Sec. 602. State and private forest landscape-scale restoration program

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A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Section 13A of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2109a ) is amended to read as follows: The purpose of this section is to encourage collaborative, science-based restoration of priority forest landscapes and help manage forest resources that are at risk of catastrophic wildfire, invasive species, insect infestations and disease, and any other threats that degrade the vitality of forest ecosystems. In this section: The term beginning forest owner means a person who is in the first 10 years of ownership of nonindustrial private forest land.

The term Indian tribe has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act ( 25 U.S.C. 450b ). The term nonindustrial private forest land means land that— is rural, as determined by the Secretary; has existing tree cover or is suitable for growing trees; and is owned by any private individual, group, association, corporation, Indian tribe, or other private legal entity. The term State forest land means land that— is rural, as determined by the Secretary; and is under State or local governmental ownership and considered to be non-Federal forest land.

The Secretary, in consultation with State Foresters or appropriate State agencies, shall establish a competitive grant program to provide financial and technical assistance— to encourage active forest management on cross-boundary priority forest landscapes, including land owned by beginning and previously unengaged forest owners, for the purpose of maintaining forest health; to protect forests from natural threats and wildfire; to enhance public benefits from forests; to conserve and manage working forest landscapes for multiple values and uses; and to advance priorities in statewide forest assessment and resource strategies.

To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an applicant shall submit to the Secretary, through the State forester or appropriate State agency, a State and private forest landscape-scale restoration proposal based on a restoration strategy that is— complete or substantially complete; for a multiyear period; comprised of nonindustrial private forest land or State forest land; accessible by wood-processing infrastructure; and based on the best available science. A State and private forest landscape-scale restoration proposal submitted under this section shall include plans— to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfires, including hazardous fuels treatment; to improve fish and wildlife habitats, including the habitats of threatened and endangered species; to maintain or improve water quality and watershed function; to mitigate invasive species, insect infestation, and disease; to improve important forest ecosystems; to measure ecological and economic benefits, including air quality and soil quality and productivity; to prioritize a State forest action plan; to utilize and advance production of renewable energy; and to take other relevant actions, as determined by the Secretary.

In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to plans that— further a statewide forest assessment and resource strategy; promote cross boundary landscape collaboration; and leverage public and private resources. The Chief of the Forest Service, the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and relevant stakeholders shall collaborate and consult on an ongoing basis regarding administration of the program established under this section and identifying other applicable resources towards landscape-scale restoration.

As a condition of receiving a grant under this section, the Secretary shall require the recipient of the grant to provide funds or in-kind support from non-Federal sources in an amount that is at least equal to the amount provided by the Federal Government. In making grants under this section, the Secretary may consider coordination with and proximity to other landscape-scale projects on other land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary, the Secretary of the Interior, or a Governor of a State, including under— the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program established under section 4003 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 ( 16 U.S.C. 7303 ); landscape areas designated for insect and disease treatments under section 602 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 ( 16 U.S.C. 6591a ); good neighbor authority under section 8206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 ( 16 U.S.C. 2113a ) and section 331 of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 ( Public Law 106–291 ; 114 Stat. 996; 118 Stat. 3102, 123 Stat. 2961; 128 Stat. 341); stewardship end result contracting projects authorized under section 604 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 ( 16 U.S.C. 6591c ); appropriate State-level programs; and other relevant programs, as determined by the Secretary.

The Secretary shall promulgate such regulations as the Secretary determines necessary to carry out this section. Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report on the status of development, execution, and administration of selected projects, accounting of program funding expenditures, and specific accomplishments that have resulted from landscape-scale projects.

There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund, to be known as the State and Private Forest Landscape-Scale Restoration Fund (referred to in this subsection as the Fund ), to be used by the Secretary to make grants under this section. The Fund shall consist of such amounts as are appropriated to the Fund under paragraph (3). There is authorized to be appropriated to the Fund $40,000,000 for each fiscal year beginning with the first full fiscal year after the date of enactment of the Emergency Wildfire and Forest Management Act of 2016 through fiscal year 2018, to remain available until expended. .

Section 13B of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2109b ) is repealed. Section 19(a)(4)(C) of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2113(a)(4)(C) ) is amended by striking sections 13A and 13B and inserting section 13A .

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