,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bhia ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,november #ai1 #bjai,mr4 ,udall 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,ms4 ,harris1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,sanders1 ,mr4 ,tester1 ,ms4 ,smith1 and ,ms4 ,warren7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,indian ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,secretary of the ,interior to establish ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridors1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridors ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,connectivity ,the term connectivity means the degree to which the landscape or seascape facilitates native species movement4 7#b7 ,corridor ,the term corridor means a distinct component of a landscape or seascape that-- 7,a7 provides habitat or ecological connectivity2 and 7,b7 allows for fish1 wildlife1 or plant movement4 7#c7 ,indian land ,the term ,indian land means land of an ,indian tribe1 or an ,indian individual1 that is-- 7,a7 held in trust by the ,united ,states2 or 7,b7 subject to a restriction against alienation imposed by the ,united ,states4 7#d7 ,indian tribe ,the term ,indian tribe has the meaning given the term in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 7#e7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior1 acting through the ,director of the ,united ,states ,fish and ,wildlife ,service1 in consultation with the ,bureau of ,indian ,affairs4 7#f7 ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor ,the term ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor means a corridor established by the ,secretary under section #c7;a74 #c4 ,establishment of ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridors 7a7 ,in general 7#a7 ,nominations ,an ,indian tribe may nominate a corridor within ,indian land of the ,indian tribe as a ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor by submitting to the ,secretary an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 7#b7 ,determination ,not later than #ij days after the date on which the ,secretary receives an application under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall determine whether the nominated ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor described in the application meets the criteria established under subsection 7b74 7#c7 ,publication ,on approval of an application under paragraph 7#b71 the ,secretary shall publish in the ,federal ,register a notice of the establishment of the ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor1 which shall include a map and legal description of the land designated as a ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor4 7b7 ,criteria 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #edj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall establish criteria for determining whether a corridor nominated by an ,indian tribe under subsection 7a77#a7 qualifies as a ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor4 7#b7 ,inclusions ,the criteria established under paragraph 7#a7 shall include1 at a minimum1 the following3 7,a7 ,the restoration of historical habitat for the purposes of facilitating connectivity4 7,b7 ,the management of land for the purposes of facilitating connectivity4 7,c7 ,the management of land to prevent the imposition of barriers that may hinder current or future connectivity4 7c7 ,removal 7#a7 ,in general ,an ,indian tribe may elect to remove the designation of a ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor on the ,indian land of the ,indian tribe by notifying the ,secretary4 7#b7 ,effect of removal ,an ,indian tribe that elects to remove a designation under paragraph 7#a7 may not receive assistance under section #e or #f4 #d4 ,coordination of land use plans ,section #bjb of the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agab7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 by striking ,indian tribes by and inserting the following3 8,indian tribes-- 7#a7 by 2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#a7 7as so designated71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#b7 for the purposes of determining whether the land use plans for land in the ,national ,forest ,system would provide additional connectivity to benefit the purposes of a ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor established under section #c7;a7 of the ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridors ,act of #bjai4 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7g7 ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridors ,on the establishment of a ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor under section #c7;a7 of the ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridors ,act of #bjai1 the ,secretary shall conduct a meaningful consultation with the ,indian tribe that administers the ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor to determine whether1 through the revision of one or more existing land use plans1 the ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor can-- 7#a7 be expanded into public lands2 or 7#b7 otherwise benefit connectivity 7as defined in section #b of that ,act7 between public lands and the ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor4 4 #e4 ,technical assistance ,the ,secretary shall provide to ,indian tribes technical assistance relating to the establishment1 management1 and expansion of a ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor1 including assistance with accessing wildlife data and working with private landowners to access ,federal and ,state programs to improve wildlife habitat and connectivity on non-,federal land4 #f4 ,availability of assistance 7a7 ,conservation programs priority 7#a7 ,in general ,in evaluating applications under conservation programs described in paragraph 7#b71 the ,secretary of ,agriculture may give priority to an application for a project that would enhance connectivity through the expansion of a ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor4 7#b7 ,programs described ,the conservation programs referred to in paragraph 7#a7 are any of the following conservation programs administered by the ,secretary of ,agriculture3 7,a7 ,the conservation reserve program established under subchapter ,b of chapter #a of subtitle ,d of title ,,xii of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chca et seq474 7,b7 ,the environmental quality incentives program established under subchapter ,a of chapter #d of subtitle ,d of title ,,xii of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa et seq474 7,c7 ,the conservation stewardship program established under subchapter ,b of chapter #d of subtitle ,d of title ,,xii of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa-#ba et seq474 7,d7 ,the agricultural conservation easement program established under subtitle ,h of title ,,xii of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chfe et seq474 7b7 ,wildlife movements grant program 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish a ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridor grant program to encourage wildlife movement in accordance with this ,act4 7#b7 ,grants ,beginning not later than #c years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall make grants under the program established under paragraph 7#a7 to one or more ,indian tribes to increase connectivity through ,tribal ,wildlife ,corridors4 #g4 ,savings clause ,nothing in this ,act authorizes or affects the use of private property or ,indian land4