LAND CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS IN THE HIGHLANDS REGION.

SEC. 4. LAND CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS IN THE HIGHLANDS REGION. (a) Submission of Proposed Projects.—Each year, the governors of the Highlands States, with input from pertinent units of local government and the public, may— (1) jointly identify land conservation partnership projects in the Highlands region from land identified as having high conservation values using the best available science and geographic information systems; and (2) submit a list of those projects to the Secretary of the Interior. (b) Consideration of Projects.—Each year, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall submit to Congress a list of the land conservation partnership projects submitted under subsection (a)(2) that are eligible to receive financial assistance under this section. (c) Eligibility Conditions.—To be eligible for financial assistance under this section for a land conservation partnership project, a non-Federal entity shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary of the Interior that— (1) identifies the non-Federal entity that shall own or hold and manage the land or interest in land; (2) identifies the source of funds to provide the non-Federal share under subsection (d); (3) describes the management objectives for the land that will ensure permanent protection and use of the land for the purpose for which the assistance will be provided; (4) provides that, if the non-Federal entity converts, uses, or disposes of the land conservation partnership project for a purpose inconsistent with the purpose for which the assistance was provided, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior, the United States— (A) may seek specific performance of the conditions of financial assistance in accordance with paragraph (3) in Federal court; and (B) shall be entitled to reimbursement from the non-Federal entity in an amount that is, as determined at the time of conversion, use, or disposal, the greater of— (i) the total amount of the financial assistance provided for the project by the Federal Government under this section; or (ii) the amount by which the financial assistance increased the value of the land or interest in land; and (5) provides that land conservation partnership projects will be consistent with areas identified as having high conservation value in accordance with the purposes described in section 2 in the Highlands region. (d) Non-Federal Share Requirement.—The Federal share of the cost of carrying out a land conservation partnership project under this section shall not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the land conservation partnership project. (e) Request for Inclusion of Additional Municipality.—The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service may, at the request of a Highlands State, with the concurrence of the municipality, approve the inclusion of a municipality within the State as part of the Highlands region. (f) Limitation on Administrative Expenses.— (1) Federal administration The Secretary of the Interior may not expend more than $300,000 for the administration of this Act in each fiscal year. (2) State administration A State that receives funds under this section for a land conservation partnership project may not use more than 5 percent of the funds to administer the land conservation partnership project. (g) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2029, to remain available until expended.