,,ii #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #aage ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #ah1 #bjac ,mrs4 ,feinstein introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,secretary of the ,treasury to establish a program to provide loans and loan guarantees to enable eligible public entities to acquire interests in real property that are in compliance with habitat conservation plans approved by the ,secretary of the ,interior under the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,infrastructure ,facilitation and ,habitat ,conservation ,act of #bjac4 #b4 ,conservation loan and loan guarantee program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,eligible public entity ,the term eligible public entity means a political subdivision of a ,state1 including-- 7,a7 a duly established town1 township1 or county2 7,b7 an entity established for the purpose of regional governance2 7,c7 a special purpose entity2 and 7,d7 a joint powers authority1 or other entity certified by the ,governor of a ,state1 to have authority to implement a habitat conservation plan pursuant to section #aj7;a7 of the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aeci7;a774 7#b7 ,program ,the term program means the conservation loan and loan guarantee program established by the ,secretary under subsection 7b77#a74 7#c7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,treasury4 7b7 ,loan and loan guarantee program 7#a7 ,establishment ,as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall establish a program to provide loans and loan guarantees to eligible public entities to enable eligible public entities to acquire interests in real property that are acquired pursuant to habitat conservation plans approved by the ,secretary of the ,interior under section #aj of the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aeci74 7#b7 ,application2 approval process 7,a7 ,application 7i7 ,in general ,to be eligible to receive a loan or loan guarantee under the program1 an eligible public entity shall submit to the ,secretary an application at such time1 in such form and manner1 and including such information as the ,secretary may require4 7ii7 ,solicitation of applications ,not less frequently than once per calendar year1 the ,secretary shall solicit from eligible public entities applications for loans and loan guarantees in accordance with this section4 7,b7 ,approval process 7i7 ,submission of applications to ,secretary of the ,interior ,as soon as practicable after the date on which the ,secretary receives an application under subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary shall submit the application to the ,secretary of the ,interior for review4 7ii7 ,review by ,secretary of the ,interior 7,i7 ,review ,as soon as practicable after the date of receipt of an application by the ,secretary under clause 7i71 the ,secretary of the ,interior shall conduct a review of the application to determine whether-- 7aa7 the eligible public entity is implementing a habitat conservation plan that has been approved by the ,secretary of the ,interior under section #aj of the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aeci72 7bb7 the habitat acquisition program of the eligible public entity would very likely be completed2 and 7cc7 the eligible public entity has adopted a complementary plan for sustainable infrastructure development that provides for the mitigation of environmental impacts4 7,,ii7 ,report to ,secretary ,not later than #fj days after the date on which the ,secretary of the ,interior receives an application under subclause 7,i71 the ,secretary of the ,interior shall submit to the ,secretary a report that contains-- 7aa7 an assessment of each factor described in subclause 7,i72 and 7bb7 a recommendation regarding the approval or disapproval of a loan or loan guarantee to the eligible public entity that is the subject of the application4 7,,iii7 ,consultation with ,secretary of ,commerce ,to the extent that the ,secretary of the ,interior considers to be appropriate to carry out this clause1 the ,secretary of the ,interior may consult with the ,secretary of ,commerce4 7iii7 ,approval by ,secretary 7,i7 ,in general ,not later than #abj days after receipt of an application under subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary shall approve or disapprove the application4 7,,ii7 ,factors ,in approving or disapproving an application of an eligible public entity under subclause 7,i71 the ,secretary may consider-- 7aa7 whether the financial plan of the eligible public entity for habitat acquisition is sound and sustainable2 7bb7 whether the eligible public entity has the ability to repay a loan or meet the terms of a loan guarantee under the program2 7cc7 any factor that the ,secretary determines to be appropriate2 and 7dd7 the recommendation of the ,secretary of the ,interior4 7,,iii7 ,preference ,in approving or disapproving applications of eligible public entities under subclause 7,i71 the ,secretary shall give preference to eligible public entities located in biologically rich regions in which rapid growth and development threaten successful implementation of approved habitat conservation plans1 as determined by the ,secretary in cooperation with the ,secretary of the ,interior4 7,c7 ,administration of loans and loan guarantees 7i7 ,report to ,secretary of the interior ,not later than #fj days after the date on which the ,secretary approves or disapproves an application under subparagraph 7,b77iii71 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,secretary of the ,interior a report that contains the decision of the ,secretary to approve or disapprove the application4 7ii7 ,duty of ,secretary ,as soon as practicable after the date on which the ,secretary approves an application under subparagraph 7,b77iii71 the ,secretary shall-- 7,i7 establish the loan or loan guarantee with respect to the eligible public entity that is the subject of the application 7including such terms and conditions as the ,secretary may prescribe72 and 7,,ii7 carry out the administration of the loan or loan guarantee4 7c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out this section such sums as are necessary4 7d7 ,termination of authority ,the authority under this section shall terminate on the date that is #aj years after the date of enactment of this ,act4