S. 1555 — Introduced in Senate

II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1555 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 11, 2023Mr. Merkley (for himself and Mr. Booker) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry A BILL To amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to support solar projects under the Rural Energy for America Program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Pollinator Power Act of 2023. 2. Solar projects under Rural Energy for America Program Section 9007(c) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107(c)) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1)— (A) in subparagraph (A)— (i) in clause (i)(II), by striking and at the end; (ii) in clause (ii)(III), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: (iii) loan guarantees and grants to agricultural producers, rural small businesses, and farmer-owned cooperatives to carry out solar projects that include the creation of pollinator habitat (as defined by the Natural Resources Conservation Service), in accordance with subparagraph (C). ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (C) Solar projects with pollinator habitat requirement A project described in subparagraph (A)(iii) shall meet the following requirements: (i) Not less than 35 percent of new solar area created under the project shall be pollinator habitat (as defined by the Natural Resources Conservation Service). (ii) Not less than 50 percent of the pollinator habitat (as so defined) shall be planted and maintained as a native cover composed only of native plant species. ; (2) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) as paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively; (3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: (2) Priority In providing loan guarantees and grants under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary shall give priority to projects described in clause (iii) of that paragraph. ; and (4) in paragraph (4) (as so redesignated), in subparagraph (A)— (A) by striking The amount and inserting the following: (i) In general Except as provided in clause (ii), the amount ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (ii) Solar projects with pollinator habitat The amount of a grant under paragraph (1)(A)(iii) shall not exceed 55 percent of the cost of the activity carried out using funds from the grant, including the cost of the creation of a pollinator habitat. .