,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #djia ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #ab1 #bjbf,mr4 ,heinrich 7for himself and ,mr4 ,sheehy7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe to improve wildlife habitat connectivity and wildlife migration corridors1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,habitat ,connectivity on ,working ,lands ,act of #bjbf4 #b4 ,conservation programs 7a7 ,definition of native big game species ,section #abja7;a7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chja7;a77 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#ah7 through 7#bg7 as paragraphs 7#ai7 through 7#bh71 respectively2 and 7#b7 by inserting after paragraph 7#ag7 the following3 7#ah7 ,native big game species ,the term native big game species means a native species of a large mammal1 including a wild deer1 an elk1 a pronghorn1 a wild sheep1 and a moose4 4 7b7 ,regional ,conservation ,partnership ,program critical conservation areas ,section #abga;,f7a77#b77;,c7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chga;f7a77#b77;,c77 is amended by inserting 1 including restoration and enhancement of wildlife habitat connectivity and wildlife migration corridors1 with a focus on native big game species before 2 and4 7c7 ,enrollment in the environmental quality incentives program and the conservation stewardship program of grassland enrolled in the conservation reserve program 7#a7 ,environmental quality incentives program ,section #abdj;,b7d7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa-#b7;d77 is amended-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#f71 by striking ,a producer and inserting ,except as provided in paragraph 7#h71 a producer2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#h7 ,cost-share payments for grassland enrolled in the conservation reserve program 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary may provide payments under the program for costs associated with planning1 design1 materials1 equipment1 installation1 labor1 management1 maintenance1 or training with respect to eligible land that is-- 7i7 enrolled in the conservation reserve program under section #abca7;d77#b77;,a72 and 7ii7 of ecological significance1 as described in section #abca7;d77#b77;,b77iii74 7,b7 ,limitations 7i7 ,other ,federal programs ,a producer shall not be eligible for payments under subparagraph 7,a7 for practices if the producer receives payments or other benefits for the same practice on the same land under another ,federal program 7other than the conservation reserve program under subchapter ,b of chapter #a74 7ii7 ,protection of emergency grazing and haying ,an activity to restore or enhance wildlife habitat connectivity or wildlife migration corridors carried out using a payment under subparagraph 7,a7 shall not prevent or alter emergency haying or emergency grazing carried out in accordance with the requirements of the conservation reserve program under subchapter ,b of chapter #a4 4 7#b7 ,conservation stewardship program ,section #abdj;,j7b7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa-#bb7;b77 is amended-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a71 by inserting and except as provided in paragraph 7#c71 after paragraph 7#b712 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 ,cost-share payments for grassland enrolled in the conservation reserve program 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary may provide payments under the program for costs associated with planning1 design1 materials1 equipment1 installation1 labor1 management1 maintenance1 or training with respect to eligible land that is-- 7i7 enrolled in the conservation reserve program under section #abca7;d77#b77;,a72 and 7ii7 of ecological significance1 as described in section #abca7;d77#b77;,b77iii74 7,b7 ,limitations 7i7 ,other ,federal programs ,a producer shall not be eligible for payments under subparagraph 7,a7 for conservation activities if the producer receives payments or other benefits for the same conservation activities on the same land under another ,federal program 7other than the conservation reserve program under subchapter ,b of chapter #a74 7ii7 ,protection of emergency grazing and haying ,an activity to restore or enhance wildlife habitat connectivity or wildlife migration corridors carried out using a payment under subparagraph 7,a7 shall not prevent or alter emergency haying or emergency grazing carried out in accordance with the requirements of the conservation reserve program under subchapter ,b of chapter #a4 4 7#c7 ,payment limitation for rental payments under the conservation reserve program ,section #abcd7;g77#a7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chcd7;g77#a77 is amended by striking #ej1jjj and inserting #abe1jjj4 7d7 ,increased payments under the environmental quality incentives program ,section #abdj;,b7d7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa-#b7;d77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#c77;,f71 by inserting and wildlife habitat connectivity before 2 or2 and 7#b7 in paragraph 7#g77;,a7-- 7,a7 in clause 7iii71 by striking or at the end2 7,b7 in clause 7iv71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 or2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7v7 addresses the conservation and restoration of wildlife habitat1 including wildlife habitat connectivity and wildlife migration corridors4 4 7e7 ,conservation practice standards ,section #abdb of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chdb7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7j7 ,addressing barriers to habitat connectivity 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 to the maximum extent practicable1 fully incorporate nonstructural methods to manage livestock distribution1 such as virtual fencing1 into the conservation practice standards2 and 7,b7 provide for the appropriate range of conservation practices and resource mitigation measures available to landowners using nonstructural methods described in subparagraph 7,a74 7#b7 ,availability of adequate technical assistance ,the ,secretary shall ensure that adequate technical assistance is available for the implementation of-- 7,a7 nonstructural methods described in paragraph 7#a77;,a72 and 7,b7 other practices that support habitat connectivity through ,federal conservation programs4 4 7f7 ,administrative requirements for conservation programs ,section #abdd of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chdd7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7q7 ,encouragement of habitat connectivity and native big game migration corridors ,in carrying out any conservation program administered by the ,secretary1 the ,secretary may1 as appropriate1 encourage-- 7#a7 the conservation of landscape corridors and hydrologic connectivity1 where native big game species and ecological processes can transition from one habitat to another1 in order to conserve native biodiversity and ensure resiliency against impacts from a range of stressors2 and 7#b7 the use of conservation practices that support the development1 restoration1 and maintenance of landscape corridors and hydrologic connectivity4 4 #c4 ,high-priority research and extension areas ,section #afgb7;d7 of the ,food1 ,agriculture1 ,conservation1 and ,trade ,act of #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #eibe7;d77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#ba7 ,virtual fencing ,research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of-- 7,a7 understanding and addressing the barriers to the adoption of virtual fencing technology2 or 7,b7 studying the effects of virtual fencing technology on-- 7i7 natural and cultural resources1 such as-- 7,i7 sensitive riparian areas2 and 7,,ii7 crucial winter range and stopover habitats for native big game species 7as defined in section #abja7;a7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chja7;a7772 or 7ii7 overall range health4 4