§ 3839bb. Conservation of private grazing land
(a)
Purpose
It is the purpose of this section to authorize the Secretary to provide a coordinated technical, educational, and related assistance program to conserve and enhance private grazing land resources and provide related benefits to all citizens of the United States by—
(1)
establishing a coordinated and cooperative Federal, State, and local grazing conservation program for management of private grazing land;
(2)
strengthening technical, educational, and related assistance programs that provide assistance to owners and managers of private grazing land;
(4)
conserving and improving fish habitat and aquatic systems through grazing land conservation treatment;
(b)
Definitions
In this section:
(c)
Private grazing land conservation assistance
(1)
Assistance to grazing landowners and others
Subject to the availability of appropriations for this section, the Secretary shall establish a voluntary program to provide technical, educational, and related assistance to owners and managers of private grazing land and public agencies, through local conservation districts, to enable the landowners, managers, and public agencies to voluntarily carry out activities that are consistent with this section, including—
(A)
maintaining and improving private grazing land and the multiple values and uses that depend on private grazing land;
(2)
Program elements
(A)
Funding
If funding is provided to carry out this section, it shall be provided through a specific line-item in the annual appropriations for the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
(B)
Technical assistance and education
Personnel of the Department trained in pasture and range management shall be made available under the program to deliver and coordinate technical assistance and education to owners and managers of private grazing land, at the request of the owners and managers.
(d)
Grazing technical assistance self-help
(1)
Findings
Congress finds that—
(2)
Establishment of grazing demonstration
In accordance with paragraph (3), the Secretary may establish 2 grazing management demonstration districts at the recommendation of the grazing land conservation initiative steering committee.
(3)
Procedure
(A)
Proposal
Within a reasonable time after the submission of a request of an organization of farmers or ranchers engaged in grazing, the Secretary shall propose that a grazing management district be established.
(B)
Funding
The terms and conditions of the funding and operation of the grazing management district shall be proposed by the producers.
(C)
Approval
The Secretary shall approve the proposal if the Secretary determines that the proposal—
(D)
Area included
The area proposed to be included in a grazing management district shall be determined by the Secretary on the basis of an application by farmers or ranchers.
(e)
Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2012.