[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4346 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4346
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide assistance in support
of nurseries and seed orchards, to establish a grant program in support
of nurseries and seed orchards, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 15, 2024
Mr. Hickenlooper (for himself and Mr. Marshall) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide assistance in support
of nurseries and seed orchards, to establish a grant program in support
of nurseries and seed orchards, 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 ``Reforestation, Nurseries, and
Genetic Resources Support Act of 2024'' or the ``RNGR Support Act of
2024''.
SEC. 2. NURSERY AND SEED ORCHARD SUPPORT.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible recipient.--The term ``eligible recipient''
means--
(A) a State forestry agency;
(B) an Indian Tribe; and
(C) a private nursery that has experience growing
high-quality native trees of appropriate genetic
sources in bareroot or container stocktypes specific
for reforestation, restoration, or conservation,
including native plants and seeds that are of cultural
significance to Indian Tribes.
(2) Nursery.--The term ``nursery'' means a tree or native
plant nursery.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
(4) Seed orchard.--The term ``seed orchard'' means a tree
or native plant seed orchard.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' means--
(A) each of the several States;
(B) the District of Columbia;
(C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and
(D) any territory or possession of the United
States.
(b) Partnerships, Collaboration, and Other Assistance in Support of
Nurseries and Seed Orchards.--The Secretary, acting through the Chief
of the Forest Service, shall--
(1) partner with Federal and State agencies, Indian Tribes,
and private nurseries to provide training, technical
assistance, and research to nursery and tree establishment
programs that support natural regeneration, reforestation,
agroforestry, and afforestation;
(2) promote information-sharing to improve technical
knowledge and practices and understand demands, climate change
impacts, and other issues as necessary to address all facets of
the reforestation pipeline;
(3) provide technical and financial assistance to
international nursery and tree establishment programs through
the Forest Service International Programs, the Institute of
Pacific Islands Forestry, and the International Institute of
Tropical Forestry;
(4) collaborate with other relevant Federal departments and
agencies, including the Foreign Agricultural Service, the
United States Agency for International Development, and the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and international
organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations, to provide technical and financial
assistance relating to nurseries and reforestation;
(5) coordinate the efforts of the Department of
Agriculture--
(A) to address the challenges associated with the
reforestation pipeline; and
(B) to leverage economic development assistance for
work with private nurseries; and
(6) expand climate-informed reforestation supply chains
through science and research, seed collection and storage, and
nursery infrastructure and operations.
(c) Nursery and Seed Orchard Grants.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program
to provide grants to eligible recipients to support nurseries
and seed orchards.
(2) Eligible projects.--An eligible recipient that receives
a grant under paragraph (1) shall carry out a project that
comprises one or more of the following activities:
(A) The development, expansion, enhancement, or
improvement of nursery production capacity or other
infrastructure--
(i) to improve seed collection and storage;
(ii) to increase seedling production,
storage, and distribution; or
(iii) to enhance seedling survival and
properly manage tree genetic resources.
(B) The establishment or expansion of a nursery or
seed orchard, including by acquiring equipment for a
nursery or seed orchard.
(C) The development or implementation of quality
control measures at nurseries or seed orchards.
(D) The promotion of workforce development within
any facet of the reforestation pipeline.
(E) Such other activities as the Secretary
determines to be appropriate.
(d) Funding.--
(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
(2) Reforestation trust fund.--In addition to amounts
appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1), notwithstanding
subsection (d) of section 303 of Public Law 96-451 (16 U.S.C.
1606a), of amounts in the Reforestation Trust Fund established
by subsection (a) of that section that are not otherwise
obligated, the Secretary may obligate not more than $5,000,000
for each fiscal year to carry out this section.
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