Sec. 104. Authorized forest and watershed restoration projects
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The Secretary shall annually implement 1 or more authorized forest and watershed restoration projects on the eligible land. The Secretary shall implement in 1 or more watershed areas authorized forest and watershed restoration projects that provide landscape-scale work with the goal of minimizing entries into the watershed. To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall enter into stewardship contracts or agreements to carry out authorized forest and watershed restoration projects.
In developing a stewardship contract under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall, after consultation with the relevant collaborative groups or resource advisory committees identified under section 103(c)(1), prioritize areas consistent with the priorities described in paragraph (4). Consistent with the purposes of this title, the Secretary shall give priority to carrying out authorized forest and watershed restoration projects in areas— in which the road density exceeds 1.5 miles per square mile; in the wildland-urban interface (as defined in section 101 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 ( 16 U.S.C. 6511 )) that are at risk of wildfire that threatens public infrastructure or private property; in which fish and wildlife habitat connectivity is compromised as a result of past management practices; and that contain forests that are at risk from insect epidemics or high-severity wildfires.
An environmental review of authorized forest and watershed restoration projects shall be carried out in accordance with section 104 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 ( 16 U.S.C. 6515 ), except that— the review shall also address— the activities necessary to meet the purposes and requirements of this title; and the site-specific impacts of an authorized forest and watershed restoration project; on signing of a record of decision or finding of no significant impact for the authorized forest and watershed restoration project, the Secretary shall implement the authorized forest and watershed restoration project; and if the Secretary or a court determines that additional review is warranted due to significant new circumstances after implementation of an authorized forest and watershed restoration project has begun, the additional analysis shall not interrupt the implementation of the activities that are not subject to the additional review, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. ).
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall comply with INFISH in carrying out each authorized forest and watershed restoration project. The Secretary may modify INFISH if the Secretary determines, after taking into consideration the best available science, that the modifications would meet or exceed the intent and goals of INFISH. In carrying out any authorized forest and watershed restoration project under this title, the Secretary shall— not construct any permanent road, unless— the Secretary determines that the road is a justifiable realignment of a permanent road to restore or improve the ecological structure, composition, and function and the natural processes of the affected forest or watershed; and the replaced road bed is decommissioned by removing the road prism; and decommission any temporary road constructed to carry out the land management project by the conclusion of the contract.
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary, at the conclusion of an authorized forest and watershed restoration project, shall achieve a road density maximum of 1.5 linear miles per square mile, averaged over the watershed area. Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the maximum road density provided in an applicable land management plan shall apply if— the applicable land management plan requires a road density maximum that is less than that required under subparagraph (A); or the authorized forest and watershed restoration project is carried out in an area governed by an interagency grizzly bear conservation plan.
For purposes of determining compliance with the maximum road density under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall use the definitions of the terms National Forest System road and unauthorized road or trail provided in section 212.1 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation). The road density established under subparagraph
(A)may be accomplished through a combination of decommissioning and year-round permanent closure, except that the Secretary shall prioritize for decommissioning any roads adversely affecting water quality or fish habitat. The Secretary shall design authorized forest and watershed restoration projects to produce commercial and noncommercial wood products, consistent with the purposes of this title.
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