,,ii #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ddfb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #e1 #bjbd,ms4 ,hirono introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to provide for the establishment of a ,national ,interagency ,seed and ,restoration ,center1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,national ,interagency ,seed and ,restoration ,center ,establishment ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,center ,the term ,center means the ,national ,interagency ,seed and ,restoration ,center established under section #c7;a77#a74 7#b7 ,department ,the term ,department means the ,department of the ,interior4 7#c7 ,ecoregion ,the term ecoregion means a land area varying in size and having a unified climate1 geology1 topography1 soil1 potential natural vegetation1 and predominant land use4 7#d7 ,federal interagency partner ,the term ,federal interagency partner means-- 7,a7 the ,secretary of ,agriculture2 7,b7 the ,secretary of ,transportation2 and 7,c7 the ,secretary of ,defense4 7#e7 ,genetically appropriate ,the term genetically appropriate plant1 with respect to a plant1 means-- 7,a7 a native plant species that is locally adapted to target site conditions1 such as a plant with effective establishment1 vigor1 and reproductive capabilities2 7,b7 a native plant species that is sufficiently genetically diverse to respond and adapt to changing climate and environment conditions2 7,c7 a native plant species that is unlikely-- 7i7 to cause genetic contamination2 and 7ii7 to undermine-- 7,i7 local adaptations2 7,,ii7 community interactions2 and 7,,iii7 the function of native species within the ecosystem2 7,d7 a plant that is not likely-- 7i7 to become an invasive species2 and 7ii7 to displace other native species2 7,e7 a plant that is not likely to be a source of nonnative invasive pathogens2 and 7,f7 a plant that is likely to maintain critical connections with pollinators4 7#f7 ,indian tribe ,the term ,indian ,tribe means any ,indian or ,alaska ,native tribe1 band1 nation1 pueblo1 village1 or community individually identified 7including parenthetically7 in the list published most recently as of the date of enactment of this ,act pursuant to section #ajd of the ,federally ,recognized ,indian ,tribe ,list ,act of #aiid 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #eaca74 7#g7 ,invasive species ,the term invasive species1 with respect to a particular ecosystem1 means a non-native organism1 including the seed1 spores1 or other biological material of the organism1 the introduction of which causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human1 animal1 or plant health4 7#h7 ,locally adapted ,the term locally adapted1 with respect to a plant1 means a plant from an area geographically near a planting site that is environmentally adapted and likely to establish and persist4 7#i7 ,national ,seed ,strategy ,the term ,national ,seed ,strategy means-- 7,a7 the ,national ,seed ,strategy for ,rehabilitation and ,restoration #bjae-bjbj2 and 7,b7 the ,national ,seed ,strategy ,business ,plan #bjae-bjbj4 7#aj7 ,native hawaiian organization ,the term ,native ,hawaiian organization has the meaning given the term in section #b of the ,native ,american ,graves ,protection and ,repatriation ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #cjja74 7#aa7 ,native plant species ,the term native plant species means a plant species that occurs naturally in a particular region1 ,state1 ,tribal land ecosystem1 or habitat without direct or indirect human action4 7#ab7 ,noxious weed ,the term noxious weed means any plant or plant product that can directly or indirectly injure or cause damage to crops 7including nursery stock or plant products71 livestock1 poultry1 or other interests of agriculture1 irrigation1 navigation1 the natural resources of the ,united ,states1 public health1 or the environment4 7#ac7 ,plant conservation alliance ,the term ,plant ,conservation ,alliance means the public-private collaboration established in #aiid among ,federal agency members and non-,federal cooperators that share the objective of protecting native plant species by ensuring that native plant species populations and communities are maintained1 enhanced1 and restored4 7#ad7 ,plant material ,the term plant material means a seed1 spore1 part of a plant1 or whole plant1 including seedlings and container stock4 7#ae7 ,plant material specialist ,the term plant material specialist includes a plant ecologist1 botanist1 geneticist1 seed scientist1 or restoration practitioner or ecologist with relevant expertise1 including local1 ,indigenous1 and traditional ecological knowledge1 qualified to develop and recommend revegetation1 rehabilitation1 and restoration plans1 including site preparation1 species and source selection1 and seeding and planting specifications and monitoring protocols4 7#af7 ,rehabilitation ,the term rehabilitation means the reparation of ecosystem processes1 productivity1 and services based on functioning preexisting or existing ecosystems that allow for adaptation of sites to specific current or future uses4 7#ag7 ,restoration ,the term restoration means assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded1 damaged1 or destroyed1 including the reestablishment of the preexisting biotic integrity in terms of species composition and community structure4 7#ah7 ,revegetation ,the term revegetation means the reestablishment of plants on a site4 7#ai7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior4 7#bj7 ,seed transfer guidelines ,the term seed transfer guidelines means recommendations for protecting the integrity of the natural pattern of adaptive variation of wild populations by restricting seed transfers to areas within which seeds may be moved about freely with the expectation that the seeds would-- 7,a7 grow and reproduce successfully2 and 7,b7 produce no adverse genetic effects4 7#ba7 ,tribal land ,the term ,tribal land means-- 7,a7 land located within the exterior boundaries of an ,indian reservation2 7,b7 land to which title is held by a dependent ,indian community2 and 7,c7 land held in trust for ,native ,hawaiians by the ,state of ,hawaii pursuant to the ,hawaiian ,homes ,commission ,act1 #aibj 7#db ,stat4 #ajh1 chapter #db7 or section #d of ,public ,law #hf-c 7#gc ,stat4 #e7 7commonly known as the ,hawaii ,statehood ,admissions ,act1 #aiei74 #c4 ,national ,interagency ,seed and ,restoration ,center 7a7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,federal interagency partners1 the ,plant ,conservation ,alliance1 ,indian ,tribes1 and ,native ,hawaiian organizations1 shall establish a ,national ,interagency ,seed and ,restoration ,center to provide leadership and oversight with respect to-- 7,a7 the research1 development1 coordination1 and distribution of native plant species2 and 7,b7 the conduct of ecological restoration1 revegetation1 and rehabilitation projects across ecoregions throughout the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,purpose ,the purpose of the ,center is to facilitate the national coordination of all aspects of native plant species plant materials development process1 including ecological restoration1 by-- 7,a7 enhancing research on-- 7i7 the development and use of native plant seeds and native plants for native plant species community restoration1 including for use as food and medicine2 7ii7 the restoration of native plant species communities-- 7,i7 in response to natural disasters2 or 7,,ii7 as part of mitigation of noxious weed and invasive species removals or treatments to prevent and deter further invasion or for other purposes2 7iii7 the propagation and storage and distribution of native plant materials2 and 7iv7 any other research needs identified by the ,national ,seed ,strategy2 7,b7 providing land managers with-- 7i7 appropriate1 locally adapted or genetically appropriate plant materials in a timely1 efficient1 and cost-effective manner2 and 7ii7 the guidance1 tools1 and training necessary for the reclamation1 restoration1 and rehabilitation of landscapes using native plant species2 7,c7 creating resilient native plant species communities to withstand multiple uses and climate change2 7,d7 enhancing interagency coordination to implement the ,national ,seed ,strategy through the ,federal ,committee of the ,plant ,conservation ,alliance2 and 7,e7 coordinating shared use and enhancement of infrastructure for native plant material development4 7b7 ,interagency coordination 7#a7 ,in general ,in coordinating activities of the ,center with the ,federal interagency partners1 the ,center shall focus on the coordination of activities relating to-- 7,a7 wildland seed and plant material collection and storage1 including long-term germplasm or cryopreservation to preserve wild genomes2 7,b7 native plant materials research1 development1 and production2 7,c7 providing ecoregional liaisons1 including agricultural producers and natural resource managers1 with native plant materials2 7,d7 the assessment1 improvement1 and delivery of incentive programs and risk management tools to encourage production of native plant seed and native plant materials on private land and ,tribal land2 7,e7 the development and coordination of seed procurement mechanisms1 such as forward contracting1 blanket purchase agreements1 or other procurement vehicles for seed production across ecoregions2 7,f7 coordination with ,state seed testing and seed certification agency partners2 7,g7 revegetation1 restoration1 and rehabilitation of landscapes and reporting results of the revegetation1 restoration1 and rehabilitation to the ,center2 7,h7 fostering and improving communication1 education1 information sharing1 and training1 including any employment1 training1 or related services that serve ,tribally determined goals consistent with the policy of self-determination2 7,i7 information technology and geospatial coordination2 7,j7 restoring native plant species communities critical to ,indigenous foodways and ,indigenous medicines pursuant to ,tribal and ,native ,hawaiian organization direction2 and 7,k7 ensuring adequate budget and contracting with respect to the conduct of activities described in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,j74 7#b7 ,existing networks ,in coordinating activities of the ,center with the ,federal interagency partners1 the ,secretary shall leverage programs and expertise through existing networks such as-- 7,a7 the ,federal ,committee of the ,plant ,conservation ,alliance2 7,b7 ,plant ,conservation ,alliance non-,federal cooperators2 7,c7 the ,bureau of ,land ,management ,plant ,conservation and ,restoration ,program and the interagency ,ecoregional ,native ,plant ,programs2 7,d7 the ,united ,states ,geological ,survey ,climate ,adaptation ,science ,centers and ,water ,science ,centers2 7,e7 the ,department of ,agriculture ,climate ,hubs1 ,plant ,materials ,centers1 and ,germplasm ,resources ,information ,network of the ,department of ,agriculture2 7,f7 the ,indigenous ,seed,keepers ,network of the ,native ,american ,food ,sovereignty ,alliance2 7,g7 the ,national ,academies of ,sciences1 ,engineering1 and ,medicine2 7,h7 the ,united ,states ,fish and ,wildlife ,service ,national ,seed ,strategy ,implementation ,team and ,center for ,pollinator ,conservation2 7,i7 the ,office of ,wildland ,fire of the ,department2 and 7,j7 the ,inventory and ,monitoring ,networks1 ,invasive ,plant ,management ,teams1 and ecoregional plant hubs of the ,national ,park ,service4 7c7 ,research 7#a7 ,in general ,to support the activities of the ,center1 the ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,federal ,committee of the ,plant ,conservation ,alliance and other ,federal interagency partners1 ,native ,hawaiian organizations1 and ,indian ,tribes1 shall support a robust and dedicated program of intramural and extramural botanical science research that is relevant and appropriate to the native seed development process1 including collection1 germination1 agricultural production1 genetics1 seed banking1 seed storage1 equipment for planting1 distribution1 and restoration techniques to support the land management responsibilities of the ,federal ,government4 7#b7 ,areas of emphasis ,research activities authorized under this subsection shall focus on the following3 7,a7 ,effective approaches to restoring ecosystems that incorporate the use of appropriate locally adapted native plant materials4 7,b7 ,effective methods for developing-- 7i7 locally adapted and genetically appropriate native seed and plant materials2 and 7ii7 seed transfer guidelines for native plant species and land management activities4 7,c7 ,effective restoration strategies for using native seed and plant species-- 7i7 to reduce-- 7,i7 the risk of wildfire2 and 7,,ii7 the likelihood of wildfire affecting native ecosystems not adapted to fire2 7ii7 to manage invasive species and noxious weeds1 including restoration activities to prevent reintroduction of invasive species2 7iii7 to rehabilitate1 restore1 and revegetate ecosystems after catastrophic events1 such as wildfires1 flooding1 drought events1 or hurricanes2 and 7iv7 to restore degraded native ecosystems following habitat modification1 such as hazardous substances releases or introduction of invasive species4 7,d7 ,effective methods to use native seed and native plant materials in response to the impacts of long- and medium-term environmental changes1 such as changes in-- 7i7 moisture levels2 7ii7 temperature2 7iii7 landscape fragmentation2 7iv7 invasive species2 7v7 human activity2 and 7vi7 other features due to climate change4 7,e7 ,effective methods to use native seed and native plant materials to restore habitat and promote the recovery of threatened and endangered native plant species and animal species4 7,f7 ,economic or social issues relating to effective methods for collaborating with private and commercial sector partners to increase the availability of native plant material such as native seed grower incentives4 7,g7 ,restoration of native plant species communities critical to ,indigenous foodways1 ,indigenous foods1 and ,indigenous medicines1 including the protection of intellectual property of ,tribal and ,indigenous seeds pursuant to ,indigenous requests4 7,h7 ,addressing the feasibility of seed banking and storage of native species-- 7i7 to support ex situ collections2 and 7ii7 to provide robust seed supply for habitat restoration4 7,i7 ,monitoring strategies for efficacy of treatment4 7#c7 ,extramural research ,as determined to be appropriate by the ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,federal interagency partners1 research conducted under this subsection may be carried out through competitively awarded grants1 contracts1 contracts established under the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecja et seq47 or cooperative agreements1 to be awarded in accordance with applicable requirements established by the ,secretary4 7d7 ,use of existing seed infrastructure ,the ,center shall coordinate the use of existing seed infrastructure of the ,department and the ,department of ,agriculture for the purpose of carrying out this ,act4 7e7 ,ecoregional hubs 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,federal interagency partners1 ,native ,hawaiian organizations1 and ,indian ,tribes1 shall1 using and based on existing ,bureau of ,land ,management ,ecoregional ,native ,plant ,programs1 establish interagency ecoregional hubs available to each ,state and territory of the ,united ,states that consist of-- 7,a7 an ,ecoregional ,native ,plant ,coordinator2 7,b7 ,tribal1 ,native ,hawaiian organization1 and other plant material specialists2 7,c7 regional seed collection teams2 7,d7 seed and plant material warehouses for local storage and seed cleaning facilities2 7,e7 plant production centers2 and 7,f7 any other necessary subject matter experts placed at offices throughout the applicable region to support the ecoregional hub4 7#b7 ,purposes ,the purposes of an ecoregional hub are-- 7,a7 to assess the native plant material needs of the applicable ecoregion2 and 7,b7 to coordinate and facilitate the use of appropriate native plant materials in local restoration1 rehabilitation1 and reclamation projects4 7#c7 ,hiring ,the ,center may hire such staff as are necessary to carry out the duties of the ecoregional hubs4 7f7 ,other partnerships ,the ,center shall coordinate with ,indian ,tribes1 ,states1 territories1 units of local government1 ,alaska ,native organizations1 ,native ,hawaiian organizations1 institutions of higher education1 botanic gardens1 and local stakeholders to assess1 and provide expertise to address1 local community revegetation1 rehabilitation1 and restoration needs4 7g7 ,statement of policy ,it shall be the policy of the ,department and the ,federal interagency partners that-- 7#a7 genetically appropriate plant materials shall be preferentially used for land revegetation1 rehabilitation1 and restoration2 and 7#b7 if the use of genetically appropriate plant materials is not feasible1 as determined by the ,secretary or the ,federal interagency partners1 as applicable1 preference shall be given to the use of native plant species that meet the requirements of subparagraphs 7,c7 and 7,d7 of section #b7e74 7h7 ,additional activities ,in addition to the coordination and research activities otherwise authorized under this section1 the ,center may carry out the following activities to develop and use native plant materials3 7#a7 ,identifying1 evaluating1 and protecting rare plants on public land managed by the ,secretary and the ,federal interagency partners4 7#b7 ,developing an understanding of the effects of human activity on native plant species and native plant species communities on public land managed by the ,federal interagency partners4 7#c7 7,a7 ,supporting efforts to develop genetically appropriate and locally adapted native plant materials for restoring1 rehabilitating1 and revegetating ecosystems4 7,b7 ,monitoring the use and effectiveness of the plant materials developed under subparagraph 7,a74 7#d7 ,ensuring that the needs of the ,department and the ,federal interagency partners for native plant materials are met4 7#e7 ,supporting public-private partnerships to conduct research on the development of seed transfer guidelines4 7#f7 ,supporting public-private partnerships to catalogue and store plant materials4 7#g7 ,coordinating a national network of seed cleaning facilities and seed storage warehouses4 7#h7 ,implementing ecological restoration1 rehabilitation1 and revegetation on a landscape scale4 7#i7 ,supporting public-private efforts and volunteer efforts to support native plant species conservation4 7#aj7 ,supporting and working with ,indian ,tribes and ,native ,hawaiian organizations on efforts to restore native plant communities critical to ,indigenous foodways1 including edible and medicinal native plant species1 and protecting ,tribal intellectual property with respect to ,indigenous seeds4 7#aa7 ,providing technical assistance 7including tools and training7 on selection of appropriate plant materials used for restoration4 7#ab7 ,supporting programs that provide financial and technical assistance and risk management tools for producers of native plant materials4 7#ac7 ,facilitating native seed needs planning based on historic and project needs4 7i7 ,reports 7#a7 ,initial report ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary1 in consultation with the ,federal ,committee of the ,plant ,conservation ,alliance1 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 report identifying-- 7,a7 ecoregional needs and recommendations for the establishment of ecoregional hubs1 including-- 7i7 recommended locations2 7ii7 recommended service areas2 7iii7 recommended investments in native plant materials capacity1 including workforce1 infrastructure1 and research to support hubs2 and 7iv7 estimated budgets 7including estimated budgets for infrastructure and staffing needs7 to carry out this ,act2 7,b7 a list of partners for-- 7i7 the ,center2 and 7ii7 each ecoregional hub established in accordance with subparagraph 7,a72 and 7,c7 scenarios requiring the use of plants that are not native4 7#b7 ,additional reports ,not later than #e years after the date of enactment of this ,act and every #e years thereafter1 the ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,federal interagency partners1 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 report identifying-- 7,a7 the adequacy of native seed inventories for post-disaster restoration1 rehabilitation1 and revegetation2 7,b7 the adequacy of native seed collection1 processing1 and storage programs in light of current and anticipated post-disaster restoration1 rehabilitation1 and revegetation needs2 and 7,c7 the adequacy of native seed and plant material capacity and distribution for post-disaster restoration1 rehabilitation1 and revegetation4 7j7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out this ,act1 including necessary infrastructure1 #ajj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbe through #bjbi4