,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #edfg ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,december #ag1 #bjai,mr4 ,tipton introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc to increase transparency1 to support regulatory certainty1 and to reauthorize that ,act1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,land ,ownership ,collaboration ,accelerates ,life ,act of #bjai or the ,,local ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,conservation agreements as regulatory mechanisms ,section #d7;f7 of the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecc7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#f7 ,treatment 7,a7 ,in general ,a conservation agreement 7including any agreement described in subparagraph 7,b77 entered into or endorsed by the ,secretary shall be considered to be a regulation for purposes of determining whether to include a species on the list of threatened species or endangered species pursuant to this section4 7,b7 ,description of agreements ,an agreement referred to in subparagraph 7,a7 includes-- 7i7 a voluntary wildlife conservation agreement under paragraph 7#c72 7ii7 a candidate conservation agreement with assurances under paragraph 7#d72 7iii7 a candidate conservation agreement2 or 7iv7 a plan that-- 7,i7 relates to the conservation of a species2 7,,ii7 affects the viability of the species2 and 7,,iii7 is implemented1 or proposed to be implemented1 by-- 7aa7 a ,state2 7bb7 #b or more ,states2 7cc7 a unit of local government2 or 7dd7 #b or more units of local government4 4 #c4 ,voluntary wildlife conservation agreements ,section #d7;f7 of the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecc7;f77 is further amended by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 ,voluntary wildlife conservation agreements 7,a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary shall establish procedures for developing and entering into voluntary wildlife conservation agreements1 including by establishing conservation goals and other criteria for the agreements1 with #a or more entities1 including-- 7i7 a ,state1 ,tribal1 or local government2 7ii7 a private landowner2 7iii7 a lessee2 7iv7 a private third-party conservation organization2 or 7v7 any other entity that the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7,b7 ,inclusions ,a voluntary wildlife conservation agreement entered into under this paragraph shall include provisions establishing that-- 7i7 a party to the agreement that is in compliance with the agreement shall not be required to carry out any additional mitigation measure for a species covered by the agreement1 if the additional measure would require-- 7,i7 any additional expenditure of resources by the party to the agreement2 or 7,,ii7 the adoption of any additional use1 development1 or management restriction on land1 water1 or a water-related right of the party to the agreement that would otherwise be available under the agreement2 and 7ii7 a conservation agreement or an activity proposed to be carried out under such an agreement may be modified only-- 7,i7 under extraordinary circumstances2 and 7,,ii7 with the consent of all parties to the agreement4 7,c7 ,streamlining requirements ,to reduce the time and expense required to enter into a voluntary wildlife conservation agreement under this paragraph1 the ,secretary shall1 to the maximum extent practicable-- 7i7 implement standard procedures and encourage widespread use of templates in developing the agreements2 7ii7 simplify the application and approval processes relating to the agreements2 7iii7 reduce the burdens associated with reporting and monitoring under the agreements2 and 7iv7 provide for the protection of sensitive personal and business-related information of any party to the agreements4 4 #d4 ,candidate conservation agreements with assurances 7a7 ,in general ,section #d7;f7 of the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecc7;f77 7as amended by section #d7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 ,candidate conservation agreements with assurances ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 in entering into or carrying out any candidate conservation agreement under this ,act1 the ,secretary-- 7,a7 shall honor the terms of the agreement1 as in existence before ,march #ba1 #bjag2 7,b7 shall enact regulations-- 7i7 to expedite the process for entering into a conservation agreement2 and 7ii7 to protect sensitive personal and business-related information of each party to the agreement2 7,c7 may not take into consideration whether the implementation of the agreement1 in the ,secretary's judgement1 will provide a net conservation benefit to a species covered by the agreement2 7,d7 shall take into consideration whether the implementation of the agreement1 in the ,secretary's judgement1 will preclude or remove any need to list a species covered by the agreement as a threatened species or an endangered species under this section2 and 7,e7 may not preclude a party to the agreement from receiving ,federal funds under any other conservation program4 4 7b7 ,effect on regulations ,notwithstanding any other provision of law-- 7#a7 the amendments to part #ag of title #ej1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations1 made by the final rule promulgated by the ,secretary of the ,interior entitled ,endangered and ,threatened ,wildlife and ,plants2 ,revisions to the ,regulations for ,candidate ,conservation ,agreements ,with ,assurances 7#ha ,fed4 ,reg4 #iejec 7,december #bg1 #bjaf77 shall have no force or effect2 7#b7 such part shall be in effect as if those amendments had not been made2 and 7#c7 the ,secretary of ,commerce and the ,secretary of the ,interior shall not make any amendments to such part that are substantially similar to the amendments made by the final rule described in paragraph 7#a71 unless specifically authorized to do so by ,act of ,congress4 #e4 ,safe harbor agreements ,section #d7;f7 of the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecc7;f77 7as amended by section #e7;a77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#e7 ,safe harbor agreements ,the ,secretary may offer to enter into an agreement1 to be known as a safe harbor agreement1 with #a or more entities1 including a ,state or local government1 a private landowner1 a lessee1 private third-party conservation organization1 or any other entity that the ,secretary determines appropriate1 that-- 7,a7 shall provide for the taking of any additional threatened species or endangered species that-- 7i7 is not covered under another agreement under this subsection2 and 7ii7 is drawn to the property covered by that agreement due to the improved conditions on that property generated by recovery activities for the benefit of the species covered by the agreement2 and 7,b7 may provide for the taking of any threatened species or endangered species covered under another agreement under this subsection and any additional threatened species or endangered species not covered under that agreement that is drawn to an adjacent property not covered by the agreement due to the improved conditions on the property covered by the agreement generated by recovery activities for the benefit of the species covered by the agreement4 4