NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS REGIONAL AUTHORITY.

SEC. 6026. NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS REGIONAL AUTHORITY.(a) Definition of Region.—Section 383A(4) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb(4)) is amended by inserting “Missouri (other than counties included in the Delta Regional Authority),” after “Minnesota,”.(b) Establishment.—Section 383B of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb–1) is amended—(1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:“(4) Failure to confirm.—“(A) Federal member.—Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, if a Federal member described 122 STAT. 1178 in paragraph (2)(A) has not been confirmed by the Senate by not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Authority may organize and operate without the Federal member.“(B) Indian chairperson.—In the case of the Indian Chairperson, if no Indian Chairperson is confirmed by the Senate, the regional authority shall consult and coordinate with the leaders of Indian tribes in the region concerning the activities of the Authority, as appropriate.”;(2) in subsection (d)—(A) in paragraph (1), by striking “to establish priorities and” and inserting “for multistate cooperation to advance the economic and social well-being of the region and to”;(B) in paragraph (3), by striking “local development districts,” and inserting “regional and local development districts or organizations, regional boards established under subtitle I,”;(C) in paragraph (4), by striking “cooperation;” and inserting “cooperation for—“(i) renewable energy development and transmission;“(ii) transportation planning and economic development;“(iii) information technology;“(iv) movement of freight and individuals within the region;“(v) federally-funded research at institutions of higher education; and“(vi) conservation land management;”;(D) by striking paragraph (6) and inserting the following:“(6) enhance the capacity of, and provide support for, multistate development and research organizations, local development organizations and districts, and resource conservation districts in the region;”; and(E) in paragraph (7), by inserting “renewable energy,” after “commercial,”.(3) in subsection (f)(2), by striking “the Federal cochairperson” and inserting “a cochairperson”;(4) in subsection (g)(1), by striking subparagraphs (A) through (C) and inserting the following:“(A) for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009, 100 percent;“(B) for fiscal year 2010, 75 percent; and“(C) for fiscal year 2011 and each fiscal year thereafter, 50 percent.”.(c) Interstate Cooperation for Economic Opportunity and Efficiency.—(1) In general.—Subtitle G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act is amended—(A) by redesignating sections 383C through 383N (7 U.S.C. 2009bb–2 through 2009bb–13) as sections 383D through 383O, respectively; and(B) by inserting after section 383B (7 U.S.C. 2009bb–1) the following:122 STAT. 1179 “SEC. 383C. INTERSTATE COOPERATION FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND EFFICIENCY.“(a) In General.—The Authority shall provide assistance to States in developing regional plans to address multistate economic issues, including plans—“(1) to develop a regional transmission system for movement of renewable energy to markets outside the region;“(2) to address regional transportation concerns, including the establishment of a Northern Great Plains Regional Transportation Working Group;“(3) to encourage and support interstate collaboration on federally-funded research that is in the national interest; and“(4) to establish a Regional Working Group on Agriculture Development and Transportation.“(b) Economic Issues.—The multistate economic issues referred to in subsection (a) shall include—“(1) renewable energy development and transmission;“(2) transportation planning and economic development;“(3) information technology;“(4) movement of freight and individuals within the region;“(5) federally-funded research at institutions of higher education; and“(6) conservation land management.” .(2) Conforming amendments.—(A) Section 383B(c)(3)(B) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb–1(c)(3)(B)) is amended by striking “383I” and inserting “383J”.(B) Section 383D(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as redesignated by paragraph (1)(A)) is amended by striking “383I” and inserting “383J”.(C) Section 383E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as so redesignated) is amended—(i) in subsection (b)(1), by striking “383F(b)” and inserting “383G(b)”; and(ii) in subsection (c)(2)(A), by striking “383I” and inserting “383J”.(D) Section 383G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as so redesignated) is amended—(i) in subsection (b)—(I) in paragraph (1), by striking “383M” and inserting “383N”; and(II) in paragraph (2), by striking “383D(b)” and inserting “383E(b)”;(ii) in subsection (c)(2)(A), by striking “383E(b)” and inserting “383F(b)”; and(iii) in subsection (d)—(I) by striking “383M” and inserting “383N”; and(II) by striking “383C(a)” and inserting “383D(a)”.(E) Section 383J(c)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as so redesignated) is amended by striking “383H” and inserting “383I”.(d) Economic and Community Development Grants.—Section 383D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as redesignated by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is amended—(1) in subsection (a)—122 STAT. 1180(A) in paragraph (1), by striking “transportation and telecommunication” and inserting “transportation, renewable energy transmission, and telecommunication”; and(B) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as paragraphs (2) and (1), respectively, and moving those paragraphs so as to appear in numerical order; and(2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking “the activities in the following order or priority” and inserting “the following activities”.(e) Supplements to Federal Grant Programs.—Section 383E(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as redesignated by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is amended by striking “, including local development districts,”.(f) Multistate and Local Development Districts and Organizations and Northern Great Plains Inc.—Section 383F of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as redesignated by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is amended—(1) by striking the section heading and inserting “multistate and local development districts and organizations and northern great plains inc.”; and(2) by striking subsections (a) through (c) and inserting the following:“(a) Definition of Multistate and Local Development District or Organization.—In this section, the term ‘multistate and local development district or organization’ means an entity—“(1) that—“(A) is a planning district in existence on the date of enactment of this subtitle that is recognized by the Economic Development Administration of the Department of Commerce; or“(B) is—“(i) organized and operated in a manner that ensures broad-based community participation and an effective opportunity for other nonprofit groups to contribute to the development and implementation of programs in the region;“(ii) a nonprofit incorporated body organized or chartered under the law of the State in which the entity is located;“(iii) a nonprofit agency or instrumentality of a State or local government;“(iv) a public organization established before the date of enactment of this subtitle under State law for creation of multijurisdictional, area-wide planning organizations;“(v) a nonprofit agency or instrumentality of a State that was established for the purpose of assisting with multistate cooperation; or“(vi) a nonprofit association or combination of bodies, agencies, and instrumentalities described in clauses (ii) through (v); and“(2) that has not, as certified by the Authority (in consultation with the Federal cochairperson or Secretary, as appropriate)—“(A) inappropriately used Federal grant funds from any Federal source; or122 STAT. 1181“(B) appointed an officer who, during the period in which another entity inappropriately used Federal grant funds from any Federal source, was an officer of the other entity.“(b) Grants to Multistate, Local, or Regional Development Districts and Organizations.—“(1) In general.—The Authority may make grants for administrative expenses under this section to multistate, local, and regional development districts and organizations.“(2) Conditions for grants.—“(A) Maximum amount.—The amount of any grant awarded under paragraph (1) shall not exceed 80 percent of the administrative expenses of the multistate, local, or regional development district or organization receiving the grant.“(B) Maximum period.—No grant described in paragraph (1) shall be awarded for a period greater than 3 years.“(3) Local share.—The contributions of a multistate, local, or regional development district or organization for administrative expenses may be in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including space, equipment, and services.“(c) Duties.—“(1) In general.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), a local development district shall operate as a lead organization serving multicounty areas in the region at the local level.“(2) Designation.—The Federal cochairperson may designate an Indian tribe or multijurisdictional organization to serve as a lead organization in such cases as the Federal cochairperson or Secretary, as appropriate, determines appropriate.”.(g) Distressed Counties and Areas and Nondistressed Counties.—Section 383G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as redesignated by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is amended—(1) in subsection (b)(1), by striking “75” and inserting “50”;(2) by striking subsection (c);(3) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c); and(4) in subsection (c) (as so redesignated)—(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting “Renewable Energy,” after“Telecommunication”; and(B) by inserting “, renewable energy,” after “telecommunication,”.(h) Development Planning Process.—Section 383H of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as redesignated by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is amended—(1) in subsection (c)(1), by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the following:“(A) multistate, regional, and local development districts and organizations; and”; and(2) in subsection (d)(1), by striking “State and local development districts” and inserting “multistate, regional, and local development districts and organizations”.(i) Program Development Criteria.—Section 383I(a)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as redesignated by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is amended by inserting “multistate or” before “regional”.122 STAT. 1182(j) Authorization of Appropriations.—Section 383N(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as redesignated by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is amended by striking “2002 through 2007” and inserting “2008 through 2012”.(k) Termination of Authority.—Section 383O of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (as redesignated by subsection (c)(1)(A)) is amended by striking “2007” and inserting “2012”.