributed pursuant to section 3(c)(4), after Secretary of the Interior shall ; in subparagraph (A)— by striking to the District of Columbia and to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, each and inserting To the District of Columbia ; and by striking one-half and inserting one-fourth ; in subparagraph (B)— by striking to Guam and inserting To Guam ; and by striking not more than one-fourth of 1 percent and inserting not less than one-third of 1 percent ; and by adding at the end the following: To the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a sum equal to not less than 1 percent thereof. ; in paragraph (2)(A)— by amending clause
(i)to read as follows: half of which is based on the ratio to which the land and water area of such State bears to the total land and water area of all such States; ; in clause (ii)— by striking two-thirds and inserting one-quarter ; and by striking the period and inserting ; and ; and by adding at the end the following: one quarter of which is based upon the ratio to which the number of species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 in such State bears to the total number of such species listed in all such States. ; by amending paragraph (2)(B) to read as follows: The amounts apportioned under this paragraph shall be adjusted equitably so that no such State, unless otherwise designated, shall be apportioned a sum which is less than 1 percent or more than 5 percent of the amount available for apportionment under— subparagraph (A)(i); subparagraph (A)(ii); and the overall amount available for subparagraph (A). ; and in paragraph (3), by striking 3 percent and inserting one-third of 1 percent ; in subsection
(e)in paragraph (3), by striking 75 and inserting 90 ; and by adding at the end following: Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act and every 2 years thereafter until the last day of fiscal year 2029, the head of each State fish and wildlife department shall submit to the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service a report describing, with respect to such department during the preceding 2 years, the following: A summary of each activity carried out using funds apportioned from the Subaccount, including— an accounting of the administrative costs associated with each such activity; an accounting of land acquired, if any, from willing sellers by each State fish and wildlife department using funds from the Subaccount, including— the number of acres acquired; the endangered species, threatened species, candidate species or species proposed for listing, or species petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. ) or State law associated with the land acquired; the justification for such land acquisition; and a detailed explanation regarding why other sources of funding were not used for the land acquisition; and the number of acres of habitat restored, enhanced, created, or conserved by each such activity. A summary of the results and effectiveness of each activity carried out using funds apportioned from the Subaccount, including, if determinable— any change in the population trends of species of greatest conservation need; and any reduction in threats to species of greatest conservation need. The Secretary shall, not later than 180 days after each deadline for the submission of reports under paragraph (1), submit a report summarizing each report received by the Secretary under paragraph
(1)to— the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate; and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives. In this subsection, the term State includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. .
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Sec. 101
Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Subaccount
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