What This Bill Does
This bill creates a competitive grant program run by the Secretary of the Interior to fund projects that protect and restore native plants and animals in Hawaii. The program will provide grants to various eligible organizations and will focus on preventing invasive species, addressing climate change impacts, restoring habitats, and increasing public engagement in conservation efforts.
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Who It Affects
The bill directly affects:
- State of Hawaii government agencies
- Local governments in Hawaii
- Native Hawaiian organizations
- Nonprofit organizations
- Businesses
- Colleges and universities in Hawaii
- The U.S. Secretary of the Interior and the Fish and Wildlife Service
- Congress (which receives annual reports)
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Key Provisions
- The Secretary must establish the grant program within 180 days of receiving funding and must publish an annual request for proposals that follows science-based funding priorities developed in coordination with federal agencies, state officials, and stakeholders (Sec. 3(a), 3(c), 3(d))
- The federal government will cover up to 75 percent of project costs, but can cover 100 percent for projects run by Native Hawaiian organizations, projects that help youth workforce readiness, or grants of $50,000 or less (Sec. 3(g))
- At least 5 percent of annual grant funds must go to projects run by Native Hawaiian organizations or projects with grants of $50,000 or less (Sec. 3(h))
- The Secretary must consult with Native Hawaiian organizations about any funded project that affects the Native Hawaiian community (Sec. 3(j))
- The Secretary must submit annual reports to Congress describing each funded project and its progress (Sec. 4)
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What Changes
A new federal grant program will begin awarding money to support conservation projects in Hawaii. Organizations can now apply for competitive grants to fund projects focused on stopping invasive species, managing climate change effects on native species, restoring habitats, managing native animal and plant populations, improving scientific research capacity, improving ecological monitoring, and conducting public outreach and education.
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Important Definitions
- **Eligible entity**: State of Hawaii, local governments, Native Hawaiian organizations, nonprofits, businesses, or colleges and universities
- **Native species**: A plant or animal species that naturally occurs in Hawaii
- **Native Hawaiian organization**: An organization as defined in section 3 of the Native Act (a separate federal law)
- **Secretary**: The Secretary of the Interior working through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director
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Effective Date
The program must be established within 180 days after money is appropriated (provided) to carry out the bill (Sec. 3(a)). Not specified in bill text for other provisions.
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 1145
To establish a competitive grant program to support the conservation and
recovery of native plant and animal species in the State of Hawaii,
and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 30, 2023
Mr. SCHATZ (for himself and Ms. HIRONO) introduced the following bill; which
was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public
Works
A BILL
To establish a competitive grant program to support the
conservation and recovery of native plant and animal
species in the State of Hawaii, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hawaii Native Species
4
Conservation and Recovery Act of 2023’’.
5
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
6
In this Act:
7
(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
8
ty’’ means—
9
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•S 1145 IS
(A) the State;
1
(B) a unit of local government in the
2
State;
3
(C) a Native Hawaiian organization;
4
(D) a nonprofit organization;
5
(E) a business; and
6
(F) an institution of higher education.
7
(2) GRANT PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘grant pro-
8
gram’’ means the Hawaii Native Species Conserva-
9
tion and Recovery Grant Program established under
10
section 3(a).
11
(3) NATIVE
HAWAIIAN
ORGANIZATION.—The
12
term ‘‘Native Hawaiian organization’’ has the mean-
13
ing given the term in section 3 of the NATIVE Act
14
(25 U.S.C. 4352).
15
(4) NATIVE SPECIES.—The term ‘‘native spe-
16
cies’’ means a plant or animal species that is native
17
to the State.
18
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
19
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di-
20
rector of the United States Fish and Wildlife Serv-
21
ice.
22
(6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State
23
of Hawaii.
24
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•S 1145 IS
SEC. 3. HAWAII NATIVE SPECIES CONSERVATION AND RE-
1
COVERY GRANT PROGRAM.
2
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after
3
the date on which amounts are appropriated to carry out
4
this Act, the Secretary shall establish a grant program,
5
to be known as the ‘‘Hawaii Native Species Conservation
6
and Recovery Grant Program’’, to annually provide,
7
through cooperative agreements, grants, micro grants, or
8
other means, funding to eligible entities to carry out
9
projects that—
10
(1) achieve the funding priorities developed
11
under subsection (c); and
12
(2) meet the criteria developed under subsection
13
(e).
14
(b) PURPOSE.—The grant program shall identify pri-
15
orities and provide funding and technical assistance to
16
carry out coordinated, science-based conservation and re-
17
covery projects in the State—
18
(1) to prevent and mitigate the introduction
19
and spread of invasive species, pests, and diseases
20
that threaten native species;
21
(2) to address the ecological consequences of
22
climate change on native species;
23
(3) to address loss and degradation of native
24
species’ habitats;
25
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•S 1145 IS
(4) to manage, maintain, and restore popu-
1
lations of native species;
2
(5) to increase scientific capacity to support the
3
planning, monitoring, and research activities nec-
4
essary for the conservation and recovery of native
5
species;
6
(6) to improve information collection, ecological
7
monitoring, and management relating to the activi-
8
ties described in paragraphs (1) through (5); and
9
(7) to engage the public through outreach, edu-
10
cation, and community involvement to increase ca-
11
pacity and support for the conservation and recovery
12
of native species in the State.
13
(c) DEVELOPMENT OF PRIORITIES.—In carrying out
14
the grant program, the Secretary shall coordinate with the
15
following individuals to develop annual, science-based
16
funding priorities for the grant program that support the
17
purposes described in subsection (b):
18
(1) The heads of Federal agencies, including—
19
(A) the Administrator of the National Oce-
20
anic and Atmospheric Administration (or a des-
21
ignee);
22
(B) the Administrator of the Environ-
23
mental Protection Agency (or a designee);
24
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•S 1145 IS
(C) the Secretary of Agriculture (or a des-
1
ignee); and
2
(D) the head of any other applicable Fed-
3
eral agency (or a designee), as determined by
4
the Secretary.
5
(2) The Chairperson of the Hawaii Board of
6
Land and Natural Resources (or a designee).
7
(3) The Chairperson of the Hawaii Board of
8
Agriculture (or a designee).
9
(4) Any other relevant stakeholder involved in
10
the conservation and recovery of native species in
11
the State that the Secretary determines to be appro-
12
priate.
13
(d) REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.—The Secretary shall
14
publish in the Federal Register an annual request for pro-
15
posals, in accordance with the funding priorities developed
16
under subsection (c).
17
(e) CRITERIA.—The Secretary, in coordination with
18
the individuals described in subsection (c), shall annually
19
develop criteria for ranking project proposals to receive
20
funding under the grant program.
21
(f) RECUSAL.—If the State or a unit of local govern-
22
ment in the State applies for a grant under the grant pro-
23
gram, then the individuals described in paragraphs (2),
24
(3), and (4) of subsection (c) who are representatives of
25
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•S 1145 IS
the State or that unit of local government, as applicable,
1
shall recuse themselves from all funding decisions relating
2
to those applications.
3
(g) COST SHARING.—
4
(1) FEDERAL SHARE.—
5
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
6
graph (B), the Federal share of the cost of a
7
project carried out under the grant program
8
shall not exceed 75 percent.
9
(B) EXCEPTIONS.—The Federal share of
10
the cost of a project carried out under the grant
11
program may be 100 percent, as determined by
12
the Secretary—
13
(i) for any project, in the discretion of
14
the Secretary; or
15
(ii) if the project—
16
(I) is carried out by a Native Ha-
17
waiian organization;
18
(II) significantly contributes to
19
youth workforce readiness in the im-
20
plementation of the project; or
21
(III) is carried out using a grant
22
awarded under the grant program in
23
an amount of not more than $50,000.
24
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•S 1145 IS
(2) IN-KIND
CONTRIBUTIONS.—The non-Fed-
1
eral share of the cost of a project carried out under
2
the grant program may be provided in the form of
3
an in-kind contribution of services, materials, or ac-
4
cess to land.
5
(h) REQUIREMENT.—Of the amounts made available
6
to carry out the grant program for each fiscal year, not
7
less than 5 percent shall be used to award grants for
8
projects described in subclauses (I) through (III) of sub-
9
section (g)(1)(B)(ii).
10
(i) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may
11
provide technical assistance to eligible entities to assist in
12
the implementation of projects that receive funding under
13
the grant program.
14
(j) CONSULTATION WITH NATIVE HAWAIIAN ORGA-
15
NIZATIONS.—The Secretary, in carrying out the grant pro-
16
gram, shall consult with Native Hawaiian organizations
17
with respect to any project that receives funding under
18
the grant program with implications for the Native Hawai-
19
ian Community.
20
(k) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds made
21
available to carry out the grant program for each fiscal
22
year shall supplement and not supplant other funds made
23
available to carry out the purposes described in para-
24
graphs (1) through (7) of subsection (b) in the State.
25
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•S 1145 IS
SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORT.
1
Annually, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a
2
report on the implementation of this Act, including—
3
(1) a description of each project that has re-
4
ceived funding under the grant program; and
5
(2) the status of each project described in para-
6
graph (1) that is in progress on the date of submis-
7
sion of the applicable report.
8
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
9
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
10
priated to the Secretary to carry out this Act $30,000,000
11
for the first fiscal year that begins after the date of enact-
12
ment of this Act and for each of the 9 fiscal years there-
13
after.
14
(b) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—Of the amounts
15
made available for each fiscal year under subsection (a),
16
the Secretary shall use not more than 5 percent for admin-
17
istrative expenses relating to carrying out the grant pro-
18
gram.
19
Æ
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