CRITICAL CONSERVATION AREAS.

SEC. 2707. CRITICAL CONSERVATION AREAS. Section 1271F of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871f) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (a), (b), and (c) as subsections (b), (c), and (e), respectively; (2) by inserting before subsection (b) (as so redesignated) the following: “(a) Definitions.—In this section: “(1) Critical conservation area.—The term ‘critical conservation area’ means a geographical area that contains a critical conservation condition that can be addressed through the program. “(2) Priority resource concern.—The term ‘priority resource concern’ means a natural resource concern located in a critical conservation area that can be addressed through— “(A) water quality improvement, including through reducing erosion, promoting sediment control, and addressing nutrient management activities affecting large bodies of water of regional, national, or international significance; “(B) water quantity improvement, including improvement relating to— “(i) drought; “(ii) groundwater, surface water, aquifer, or other water sources; or “(iii) water retention and flood prevention; “(C) wildlife habitat restoration to address species of concern at a Federal, State, or local level; and “(D) other natural resource improvements, as determined by the Secretary, within the critical conservation area.” ; (3) in subsection (b) (as so redesignated)— (A) by striking “(b) In General.—” and inserting the following: “(b) Applications.— ” ; (B) by striking “1271D(d)(3)” and inserting “1271D(d)(2)”; (C) by striking “producer” and inserting “program”; and (D) by inserting “that address 1 or more priority resource concerns for which the critical conservation area is designated” before the period at the end; (4) in subsection (c) (as so redesignated)— (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (3) as paragraphs (2) through (4), respectively; (B) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so redesignated) the following: “(1) In general.—The Secretary shall identify 1 or more priority resource concerns that apply to each critical conservation area designated under this section after the date of enactment of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79; 128 Stat. 649), including the conservation goals and outcomes sufficient to demonstrate that progress is being made to address the priority resource concern.” ; (C) in paragraph (2) (as so redesignated)— (i) by striking subparagraphs (C) and (D) and inserting the following: “(C) contains 1 or more priority resource concerns; or” ; and (ii) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (D); and (D) by striking paragraph (3) (as so redesignated) and inserting the following: “(3) Review and withdrawal.—The Secretary may— “(A) review designations of critical conservation areas under this section not more frequently than once every 5 years; and “(B) withdraw designation of a critical conservation area only if the Secretary determines that the area is no longer a critical conservation area.” ; (5) by inserting after subsection (c) (as so redesignated) the following: “(d) Outreach to Eligible Partners and Producers.—The Secretary shall provide outreach and education to eligible partners and producers in critical conservation areas designated under this section to encourage the development of projects to address each priority resource concern identified by the Secretary for that critical conservation area.” ; and (6) in subsection (e) (as so redesignated)— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking “producer” and inserting “program”; and (B) by striking paragraph (3).