,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bfbd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #bb1 #bjah,mr4 ,booker 7for himself and ,mr4 ,lee7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe to make adjustments to the environmental quality incentives program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,eqip ,improvement ,act of #bjah4 #b4 ,environmental ,quality ,incentives ,program reforms 7a7 ,in general ,section #abdj;,b of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa-#b7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7d71 by striking paragraph 7#b7 and inserting the following3 7#b7 ,limitation on payments ,a payment to a producer for performing a practice may not exceed1 as determined by the ,secretary-- 7,a7 except as provided in subparagraphs 7,b7 through 7,d71 #ge percent of the costs associated with planning1 design1 materials1 equipment1 installation1 labor1 management1 maintenance1 or training2 7,b7 #dj percent of the costs associated with planning1 design1 materials1 equipment1 installation1 labor1 management1 maintenance1 or training for-- 7i7 an access road2 7ii7 an animal mortality facility2 7iii7 an aquaculture pond2 7iv7 clearing and snagging2 7v7 a dam2 7vi7 a dam using a diversion2 7vii7 a dike2 7viii7 a diversion2 7ix7 a fish raceway or tank2 7x7 an irrigation pipeline2 7xi7 an irrigation reservoir2 7xii7 land clearing2 7xiii7 land smoothing2 7xiv7 a livestock pipeline2 7xv7 obstruction removal2 7xvi7 a pond2 7xvii7 a pumping plant2 7xviii7 spoil spreading2 7xix7 a surface drain using a field ditch2 7xx7 a main or lateral surface drain2 7xxi7 a vertical drain2 7xxii7 a waste facility closure2 7xxiii7 a waste storage facility2 7xxiv7 waste transfer2 or 7xxv7 a waste treatment lagoon2 7,c7 #ajj percent of income foregone by the producer2 or 7,d7 in the case of a practice that includes one or more elements described in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,c7-- 7i7 #ge percent of the costs incurred with respect to any elements described in subparagraph 7,a72 7ii7 #dj percent of the costs incurred with respect to any elements described in subparagraph 7,b72 and 7iii7 #ajj percent of the income forgone with respect to any elements described in subparagraph 7,c74 2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7f71 by striking the subsection designation and heading and all that follows through ,for each in paragraph 7#b7 and inserting the following3 7f7 ,allocation of funding for wildlife habitat ,for each 4 7b7 ,limitation on payments ,section #abdj;,g of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa-#g7 is amended by striking #dej1jjj and inserting #aej1jjj4 7c7 ,program reforms ,section #abdj;,f of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa-#f7 is amended-- 7#a7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking ,to the extent and inserting the following3 7a7 ,producer assistance ,to the extent 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7b7 ,program reforms ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this subsection1 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 coordinate the program with the conservation effects assessments carried out by the ,secretary-- 7,a7 to ensure that the conservation effects assessments consider the practical limitations and costs and benefits encountered by the ,secretary in implementing the program2 and 7,b7 to use information collected through conservation effects assessments carried out by the ,secretary to direct funds of the program to contracts that will optimize environmental benefits2 and 7#b7 revise guidance issued to ,states with regards to allocation processes of program funds within the ,states to provide that1 in determining the allocation of program funds within a ,state1 the ,state should use data regarding environmental concerns1 if available1 as a primary factor to prioritize projects4 4 7d7 ,high-,priority practices 7#a7 ,definition of high-priority practice ,section #abdj;,a of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa-#a7 is amended-- 7,a7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#b7 through 7#e7 as paragraphs 7#c7 through 7#f71 respectively2 and 7,b7 by inserting after paragraph 7#a7 the following3 7#b7 ,high-priority practice 7,a7 ,in general ,the term high-priority practice means a land management practice or vegetative practice that1 as determined by the ,secretary1 is a cost-effective means of addressing the most pressing specific impairments that threaten to degrade or impair-- 7i7 water quality2 7ii7 water quantity2 7iii7 soil or related natural resources within a local watershed2 or 7iv7 a specific natural resource boundary4 7,b7 ,inclusions ,the term high-priority practice includes the planning1 design1 materials1 equipment1 installation1 labor1 management1 maintenance1 or training for-- 7i7 conservation cover2 7ii7 conservation crop rotation2 7iii7 cover crops2 7iv7 critical area planting2 7v7 a filter strip2 7vi7 nutrient management2 7vii7 prescribed grazing2 7viii7 residue and tillage management using no till2 7ix7 a riparian forest buffer2 7x7 a riparian herbaceous cover2 and 7xi7 tree and shrub establishment4 4 7#b7 ,prioritization of applications ,section #abdj;,c7b7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa-#c7;b77 is amended-- 7,a7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#d7 as paragraphs 7#b7 through 7#e71 respectively2 and 7,b7 by inserting before paragraph 7#b7 7as redesignated by subparagraph 7,a77 the following-- 7#a7 that consist only of the performance of one or more high-priority practices2 4 7e7 ,report to ,congress ,section #abdj;,b of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa-#b7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7j7 ,annual report to ,congress ,not less frequently than once each year1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report describing-- 7#a7 the amount obligated under the program with respect to each category of practice1 with information categorized by fiscal year and ,state2 and 7#b7 the amount obligated under the program in each ,state1 with information categorized by fiscal year and the size of the operation of each producer4 4