H.R. 8640

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8640 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8640

To provide for the establishment of a National Interagency Seed and 
Restoration Center, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 5, 2024

Mr. Quigley introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on 
Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To provide for the establishment of a National Interagency Seed and 
Restoration Center, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``National Interagency Seed and 
Restoration Center Establishment Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Center.--The term ``Center'' means the National 
Interagency Seed and Restoration Center established under 
section 3(a)(1).
(2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
Department of the Interior.
(3) Ecoregion.--The term ``ecoregion'' means a land area 
varying in size and having a unified climate, geology, 
topography, soil, potential natural vegetation, and predominant 
land use.
(4) Federal interagency partner.--The term ``Federal 
interagency partner'' means--
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture;
(B) the Secretary of Transportation; and
(C) the Secretary of Defense.
(5) Genetically appropriate.--The term ``genetically 
appropriate plant'', with respect to a plant, means--
(A) a native plant species that is locally adapted 
to target site conditions, such as a plant with 
effective establishment, vigor, and reproductive 
capabilities;
(B) a native plant species that is sufficiently 
genetically diverse to respond and adapt to changing 
climate and environment conditions;
(C) a native plant species that is unlikely--
(i) to cause genetic contamination; and
(ii) to undermine--
(I) local adaptations;
(II) community interactions; and
(III) the function of native 
species within the ecosystem;
(D) a plant that is not likely--
(i) to become an invasive species; and
(ii) to displace other native species;
(E) a plant that is not likely to be a source of 
nonnative invasive pathogens; and
(F) a plant that is likely to maintain critical 
connections with pollinators.
(6) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' means any 
Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, 
or community individually identified (including 
parenthetically) in the list published most recently as of the 
date of enactment of this Act pursuant to section 104 of the 
Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 
5131).
(7) Invasive species.--The term ``invasive species'', with 
respect to a particular ecosystem, means a non-native organism, 
including the seed, spores, or other biological material of the 
organism, the introduction of which causes or is likely to 
cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human, animal, 
or plant health.
(8) Locally adapted.--The term ``locally adapted'', with 
respect to a plant, means a plant from an area geographically 
near a planting site that is environmentally adapted and likely 
to establish and persist.
(9) National seed strategy.--The term ``National Seed 
Strategy'' means--
(A) the National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation 
and Restoration 2015-2020; and
(B) the National Seed Strategy Business Plan 2015-
2020.
(10) Native hawaiian organization.--The term ``Native 
Hawaiian organization'' has the meaning given the term in 
section 2 of the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3001).
(11) Native plant species.--The term ``native plant 
species'' means a plant species that occurs naturally in a 
particular region, State, Tribal land ecosystem, or habitat 
without direct or indirect human action.
(12) Noxious weed.--The term ``noxious weed'' means any 
plant or plant product that can directly or indirectly injure 
or cause damage to crops (including nursery stock or plant 
products), livestock, poultry, or other interests of 
agriculture, irrigation, navigation, the natural resources of 
the United States, public health, or the environment.
(13) Plant conservation alliance.--The term ``Plant 
Conservation Alliance'' means the public-private collaboration 
established in 1994 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 maintained, enhanced, and 
restored.
(14) Plant material.--The term ``plant material'' means a 
seed, spore, part of a plant, or whole plant, including 
seedlings and container stock.
(15) Plant material specialist.--The term ``plant material 
specialist'' includes a plant ecologist, botanist, geneticist, 
seed scientist, or restoration practitioner or ecologist with 
relevant expertise, including local, Indigenous, and 
traditional ecological knowledge, qualified to develop and 
recommend revegetation, rehabilitation, and restoration plans, 
including site preparation, species and source selection, and 
seeding and planting specifications and monitoring protocols.
(16) Rehabilitation.--The term ``rehabilitation'' means the 
reparation of ecosystem processes, productivity, and services 
based on functioning preexisting or existing ecosystems that 
allow for adaptation of sites to specific current or future 
uses.
(17) Restoration.--The term ``restoration'' means assisting 
the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, 
or destroyed, including the reestablishment of the preexisting 
biotic integrity in terms of species composition and community 
structure.
(18) Revegetation.--The term ``revegetation'' means the 
reestablishment of plants on a site.
(19) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of the Interior.
(20) 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--
(A) grow and reproduce successfully; and
(B) produce no adverse genetic effects.
(21) Tribal land.--The term ``Tribal land'' means--
(A) land located within the exterior boundaries of 
an Indian reservation;
(B) land to which title is held by a dependent 
Indian community; and
(C) land held in trust for Native Hawaiians by the 
State of Hawaii pursuant to the Hawaiian Homes 
Commission Act, 1920 (42 Stat. 108, chapter 42) or 
section 4 of Public Law 86-3 (73 Stat. 5) (commonly 
known as the ``Hawaii Statehood Admissions Act, 
1959'').

SEC. 3. NATIONAL INTERAGENCY SEED AND RESTORATION CENTER.

(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in coordination with the 
Federal interagency partners, the Plant Conservation Alliance, 
Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations, shall 
establish a National Interagency Seed and Restoration Center to 
provide leadership and oversight with respect to--
(A) the research, development, coordination, and 
distribution of native plant species; and
(B) the conduct of ecological restoration, 
revegetation, and rehabilitation projects across 
ecoregions throughout the United States.
(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the Center is to facilitate 
the national coordination of all aspects of native plant 
species plant materials development process, including 
ecological restoration, by--
(A) enhancing research on--
(i) the development and use of native plant 
seeds and native plants for native plant 
species community restoration, including for 
use as food and medicine;
(ii) the restoration of native plant 
species communities--
(I) in response to natural 
disasters; or
(II) as part of mitigation of 
noxious weed and invasive species 
removals or treatments to prevent and 
deter further invasion or for other 
purposes;
(iii) the propagation and storage and 
distribution of native plant materials; and
(iv) any other research needs identified by 
the National Seed Strategy;
(B) providing land managers with--
(i) appropriate, locally adapted or 
genetically appropriate plant materials in a 
timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner; 
and
(ii) the guidance, tools, and training 
necessary for the reclamation, restoration, and 
rehabilitation of landscapes using native plant 
species;
(C) creating resilient native plant species 
communities to withstand multiple uses and climate 
change;
(D) enhancing interagency coordination to implement 
the National Seed Strategy through the Federal 
Committee of the Plant Conservation Alliance; and
(E) coordinating shared use and enhancement of 
infrastructure for native plant material development.
(b) Interagency Coordination.--
(1) In general.--In coordinating activities of the Center 
with the Federal interagency partners, the Center shall focus 
on the coordination of activities relating to--
(A) wildland seed and plant material collection and 
storage, including long-term germplasm or 
cryopreservation to preserve wild genomes;
(B) native plant materials research, development, 
and production;
(C) providing ecoregional liaisons, including 
agricultural producers and natural resource managers, 
with native plant materials;
(D) the assessment, improvement, 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 land;
(E) the development and coordination of seed 
procurement mechanisms, such as forward contracting, 
blanket purchase agreements, or other procurement 
vehicles for seed production across ecoregions;
(F) coordination with State seed testing and seed 
certification agency partners;
(G) revegetation, restoration, and rehabilitation 
of landscapes and reporting results of the 
revegetation, restoration, and rehabilitation to the 
Center;
(H) fostering and improving communication, 
education, information sharing, and training, including 
any employment, training, or related services that 
serve Tribally determined goals consistent with the 
policy of self-determination;
(I) information technology and geospatial 
coordination;
(J) restoring native plant species communities 
critical to Indigenous foodways and Indigenous 
medicines pursuant to Tribal and Native Hawaiian 
organization direction; and
(K) ensuring adequate budget and contracting with 
respect to the conduct of activities described in 
subparagraphs (A) through (J).
(2) Existing networks.--In coordinating activities of the 
Center with the Federal interagency partners, the Secretary 
shall leverage programs and expertise through existing networks 
such as--
(A) the Federal Committee of the Plant Conservation 
Alliance;
(B) Plant Conservation Alliance non-Federal 
cooperators;
(C) the Bureau of Land Management Plant 
Conservation and Restoration Program and the 
interagency Ecoregional Native Plant Programs;
(D) the United States Geological Survey Climate 
Adaptation Science Centers and Water Science Centers;
(E) the Department of Agriculture Climate Hubs, 
Plant Materials Centers, and Germplasm Resources 
Information Network of the Department of Agriculture;
(F) the Indigenous SeedKeepers Network of the 
Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance;
(G) the National Academies of Sciences, 
Engineering, and Medicine;
(H) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
National Seed Strategy Implementation Team and Center 
for Pollinator Conservation;
(I) the Office of Wildland Fire of the Department; 
and
(J) the Inventory and Monitoring Networks, Invasive 
Plant Management Teams, and ecoregional plant hubs of 
the National Park Service.
(c) Research.--
(1) In general.--To support the activities of the Center, 
the Secretary, in coordination with the Federal Committee of 
the Plant Conservation Alliance and other Federal interagency 
partners, Native Hawaiian organizations, and Indian Tribes, 
shall support a robust and dedicated program of intramural and 
extramural botanical science research that is relevant and 
appropriate to the native seed development process, including 
collection, germination, agricultural production, genetics, 
seed banking, seed storage, equipment for planting, 
distribution, and restoration techniques to support the land 
management responsibilities of the Federal Government.
(2) Areas of emphasis.--Research activities authorized 
under this subsection shall focus on the following:
(A) Effective approaches to restoring ecosystems 
that incorporate the use of appropriate locally adapted 
native plant materials.
(B) Effective methods for developing--
(i) locally adapted and genetically 
appropriate native seed and plant materials; 
and
(ii) seed transfer guidelines for native 
plant species and land management activities.
(C) Effective restoration strategies for using 
native seed and plant species--
(i) to reduce--
(I) the risk of wildfire; and
(II) the likelihood of wildfire 
affecting native ecosystems not adapted 
to fire;
(ii) to manage invasive species and noxious 
weeds, including restoration activities to 
prevent reintroduction of invasive species;
(iii) to rehabilitate, restore, and 
revegetate ecosystems after catastrophic 
events, such as wildfires, flooding, drought 
events, or hurricanes; and
(iv) to restore degraded native ecosystems 
following habitat modification, such as 
hazardous substances releases or introduction 
of invasive species.
(D) Effective methods to use native seed and native 
plant materials in response to the impacts of long- and 
medium-term environmental changes, such as changes in--
(i) moisture levels;
(ii) temperature;
(iii) landscape fragmentation;
(iv) invasive species;
(v) human activity; and
(vi) other features due to climate change.
(E) 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 species.
(F) 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 incentives.
(G) Restoration of native plant species communities 
critical to Indigenous foodways, Indigenous foods, and 
Indigenous medicines, including the protection of 
intellectual property of Tribal and Indigenous seeds 
pursuant to Indigenous requests.
(H) Addressing the feasibility of seed banking and 
storage of native species--
(i) to support ex situ collections; and
(ii) to provide robust seed supply for 
habitat restoration.
(I) Monitoring strategies for efficacy of 
treatment.
(3) Extramural research.--As determined to be appropriate 
by the Secretary, in coordination with the Federal interagency 
partners, research conducted under this subsection may be 
carried out through competitively awarded grants, contracts, 
contracts established under the Indian Self-Determination and 
Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) or 
cooperative agreements, to be awarded in accordance with 
applicable requirements established by the Secretary.
(d) 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 
Act.
(e) Ecoregional Hubs.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in coordination with the 
Federal interagency partners, Native Hawaiian organizations, 
and Indian Tribes, shall, using and based on existing Bureau of 
Land Management Ecoregional Native Plant Programs, establish 
interagency ecoregional hubs available to each State and 
territory of the United States that consist of--
(A) an Ecoregional Native Plant Coordinator;
(B) Tribal, Native Hawaiian organization, and other 
plant material specialists;
(C) regional seed collection teams;
(D) seed and plant material warehouses for local 
storage and seed cleaning facilities;
(E) plant production centers; and
(F) any other necessary subject matter experts 
placed at offices throughout the applicable region to 
support the ecoregional hub.
(2) Purposes.--The purposes of an ecoregional hub are--
(A) to assess the native plant material needs of 
the applicable ecoregion; and
(B) to coordinate and facilitate the use of 
appropriate native plant materials in local 
restoration, rehabilitation, and reclamation projects.
(3) Hiring.--The Center may hire such staff as are 
necessary to carry out the duties of the ecoregional hubs.
(f) Other Partnerships.--The Center shall coordinate with Indian 
Tribes, States, territories, units of local government, Alaska Native 
organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, institutions of higher 
education, botanic gardens, and local stakeholders to assess, and 
provide expertise to address, local community revegetation, 
rehabilitation, and restoration needs.
(g) Statement of Policy.--It shall be the policy of the Department 
and the Federal interagency partners that--
(1) genetically appropriate plant materials shall be 
preferentially used for land revegetation, rehabilitation, and 
restoration; and
(2) if the use of genetically appropriate plant materials 
is not feasible, as determined by the Secretary or the Federal 
interagency partners, as applicable, preference shall be given 
to the use of native plant species that meet the requirements 
of subparagraphs (C) and (D) of section 2(5).
(h) Additional Activities.--In addition to the coordination and 
research activities otherwise authorized under this section, the Center 
may carry out the following activities to develop and use native plant 
materials:
(1) Identifying, evaluating, and protecting rare plants on 
public land managed by the Secretary and the Federal 
interagency partners.
(2) 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 
partners.
(3)(A) Supporting efforts to develop genetically 
appropriate and locally adapted native plant materials for 
restoring, rehabilitating, and revegetating ecosystems.
(B) Monitoring the use and effectiveness of the plant 
materials developed under subparagraph (A).
(4) Ensuring that the needs of the Department and the 
Federal interagency partners for native plant materials are 
met.
(5) Supporting public-private partnerships to conduct 
research on the development of seed transfer guidelines.
(6) Supporting public-private partnerships to catalogue and 
store plant materials.
(7) Coordinating a national network of seed cleaning 
facilities and seed storage warehouses.
(8) Implementing ecological restoration, rehabilitation, 
and revegetation on a landscape scale.
(9) Supporting public-private efforts and volunteer efforts 
to support native plant species conservation.
(10) Supporting and working with Indian Tribes and Native 
Hawaiian organizations on efforts to restore native plant 
communities critical to Indigenous foodways, including edible 
and medicinal native plant species, and protecting Tribal 
intellectual property with respect to Indigenous seeds.
(11) Providing technical assistance (including tools and 
training) on selection of appropriate plant materials used for 
restoration.
(12) Supporting programs that provide financial and 
technical assistance and risk management tools for producers of 
native plant materials.
(13) Facilitating native seed needs planning based on 
historic and project needs.
(i) Reports.--
(1) Initial report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with 
the Federal Committee of the Plant Conservation Alliance, 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--
(A) ecoregional needs and recommendations for the 
establishment of ecoregional hubs, including--
(i) recommended locations;
(ii) recommended service areas;
(iii) recommended investments in native 
plant materials capacity, including workforce, 
infrastructure, and research to support hubs; 
and
(iv) estimated budgets (including estimated 
budgets for infrastructure and staffing needs) 
to carry out this Act;
(B) a list of partners for--
(i) the Center; and
(ii) each ecoregional hub established in 
accordance with subparagraph (A); and
(C) scenarios requiring the use of plants that are 
not native.
(2) Additional reports.--Not later than 5 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act and every 5 years thereafter, the 
Secretary, in coordination with the Federal interagency 
partners, 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--
(A) the adequacy of native seed inventories for 
post-disaster restoration, rehabilitation, and 
revegetation;
(B) the adequacy of native seed collection, 
processing, and storage programs in light of current 
and anticipated post-disaster restoration, 
rehabilitation, and revegetation needs; and
(C) the adequacy of native seed and plant material 
capacity and distribution for post-disaster 
restoration, rehabilitation, and revegetation.
(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this Act, including 
necessary infrastructure, $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 
through 2029.
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