Sec. 4. LAND CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS IN THE HIGHLANDS REGION

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## SEC. 4 LAND CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS IN THE HIGHLANDS REGION ###

(a)Submission of Proposed Projects Each year, the governors of the Highlands States, with input from pertinent units of local government and the public, may— ####

(1)jointly identify land conservation partnership projects in the Highlands region from land identified as having high conservation values using the best available science and geographic information systems; and ####

(2)submit a list of those projects to the Secretary of the Interior. ###

(b)Consideration of Projects Each year, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall submit to Congress a list of the land conservation partnership projects submitted under subsection (a)(2) that are eligible to receive financial assistance under this section. ###

(c)Eligibility Conditions To be eligible for financial assistance under this section for a land conservation partnership project, a non-Federal entity shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary of the Interior that— ####

(1)identifies the non-Federal entity that shall own or hold and manage the land or interest in land; ####

(2)identifies the source of funds to provide the non-Federal share under subsection (d); ####

(3)describes the management objectives for the land that will ensure permanent protection and use of the land for the purpose for which the assistance will be provided; ####

(4)provides that, if the non-Federal entity converts, uses, or disposes of the land conservation partnership project for a purpose inconsistent with the purpose for which the assistance was provided, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior, the United States— #####

(A)may seek specific performance of the conditions of financial assistance in accordance with paragraph

(3)in Federal court; and #####

(B)shall be entitled to reimbursement from the non-Federal entity in an amount that is, as determined at the time of conversion, use, or disposal, the greater of— ######

(i)the total amount of the financial assistance provided for the project by the Federal Government under this section; or ######

(ii)the amount by which the financial assistance increased the value of the land or interest in land; and ####

(5)provides that land conservation partnership projects will be consistent with areas identified as having high conservation value in accordance with the purposes described in section 2 in the Highlands region. ###

(d)Non-Federal Share Requirement The Federal share of the cost of carrying out a land conservation partnership project under this section shall not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the land conservation partnership project. ###

(e)Request for Inclusion of Additional Municipality The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service may, at the request of a Highlands State, with the concurrence of the municipality, approve the inclusion of a municipality within the State as part of the Highlands region. ###

(f)Limitation on Administrative Expenses ####

(1)Federal administration The Secretary of the Interior may not expend more than $300,000 for the administration of this Act in each fiscal year. ####

(2)State administration A State that receives funds under this section for a land conservation partnership project may not use more than 5 percent of the funds to administer the land conservation partnership project. ###

(g)Authorization of Appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2029, to remain available until expended.