Bill Text: TX HB2619 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the creation and administration of the On-The-Ground Conservation Program by the State Soil and Water Conservation Board.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-05-05 - Laid on the table subject to call [HB2619 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB2619-Introduced.html
| 87R9073 MP-F | ||
| By: Wilson | H.B. No. 2619 | |
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| relating to the creation and administration of the On-The-Ground | ||
| Conservation Program by the State Soil and Water Conservation | ||
| Board. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 201, Agriculture Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subchapter J to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER J. ON-THE-GROUND CONSERVATION PROGRAM | ||
| Sec. 201.351. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
| (1) "Priority conservation measure" means a priority | ||
| soil and water conservation land improvement measure designated | ||
| under Section 201.355. | ||
| (2) "Program" means the On-The-Ground Conservation | ||
| Program. | ||
| (3) "Soil health characteristics" means the physical, | ||
| chemical, and biological characteristics of soil for optimal | ||
| production, including lower bulk density, good gas exchange, lower | ||
| surface temperature during growing season, high cation exchange | ||
| capacity, high soil organic matter, and active soil | ||
| microorganisms. | ||
| Sec. 201.352. CREATION OF PROGRAM. The state board shall | ||
| develop and administer the program to maximize public benefits by | ||
| facilitating priority conservation measures and other soil and | ||
| water conservation land improvement measures by landowners and | ||
| operators in this state. | ||
| Sec. 201.353. PROGRAM FUNCTIONS. (a) The state board shall | ||
| provide through the program: | ||
| (1) technical assistance; | ||
| (2) cost-share assistance; | ||
| (3) direct grants; and | ||
| (4) help in obtaining technical assistance, | ||
| cost-share assistance, and direct grants from other public or | ||
| private sources. | ||
| (b) The state board shall create rules, forms, and | ||
| procedures necessary for the administration of the program. | ||
| (c) The state board may: | ||
| (1) obtain grants, cost-sharing assistance, or other | ||
| forms of funding from other state or federal governmental entities; | ||
| (2) coordinate, receive, and use gifts, grants, and | ||
| donations from private sources; | ||
| (3) work with qualified nonprofit organizations and | ||
| universities to provide technical assistance; and | ||
| (4) designate one or more conservation districts to | ||
| administer the program locally. | ||
| Sec. 201.354. PROGRAM COST-SHARE RATES. The state board | ||
| shall establish cost-share rates for eligible soil and water | ||
| conservation land improvement measures under the program. | ||
| Sec. 201.355. PRIORITY CONSERVATION MEASURES. (a) The | ||
| board shall designate and give priority under the program to | ||
| priority conservation measures that maximize public benefits to the | ||
| state. Priority conservation measures include measures that: | ||
| (1) improve soil health characteristics; | ||
| (2) conserve and manage water resources; | ||
| (3) prevent and manage flooding; | ||
| (4) control invasive and nuisance species; | ||
| (5) improve resilience to weather extremes, climate | ||
| variability, and natural disasters; | ||
| (6) protect and enhance native habitats, including the | ||
| protection of endangered species; | ||
| (7) mitigate and reduce soil erosion; | ||
| (8) restore land damaged by development; and | ||
| (9) sequester carbon to provide environmental | ||
| benefits. | ||
| (b) The state board: | ||
| (1) shall establish standards and specifications for | ||
| each priority conservation measure designated under this section; | ||
| and | ||
| (2) may consider local priorities and needs in | ||
| designating a priority conservation measure under this section. | ||
| Sec. 201.356. REPORT. The state board shall include | ||
| information regarding the program's activities in the annual report | ||
| required by Section 201.028. | ||
| SECTION 2. The State Soil and Water Conservation Board is | ||
| required to create and implement the On-The-Ground Conservation | ||
| Program as provided by this Act only if the legislature | ||
| appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the | ||
| legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that | ||
| purpose, the State Soil and Water Conservation Board may, but is not | ||
| required to, create and implement the On-The-Ground Conservation | ||
| Program as provided by this Act using other appropriations | ||
| available for that purpose. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
