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Amends Section 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to allow the Secretary to support restoration and management of wetlands on floodplain easements. The Secretary may provide financial and technical assistance to restore vegetation and wetland hydrology and may enter, at the Secretary’s sole discretion, compatible‑use and maintenance agreements with landowners, other government entities, or nongovernmental organizations. The bill also replaces the existing easement modification/termination language with new rules on changing or ending floodplain easements.
Amend Section 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203) by striking subsection (a) designation and heading and replacing it with a new subsection (a) titled 'Authorizations' that begins with an 'In general' paragraph referencing 'The Secretary.'
The Secretary may provide financial and technical assistance for restoring adapted vegetative cover and the hydrologic functions and values of wetlands on floodplain easements acquired under paragraph (1).
The Secretary shall have sole discretion to enter into compatible-use agreements with landowners and agreements with government agencies or nongovernmental organizations to address maintenance and management of the vegetative cover and wetlands restoration measures on floodplain easements acquired under paragraph (1).
Amend subsection (b) of Section 403 by replacing the subsection designation and heading through the matter preceding subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) with a new subsection titled 'Modification and termination of floodplain easements' and a new paragraph (1) 'In general' referencing 'The Secretary.'
Directly affected: private landowners who hold or seek floodplain easements and farmers who use those lands may see new opportunities for wetland restoration and assistance, but also face changes in how uses and maintenance are authorized. USDA (the Secretary and implementing agencies such as NRCS) will gain expanded administrative authority and responsibility to design, fund, and oversee restoration projects and agreements. Nongovernmental conservation organizations and state or local agencies could become partners under compatible‑use and maintenance agreements and may receive technical or financial support. Communities that benefit from improved floodplain wetlands—such as downstream communities that gain flood mitigation, enhanced water quality, and wildlife habitat—may see environmental and resilience benefits over time. Potential tradeoffs include increased centralization of decisionmaking in the Secretary’s hands, which could speed implementation but reduce guaranteed negotiation rights for landowners; and the lack of a specified appropriation, which means outcomes depend on available program budgets or future funding decisions.
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Introduced July 9, 2025 by Joni Ernst · Last progress July 9, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Introduced in Senate