,,ii #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dhhd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #ai1 #bjbb,ms4 ,hirono introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,secretary of the ,interior1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 to establish a joint natural infrastructure science program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,natural ,infrastructure ,act of #bjbb4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 the ,american ,society of ,civil ,engineers has estimated that the direct1 cumulative repair needs for public infrastructure in the ,united ,states is #d1fjj1jjj1jjj1jjj2 and 7#b7 installing natural infrastructure is often lower-cost1 more resilient1 and more beneficial to the public than repairing or replacing gray infrastructure4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,natural infrastructure ,the term natural infrastructure means constructed landscape features and systems that employ nature-based solutions that promote1 use1 restore1 or emulate natural ecological processes4 7#b7 ,program ,the term ,program means the joint natural infrastructure science program established under section #d7;a74 7#c7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior1 acting through the ,director of the ,united ,states ,geological ,survey4 #d4 ,joint natural infrastructure science program 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 acting through the ,chief of the ,forest ,service1 shall establish a joint natural infrastructure science program to respond to the emerging research needs of civil engineers1 local governments1 developers1 and the construction industry4 7b7 ,coordination ,in administering the ,program1 the ,secretary shall work closely with research programs at institutions of higher education to supplement the current research efforts undertaken by those institutions of higher education4 7c7 ,purposes ,the principal purposes of the ,program shall be-- 7#a7 to provide1 with respect to natural infrastructure1 practical research that-- 7,a7 is responsive to the needs of civil engineers1 local governments1 developers1 and the construction industry2 and 7,b7 takes into account1 to the maximum extent practicable1 local cultural considerations2 7#b7 to engage with and listen to clients of the ,program1 including civil engineers1 local governments1 developers1 and the members of the construction industry-- 7,a7 to learn the needs of those clients2 and 7,b7 to develop focused1 strategic lines of new research responsive to those needs2 7#c7 7,a7 to solicit proposals from scientists for funding provided under the ,program2 and 7,b7 to award funding to those scientists through a competitive1 rigorous peer-review process that is designed to ensure that the best projects are funded2 and 7#d7 to disseminate research findings1 including associated environmental valuations1 using a suite of communication tools to ensure that civil engineers1 local governments1 developers1 and members of the construction industry are aware of1 understand1 and can use the information to make sound decisions and implement projects4 7d7 ,program plan ,not later than ,september #cj1 #bjbc1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives a ,program plan that includes-- 7#a7 an assessment of the current state of knowledge about natural infrastructure2 7#b7 an integrated approach to improve knowledge sharing2 7#c7 an approach for project monitoring and evaluation2 and 7#d7 an approach for setting research priorities4 7e7 ,stakeholder advisory group 7#a7 ,membership ,the ,secretary shall establish a stakeholder advisory group consisting of technical experts1 including1 at a minimum1 #e individuals selected from among the following potential members3 7,a7 ,a representative of a local government4 7,b7 ,a developer4 7,c7 ,a representative of a construction industry association or construction company4 7,d7 ,a civil engineer or environmental engineer4 7,e7 ,a researcher from an institution of higher education4 7,f7 ,a member of an ,alaska ,native organization1 a ,native ,hawaiian organization1 or an ,indian ,tribe 7as those terms are defined in section #b of the ,native ,american ,graves ,protection and ,repatriation ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #cjja77 with experience with natural infrastructure4 7,g7 ,an environmental scientist4 7#b7 ,duties ,the stakeholder advisory group established under paragraph 7#a7 shall meet not less frequently than annually-- 7,a7 to consider both immediate and long-term scientific needs with respect to research relating to natural infrastructure2 7,b7 to suggest to the ,secretary appropriate topic areas for research relating to natural infrastructure1 specific issues to be researched within those topic areas1 and information transfer needs for which the ,secretary shall solicit proposals in accordance with subsection 7c77#c72 and 7,c7 to assist the ,secretary in drafting the ,program plan described in subsection 7d74 7f7 ,authorization of appropriations ,for each of fiscal years #bjbc through #bjcc1 there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #d1jjj1jjj1 including for activities to be carried out by the ,secretary and the ,secretary of ,agriculture under this section4 #e4 ,assessment of natural infrastructure projects 7a7 ,evaluation ,subject to the availability of appropriations1 beginning in fiscal year #bjbc1 the ,secretary shall annually-- 7#a7 select not fewer than #cj natural infrastructure projects completed under the ,program or by any other entity or individual in the ,united ,states2 and 7#b7 assess the costs and effectiveness of those natural infrastructure projects4 7b7 ,geographic and project diversity ,the ,secretary1 to the maximum extent practicable1 shall select natural infrastructure projects under subsection 7a77#a7 that1 taken together1 reflect a diversity of-- 7#a7 geographic locations2 and 7#b7 types of natural infrastructure4 7c7 ,report ,beginning in fiscal year #bjbd1 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary shall publish a report that-- 7#a7 lists the natural infrastructure projects selected under subsection 7a77#a72 7#b7 discloses-- 7,a7 the costs of those natural infrastructure projects2 and 7,b7 the results of the assessment of the effectiveness of those natural infrastructure projects carried out under subsection 7a77#b72 and 7#c7 if applicable1 includes recommendations to improve the construction1 costs1 and effectiveness of future natural infrastructure projects4