Sponsoring USDA Sustainability Targets in Agriculture to Incentivize Natural Solutions Act of 2021 or the SUSTAINS Act
This bill authorizes the Natural Resources Conservation Service to accept contributions of nonfederal funds to support a broader range of conservation programs.
Current law authorizes the service to accept nonfederal contributions of funds to support certain programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program. This bill expands the authority to include other conservation programs, including those that address climate change, carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat improvement, and protection of drinking water sources.
The bill also makes other changes to the administration of contributed funds, such as by allowing the service to match contributions and permitting contributors to designate funds for use in a specific program or geographic area.