Bill > S971

This bill is a comprehensive piece of legislation aimed at conserving the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, focusing on agricultural conservation, workforce development, and regulatory oversight. The bill establishes the Chesapeake Bay States Partnership Initiative, which will provide funding to agricultural producers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to improve water quality, restore soil and air resources, and increase agricultural resilience to climate change. It includes provisions to expand the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), create a Chesapeake Bay Watershed Turnkey Pilot Program that allows third-party providers to establish and manage conservation practices, and enhance workforce development in agricultural sciences through grants, fellowships, and work-based learning opportunities. The bill also introduces a new direct hire authority for the Natural Resources Conservation Service and transfers primary regulatory oversight for domestic, wild-caught invasive catfish in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem from the USDA to the FDA. Additionally, the bill establishes a Federal task force to improve processes for analyzing and reporting nutrient reductions from conservation activities in the watershed, with a focus on maintaining scientific integrity and protecting producer privacy.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/971/all-info