118 HR 8790 EH: Fix Our Forests Act
U.S. House of Representatives
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EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.Short title; table of contents
(a)This Act may be cited as the Fix Our Forests Act
. (b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Title I—Landscape-Scale Restoration
Subtitle A—Addressing Emergency Wildfire Risks in High Priority Firesheds
Sec. 101. Designation of fireshed management areas.
Sec. 102. Fireshed center.
Sec. 103. Fireshed registry.
Sec. 104. Shared stewardship.
Sec. 105. Fireshed assessments.
Sec. 106. Emergency fireshed management.
Sec. 107. Sunset.
Subtitle B—Expanding Collaborative Tools to Reduce Wildfire Risk and Improve Forest Health
Sec. 111. Modification of the treatment of certain revenue and payments under good neighbor agreements.
Sec. 112. Fixing stewardship end result contracting.
Sec. 113. Intra-agency strike teams.
Sec. 114. Locally-led restoration.
Sec. 115. Joint Chiefs landscape restoration partnership program.
Sec. 116. Collaborative forest landscape restoration program.
Sec. 117. Utilizing grazing for wildfire risk reduction.
Sec. 118. Program to support priority reforestation and restoration projects of Department of the Interior.
Subtitle C—Litigation Reform
Sec. 121. Commonsense litigation reform.
Sec. 122. Consultation on forest plans.
Title II—Protecting Communities in the Wildland-Urban Interface
Sec. 201. Community wildfire risk reduction program.
Sec. 202. Community wildfire defense research program.
Sec. 203. Vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance relating to electric transmission and distribution facility rights-of-way.
Sec. 204. Categorical exclusion for electric utility lines rights-of-way.
Sec. 205. Seeds of success.
Title III—Transparency and Technology
Sec. 301. Biochar innovations and opportunities for conservation, health, and advancements in research.
Sec. 302. Accurate hazardous fuels reduction reports.
Sec. 303. Public-private wildfire technology deployment and demonstration partnership.
Sec. 304. GAO study on Forest Service policies.
Sec. 305. Forest Service Western headquarters study.
Sec. 306. Keeping forest plans current and monitored.
Sec. 307. Container Aerial Firefighting System (CAFFS).
Sec. 308. Study on pine beetle infestation.
Title IV—Ensuring Casualty Assistance for our Firefighters
Sec. 401. Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program.
Title V—White Oak Resilience
Sec. 501. White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition.
Sec. 502. Forest Service pilot program.
Sec. 503. Department of the Interior white oak review and restoration.
Sec. 504. White oak regeneration and upland oak habitat.
Sec. 505. Tree nursery shortages.
Sec. 506. White oak research.
Sec. 507. USDA formal initiative.
Sec. 508. Authorities.
Title VI—Expansion of Public-Private Partnerships under Water Source Protection Program
Sec. 601. Water source protection program.
Sec. 602. Watershed condition framework technical corrections.
2.In this Act: (1)The term Director means the Director of the Fireshed Center appointed under section 102.
(2)The term fireshed means a landscape-scale area that faces similar wildfire threat where a response strategy could influence the wildfire outcome. (3)Fireshed management projectThe term fireshed management project means a project under section 106.
(4)The term Fireshed Registry means the fireshed registry established under section 103. (5)The term forest plan means—
(A)a land use plan prepared by the Bureau of Land Management for public lands pursuant to section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712); (B)a land and resource management plan prepared by the Forest Service for a unit of the National Forest System pursuant to section 6 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604); or
(C)a forest management plan (as defined in section 304 of the National Indian Forests Resources Management Act (25 U.S.C. 3104)) with respect to Indian forest land or rangeland. (6)The term Governor means the Governor or any other appropriate executive official of an affected State or Indian Tribe or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(7)Hazardous fuels management activitiesThe term hazardous fuels management activities means any vegetation management activities (or combination thereof) that reduce the risk of wildfire, including mechanical thinning, mastication, prescribed burning, cultural burning (as determined by the applicable Indian Tribe), timber harvest, and grazing. (8)The terms at-risk community, community wildfire protection plan, and wildland-urban interface have the meanings given such terms, respectively, in section 101 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511).
(9)Indian forest land or rangelandThe term Indian forest land or rangeland means land that— (A)is held in trust by, or with a restriction against alienation by, the United States for an Indian Tribe or a member of an Indian Tribe; and
(B)
(i)
(I)is Indian forest land (as defined in section 304 of the National Indian Forest Resources Management Act (25 U.S.C. 3103)); or (II)has a cover of grasses, brush, or any similar vegetation; or
(ii)formerly had a forest cover or vegetative cover that is capable of restoration. (10)The term Indian Tribe has the meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(11)National Forest System landsThe term National Forest System lands has the meaning given the term in section 11(a) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609). (12)The term public lands has the meaning given that term in section 103 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702), except that the term includes Coos Bay Wagon Road Grant lands and Oregon and California Railroad Grant lands.
(13)Relevant Congressional CommitteesThe term relevant Congressional Committees means— (A)the Committees on Natural Resources and Agriculture of the House of Representatives; and
(B)the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate. (14)The term responsible official means an employee of the Department of the Interior or Forest Service who has the authority to make and implement a decision on a proposed action.
(15)The term Secretaries means each of— (A)the Secretary of the Interior; and
(B)the Secretary of Agriculture. (16)The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.
(17)The term Secretary concerned means— (A)the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to National Forest System lands; and
(B)the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to public lands. (18)The term special district means a political subdivision of a State that—
(A)has significant budgetary autonomy or control; (B)was created by or pursuant to the laws of the State for the purpose of performing a limited and specific governmental or proprietary function; and
(C)is distinct from any other local government unit within the State. (19)The term State means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, and each territory of the United States.
<enum>I</enum><header>Landscape-Scale Restoration</header>
<subtitle id="HEEAFA4CCBB0744419AD4389DB1464FE6"><enum>A</enum><header>Addressing Emergency Wildfire Risks in High Priority Firesheds</header>
<section id="H2C1265A3EEFD493C8013645A03788B29"><enum>101.</enum><header>Designation of fireshed management areas</header>
<subsection id="HDE32889734C6445AA540535981B2ACED"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Designation of fireshed management areas</header>
<paragraph id="HA6DBD534A6824FCEBFB669AC9B7F1AC2"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Initial designations</header><text>For the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and ending on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, there are designated fireshed management areas, which—</text> <subparagraph id="HB8A85B3D58594D52BED8EE17D1E6BAB5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>shall be comprised of individual landscape-scale firesheds identified as being a high risk fireshed in the <quote>Wildfire Crisis Strategy</quote> published by the Forest Service in January 2022;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H8CA3D14CEEA74BFD82576FD7606576BC"><enum>(B)</enum><text>shall be comprised of individual landscape-scale firesheds identified by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, as being in the top 20 percent of the 7,688 firesheds published by the Rocky Mountain Research Station of the Forest Service in 2019 for wildfire exposure based on the following criteria—</text> <clause id="HCD09F2E3214A4382B3CF0CBC5AF119C7"><enum>(i)</enum><text>wildfire exposure and corresponding risk to communities, including risk to structures and life;</text></clause>
<clause id="H0F24B99ADD234FDE86B57798325BC7B6"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>wildfire exposure and corresponding risk to municipal watersheds, including tribal water supplies and systems; and</text></clause> <clause id="HA01865239E444A3D80132E73FA60AE62"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>risk of forest conversion due to wildfire;</text></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H8D7D451FBDE0461EAE855279310CE559"><enum>(C)</enum><text>shall not overlap with any other fireshed management areas;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H77E6391E54E24F95B93648B0CB5AC5BA"><enum>(D)</enum><text>may contain Federal and non-Federal land, including Indian forest lands or rangelands; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H2A169A0A5D4C4A20ABEADAEB4303B5D2"><enum>(E)</enum><text>where the Secretary concerned shall carry out fireshed management projects.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HFE9E0759D09041ED8045F46D7CF31AF6"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Further fireshed management area designations</header> <subparagraph id="HECD9DE23A8CF43E0AA99D92708595824"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>On the date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act and every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, shall submit to the relevant Congressional Committees an updated map of firesheds based on the Fireshed Registry maintained under section 103.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HCE5D965E13CA49CD86333ED447E050F6"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Designation</header><text>Not later than 60 days after submitting an updated fireshed map under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall, based on such map, designate additional fireshed management areas that are identified as being in the top 20 percent of firesheds at risk of wildfire exposure based on the criteria specified in subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), and (E) of paragraph (1).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H14CF1F73389246FDB4B27380D0100320"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Applicability of nepa</header><text>The designation of fireshed management areas under this section shall not be subject to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/4321">42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.</external-xref>).</text></subsection></section>
<section id="H740D3537E84E401684F6D37D142B2233"><enum>102.</enum><header>Fireshed center</header>
<subsection id="HD94B4DABE41F405F9F34E54995E93B52"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header>
<paragraph id="H9486AD518AC740DEBE7BC5250E16EF1F"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, and the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, shall jointly establish a Fireshed Center (hereinafter referred to as the <quote>Center</quote>) comprised of at least one career representative from each of the following:</text> <subparagraph id="H7F48D4DBDA094F4C8F24CB7296F749FE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The Forest Service.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H144B261A07D44D919486D9EFD28479CB"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The Bureau of Land Management.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H2E3A586393DB4EDEBF8973E2561C9B03"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The National Park Service.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H716AB282A7174361BAA6D11AFD9256B6"><enum>(D)</enum><text>The Bureau of Indian Affairs.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H6CA8B7960B634A4CB5439E1116F4B4A5"><enum>(E)</enum><text>The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H53288F9270AB45E7A62C834838DAC3B6"><enum>(F)</enum><text>The U.S. Geological Survey.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H97555749FDF543578BF82895713C94D6"><enum>(G)</enum><text>The Department of Defense.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HCBE15273584249068EB06A74517E890F"><enum>(H)</enum><text>The Department of Homeland Security.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H9A3AD16D059F4B658101A314BF8FEDD2"><enum>(I)</enum><text>The Department of Energy.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H6ACCFED9032E4A73822EC85971BB5C38"><enum>(J)</enum><text>The Federal Emergency Management Agency.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HBF028ECCEF394079B003FC9F9F403A7D"><enum>(K)</enum><text>The National Science Foundation.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HA009CD7204D74DCD9445A00F178E8640"><enum>(L)</enum><text>The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HBBF8AF33C2694E489ADE39D7B325F87B"><enum>(M)</enum><text>The National Aeronautics and Space Administration.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H61A7FDEFE5A146279DBC576C54878F35"><enum>(N)</enum><text>The National Institute of Standards and Technology.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H4290D58287144DC8AC0ED647E7A0C2A9"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Director</header><text>The Secretary, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, and the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, shall jointly appoint a Director of the Center, who—</text>
<subparagraph id="HBC3972DCB8964241B3A90F357987DB6D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>shall be an employee of the U.S. Geological Survey or the Forest Service; </text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HB349652200674DFF8F85B2DB9DE41482"><enum>(B)</enum><text>shall serve an initial term of not more than 7 years; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HF0060975FDDA4E0DBACC8131AB3F74A6"><enum>(C)</enum><text>may serve one additional term of not more than 7 years after the initial term described in subparagraph (B).</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H511EA25A4E09488397983CE9352E7BC2"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Additional representation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service and the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, may jointly appoint additional representatives of Federal agencies to the Center, as the Secretaries determine necessary.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HF06A7403A3C44873BEBA4AE10BFADCD9" commented="no"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Purposes</header><text>The purposes of the Center are to—</text> <paragraph id="HD21A50FADC2D40FB86BDDCCAD60BCB0A" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>comprehensively assess and predict, using data tools (including artificial intelligence) and other decision support products, fire and smoke in the wildland and built environment interface across jurisdictions to inform—</text>
<subparagraph id="HC4FCCF366B6844B6AFE32F9E49D3C755" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>land and fuels management;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HD2D36E8BA6E74D00A2735093E2E4E71E" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>community (including at-risk communities identified in fireshed assessments conducted under section 105), public health, and built environment risk reduction; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H08B36EB65E1F4C1591CFE86DC7395B0A" commented="no"><enum>(C)</enum><text>fire response and post-fire recovery;</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H2C5682D376B84FD293194B3E2A926EB6" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text>provide data aggregation, real-time land and fuels management services, and science-based decision support services;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H553BF18DE44C4616B2C6D69D4A6C92EF" commented="no"><enum>(3)</enum><text>reduce fragmentation and duplication across Federal land management agencies with respect to predictive service and decision support functions related to wildland fire and smoke;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA7A82DB933864C5C82A8EC4563A15255" commented="no"><enum>(4)</enum><text>promote coordination and sharing of data regarding wildland fire and smoke decision making between Federal agencies, States, Indian Tribes, local governments, academic or research institutions, and private entities;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H9CD5896AAE5448209733EBDBC0C44B3D" commented="no"><enum>(5)</enum><text>streamline procurement processes and cybersecurity systems related to addressing wildland fire and smoke;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H2C15290DCDF041B5865B23719EFD83F8" commented="no"><enum>(6)</enum><text>amplify and distribute existing, and develop as necessary, publicly accessible data, models, technologies (including mapping technologies), assessments, and National Weather Service fire weather forecasts to support short- and long-term planning regarding wildland fire and smoke risk reduction and post-fire recovery while avoiding duplicative efforts; </text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H4FFD9BA5D5E34B7B984E007568D8055D" commented="no"><enum>(7)</enum><text>maintain the Fireshed Registry established under section 103; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H711D9C2332AF4F66BE284250C3BCD39D"><enum>(8)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">disseminate data tools (including artificial intelligence) and other decision support products, for use in manners consistent with the purposes described paragraphs (1) through (7), to the following:</text>
<subparagraph id="HCF3E4C5C9A484701B063944593B8BF5A"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Federal agencies.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H8E7DDF29EA5444BB9CE92FA25A204E7F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Indian Tribes.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H896D784B47384F1B995D09F181D9ED57"><enum>(C)</enum><text>State and local governments.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H0B7297D2019741558792361A331F10C2"><enum>(D)</enum><text>Academic or research institutions.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HD71B615A639A4861A84254A408774B36"><enum>(E)</enum><text>Other entities, public or private, identified by the Director.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HF2A0DB444E5749A989C98E9692B31A0C"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Memoranda of understanding</header><text>The Center may enter into memorandums of understanding, contracts, or other agreements with State governments, Indian Tribes, local governments, academic or research institutions, and private entities to improve the information and operations of the Center.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H6825CB04055640BFB094E203FB84F826" commented="no"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Administrative support, technical services, and staff support</header>
<paragraph id="HA6700A5FDAFB472D9C2E116DD3D5366C" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><header>USGS support</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary of the Interior shall make personnel of the U.S. Geological Survey available to the Center for such administrative support, technical services, and development and dissemination of data as the Secretary determines necessary to carry out this section.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H52AA356E8B9B418AAB73CB8973453C50" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><header>USFS support</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary shall make personnel of the Forest Service available to the Center for such administrative support, technical services, and the development and dissemination of information related to fireshed management and the Fireshed Registry as the Secretary determines necessary to carry out this section.</text></paragraph></subsection></section>
<section id="H7CE617896C7C4643BCE3F343FC4AE267"><enum>103.</enum><header>Fireshed registry</header>
<subsection id="H22DEA97F4BC6473E8362385EA9A9A0A5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Fireshed registry</header><text>The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Fireshed Center appointed under section 102, shall maintain a Fireshed Registry on a publicly accessible website that provides interactive geospatial data on individual firesheds, including information on—</text> <paragraph id="H921F5241BF94428FA0FADED4609B7D77"><enum>(1)</enum><text>wildfire exposure delineated by ownership, including rights-of-way for utilities and other public or private purposes;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H23B468E8638F4F01931F6B218F91C4D4"><enum>(2)</enum><text>any hazardous fuels management activities that have occurred within an individual fireshed in the past 10 years;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H21728CE798AD4BEBBDE717702DDD706F"><enum>(3)</enum><text>wildfire exposure with respect to such fireshed delineated by—</text>
<subparagraph id="H46982660AF7445DF989722CFF2B0374F"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">wildfire exposure and corresponding risk to communities, including risk to structures and life;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HB3A81C85C431440E884446CC0ED48824"><enum>(B)</enum><text>wildfire exposure and corresponding risk to municipal watersheds, including tribal water supplies and systems; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H0A477C6819414695AC71FE7A9B791352"><enum>(C)</enum><text>risk of forest conversion due to wildfire;</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF5CD52CE174E4BDC9B7F869EB4D5A9D2"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the percentage of the fireshed that has burned in wildfires in the past 10 years, including, to the extent practicable, delineations of acres that have burned at a high severity;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H43B4AFE90FA94E48883A621C95BBA11B"><enum>(5)</enum><text>spatial patterns of wildfire exposure, including plausible extreme fire events; and </text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H6D5D23616A3A472DBF92114327113ACE"><enum>(6)</enum><text>any hazardous fuels management activities planned for the fireshed, including fireshed management projects.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HE03A16AC63E04DA08D00973A1BE1C3B3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Community Wildfire Protection Plans</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Director shall make data from the Fireshed Registry available to local communities developing or updating community wildfire protection plans.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HC1BA1F32B1E647E29DBF7D04B7E40109"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Requirement to maintain</header><text>As part of the website containing the Fireshed Registry, the Director shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H3AFA007B7EB44901A3D37ABCA8A283F6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>publish fireshed assessments created under section 105; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HC9528EEC080E49249960439435B237DC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>maintain a searchable database to track—</text>
<subparagraph id="H7EE494D741144C77BEFBB191E58E9EDD"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the status of Federal environmental reviews, permits, and authorizations for fireshed management projects, including—</text> <clause id="HC7295B2302614730BFA561373F032AE1"><enum>(i)</enum><text>a comprehensive permitting timetable;</text></clause>
<clause id="H67204198BC0749898492DBCD222861E7"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the status of the compliance of each lead agency, cooperating agency, and participating agency with the permitting timetable with respect to such fireshed management projects;</text></clause> <clause id="HE67DB190888841DFB1A6D1CDCD10A529"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>any modifications of the permitting timetable required under clause (i), including an explanation as to why the permitting timetable was modified; and</text></clause>
<clause id="HA63436A3B0AF4730AE9EA8A9E23DA40F"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>information about project-related public meetings, public hearings, and public comment periods, which shall be presented in English and the predominant language of the community or communities most affected by the project, as that information becomes available;</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HC6A87383A1C541128E8AD94E989BD146"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the projected cost of such fireshed management projects; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HF259E39F96674CDBA6AB85EA5FEF5F23" commented="no"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in the case of completed fireshed management projects, the effectiveness of such projects in reducing the wildfire exposure within an applicable fireshed, including wildfire exposure described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of subsection (a)(3).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H54F212FD4D02458B9CA86D649AC4E570"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Reliance on existing assessments</header><text>In carrying out this section, the Director may rely on assessments completed or data gather through existing partnerships, to the extent practicable.</text></subsection></section>
<section id="HA48095DACDDF41698687942AFE4F3983"><enum>104.</enum><header>Shared stewardship</header>
<subsection id="HC3671A2805494F61B14620F61A947952"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Joint agreements</header><text>Not later than 90 days after receiving a written request from a Governor of a State or an Indian Tribe, the Secretary concerned shall enter into a shared stewardship agreement (or similar agreement) with such Governor or Indian Tribe to jointly—</text> <paragraph id="H299013F2BE30412295A0DEC369BC7686"><enum>(1)</enum><text>promote the reduction of wildfire exposure, based on the criteria in section 101(a)(1)(B), in fireshed management areas across jurisdictional boundaries; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HDFB846B260FF41D19A718590533AAC69"><enum>(2)</enum><text>conduct fireshed assessments under section 105.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H4D25F5D117104C4BB76759B6302D5FBE"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Additional fireshed management areas</header><text>With respect to a shared stewardship agreement (or similar agreement) with a Governor of a State or an Indian Tribe entered into under subsection (a), the Secretary concerned, if requested by such Governor or Indian Tribe, may—</text>
<paragraph id="H3D57C3ED70164CF38A0BFECD733127A4"><enum>(1)</enum><text>designate additional fireshed management areas under such agreement; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H78FF29C6D8434F13A37494A93C828E0E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>update such agreement to address new wildfire threats.</text></paragraph></subsection></section>
<section id="H32189EFDDD484B238996C6AA7545915C"><enum>105.</enum><header>Fireshed assessments</header>
<subsection id="HC68AAF55D9BA4D03B8BF0929D8CBC000"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Fireshed assessments</header>
<paragraph id="H5EF149A0E8044639A7E52C97EB678640"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Secretary concerned enters into an agreement with a Governor of a State or an Indian Tribe under section 104, the Secretary concerned and such Governor or Indian Tribe shall, with respect to the fireshed management areas designated in such State, jointly conduct a fireshed assessment that—</text> <subparagraph id="HAE3EAB624A4B43F1BE0BA9793B44B9B9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>identifies—</text>
<clause id="H37FE04ADF3D540DFBF985068BC624392"><enum>(i)</enum><text>using the best available science, wildfire exposure risks within each such fireshed management area, including scenario planning and wildfire hazard mapping and models; and</text></clause> <clause id="H4581420FF9274732B37C8FBC81D164EE"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>each at-risk community within each fireshed management area;</text></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HEB33C939FA73421F850D78C32DCDE36F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>identifies potential fireshed management projects to be carried out in such fireshed management areas, giving priority—</text> <clause id="HC020C3C68CE146F09009FF901D4BF8A3"><enum>(i)</enum><text>primarily, to projects with the purpose of reducing—</text>
<subclause id="HC4E0EEC17C3D41A283F3164D8FB71174"><enum>(I)</enum><text>wildfire exposure and corresponding risk to communities, including risk to structures and life;</text></subclause> <subclause id="H6CC4FC5E28CE440EB610B2FB3C2A2F27"><enum>(II)</enum><text>wildfire exposure and corresponding risk to municipal watersheds, including tribal water supplies and systems;</text></subclause>
<subclause id="HF2FC427E9D894A49868F4358B0776FD2"><enum>(III)</enum><text>risk of forest conversion due to wildfire; or</text></subclause> <subclause id="HF755E72FA1B845E2AE9C79F9F6E63531"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>any combination of purposes described in subclauses (I) through (III); and</text></subclause></clause>
<clause id="H23C942D5AC2E4B92B456730FFEB5D1F9"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>secondarily, to projects with the purpose of protecting—</text> <subclause id="H39816258120B4E6D9F230000B3E2C6EF"><enum>(I)</enum><text>critical infrastructure, including utility infrastructure;</text></subclause>
<subclause id="H8C6CF9B0CD6F4903B82E67AE3441569F"><enum>(II)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">wildlife habitats, including habitat for species listed under the Endangered Species Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1531">16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.</external-xref>);</text></subclause> <subclause id="H6393BFC2B81F4CD9B6AB73B8D78DFD0B"><enum>(III)</enum><text>the built environment, including residential and commercial buildings;</text></subclause>
<subclause id="H0AFC40F4D72943F18AB4A7847E7C50D2"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>resources of an Indian Tribe, as defined by the Indian Tribe; or</text></subclause> <subclause id="H16DA845EBFE244EDA232382654328EB9"><enum>(V)</enum><text>any combination of purposes described in subclauses (I) through (IV);</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H505184D5DECC40DD9571E47CDED59524"><enum>(C)</enum><text>includes—</text> <clause id="HA5FE5248E030467BB01C3BABFDA5AA3C"><enum>(i)</enum><text>a strategy for reducing the threat of wildfire to at-risk communities in the wildland-urban interface on both Federal and non-Federal land;</text></clause>
<clause id="HCED0A12ED537404ABA3B4B63FE96656E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a timeline for the implementation of fireshed management projects; </text></clause> <clause id="H0581129ED7DF4E31B842B5EA49091E72"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">long-term benchmark goals for the completion of fireshed management projects in the highest wildfire exposure areas so that such projects contribute to the development and maintenance of healthy and resilient landscapes; </text></clause>
<clause id="HC87ADF78234C4C7F95789DF1B64613B9"><enum>(iv)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">policies to ensure fireshed management projects comply with applicable forest plans and incorporate the best available science; and</text></clause> <clause id="H1AA3C449270443AA99DE79F58C25DC60"><enum>(v)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a strategy for reducing the threat of wildfire to improve the effectiveness of wildland firefighting, particularly the effectiveness of fuels treatments that would improve wildland firefighter safety during wildfires; </text></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HE158725A7E4748DD80D5EEFE77019E0A"><enum>(D)</enum><text>shall be regularly updated based on the best available science, as determined by the Secretary concerned; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H5DEF195AB51E4C139622F65CF46BD488"><enum>(E)</enum><text>shall be publicly available on a website maintained by the Secretary concerned.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H765B126EBC8144E286C21B771DCCDEB6"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Local government participation</header><text>Upon the written request of a local government, the Secretary concerned and the Governor of the State in which the local government is located may allow such local government to participate in producing the fireshed assessment under paragraph (1) for such State.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H6AB94278A70445DD8CA30C2EC624CE59"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Information improvement</header> <subparagraph id="HEB58D7D7F5294C39B6AFF94DCBF594F3"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Memorandums of understanding</header><text>In carrying out a fireshed assessment under this subsection, the Secretary concerned may enter into memorandums of understanding with other Federal agencies or departments (including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), States, Indian Tribes, private entities, or research or educational institutions to improve, with respect to such assessment, the use and integration of—</text>
<clause id="HEF135E4F7AF44A86B83BC5332BFBB0E3"><enum>(i)</enum><text>advanced remote sensing and geospatial technologies;</text></clause> <clause id="H3E41BC2B8BA1418088BC738094FC083F"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>statistical modeling and analysis; or</text></clause>
<clause id="H7B280A12A4D8431C87C4CE2FE43491D4"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>any other technology or combination of technologies and analyses that the Secretary concerned determines will benefit the quality of information of such an assessment.</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H9A9D5F9A461E4BA3B3150EABF6E76C97"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Best available science</header><text>In using the best available science for the fireshed assessments completed under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary concerned and Governor shall, to the maximum extent practicable, incorporate—</text>
<clause id="H53E5503BC55E4C378EA6485BB50F0793"><enum>(i)</enum><text>traditional ecological knowledge from Indian Tribes;</text></clause> <clause id="H494CBD4F1B5640BE852D5B1CAA56E603"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>data from State forest action plans and State wildfire risk assessments;</text></clause>
<clause id="HED579738B8D8482784F1DBE4615F3B9B"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>data from the Fireshed Registry maintained under section 103; and</text></clause> <clause id="HFF295BD3CC374F60845FDD462279C401"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>data from other Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments or agencies.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H3E376A95EA0042179387A70212E3033D"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Applicability of NEPA</header><text>Fireshed assessments conducted under this section shall not be subject to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/4321">42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.</external-xref>).</text></subsection></section> <section id="HF523D8F08D2345C18F9A9EA547810867"><enum>106.</enum><header>Emergency fireshed management</header> <subsection id="H6EA02B4EA43541B59F26425CDB942FC4"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Fireshed management projects</header> <paragraph id="H7967E82237C648B68785504984D1A2B7"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary concerned, acting through a responsible official, shall carry out fireshed management projects in fireshed management areas designated under section 101 in accordance with this section.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H963C69ADA05347ECAC96F7E2148B5DEC"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Fireshed management projects</header><text>The responsible official shall carry out the following forest and vegetation management activities as fireshed management projects under this section:</text> <subparagraph id="H1FCF918EB9DA4EFAA9E797C1C492D32C"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Conducting hazardous fuels management activities.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HA594DD0D35114CE99F68A27459B315A7"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Creating fuel breaks and fire breaks.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HA74772671BBA4D0D85E02476C69F369A"><enum>(C)</enum><text>Removing hazard trees, dead trees, dying trees, or trees at risk of dying, as determined by the responsible official.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HD0D6AFA20D9C454F9A0E79840428FF07"><enum>(D)</enum><text>Developing, approving, or conducting routine maintenance under a vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plan submitted under section 512(c)(1) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/43/1772">43 U.S.C. 1772(c)(1)</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H680E4CC9A0A34B9895AA746A970C8A0B"><enum>(E)</enum><text>Removing trees to address overstocking or crowding in a forest stand, consistent with the appropriate basal area of the forest stand as determined by the responsible official.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HDE2A6ABEAFC7473CB62653FF7665D150"><enum>(F)</enum><text>Using chemical or re-seeding and planting treatments to address insects and disease and control vegetation competition or invasive species.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HAC1CD8549D8A4C8DA0017BF0DB6C1126"><enum>(G)</enum><text>Any activities recommended by an applicable fireshed assessment carried out under section 105.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HB8D889AF854E40D1960ACB7FB2CFD72C"><enum>(H)</enum><text>Any activities recommended by an applicable community wildfire protection plan.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H7ABCABE7B1D04655A55EC6E2D96A25E0"><enum>(I)</enum><text>Any combination of activities described in this paragraph.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H1C5F22BFB43F4A8CBA330918C8902EFC"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Emergency fireshed management</header>
<subparagraph id="HD46F00EE2B544EC4AADD64CC99E27AC2"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>For any fireshed management area designated under section 101, the following shall have the force and effect of law:</text> <clause id="H4C31C0511D134C79B0F6D1A84795E2AB"><enum>(i)</enum><text>Section 220.4(b) of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act), with respect to lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary.</text></clause>
<clause id="H4947B860FD8F4E89ACE9365137BB6AFB"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>Section 46.150 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act), with respect to lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior.</text></clause> <clause id="H3923B85393AE4F1F8D5E4BE4F7770155"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>Section 402.05 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act).</text></clause>
<clause id="HFAA0BE8C0BF047F0AC2D835F6D58B253"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>Section 800.12 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act).</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H5701644D93624C61AA2A9BBC190CE028"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Utilization of existing streamlined authorities in fireshed management areas</header> <clause id="H2F1AE8B87B574B40B0E71AC6465B7F16"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Fireshed management projects carried out under this section shall be considered authorized projects under the following categorical exclusions:</text>
<subclause id="HA5664E8C45D34BBA803D71E7CB432154"><enum>(I)</enum><text>Section 603(a) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6591b">16 U.S.C. 6591b(a)</external-xref>).</text></subclause> <subclause id="H7462C55F96494302A868F87639E43AF8"><enum>(II)</enum><text>Section 605(a) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6591d">16 U.S.C. 6591d(a)</external-xref>).</text></subclause>
<subclause id="HC8F15039632B4187B4987A8B3A4BC0C2"><enum>(III)</enum><text>Section 606(b) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6591e">16 U.S.C. 6591e(b)</external-xref>).</text></subclause> <subclause id="HB23C8CDF05FB4BD79CC3B66394161257"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>Section 40806(b) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6592b">16 U.S.C. 6592b(b)</external-xref>).</text></subclause>
<subclause id="HF243BDD631F242219C6513C34C1A6F78"><enum>(V)</enum><text>Section 4(c)(4) of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/106/506">Public Law 106–506</external-xref>; 114 Stat. 2353). </text></subclause> <subclause id="HBF33CDA0EB324FA78EC3BA532050DD28"><enum>(VI)</enum><text>Subject to subsection (d) of section 40807 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6592c">16 U.S.C. 6592c</external-xref>) in the same manner as authorized emergency actions (as defined in subsection (a) of such section) are subject to such subsection.</text></subclause></clause>
<clause id="HD90282ADC29A49A6B491E70FF49F03D1"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Use of expedited authorities</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In carrying out a fireshed management project, the Secretary shall apply a categorical exclusion under clause (i)—</text> <subclause id="H7B8652A5F29D416BBC4176FEA5AC6285"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in a manner consistent with the statute establishing such categorical exclusion; and</text></subclause>
<subclause id="HA5D410E4B0DC4E22B0EBC86F5D462A3F"><enum>(II)</enum><text>in any area—</text> <item id="H19F877581B2E4022813F24B298195138"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>designated as suitable for timber production within the applicable forest plan; or </text></item>
<item id="HF9256D9BF23C4740B6EA2BAC487DEF52"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>where timber harvest activities are not prohibited.</text></item></subclause></clause> <clause id="HF7F97A7D84CC474289A21D46ACC67CE5" commented="no"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Fiscal Responsibility Act requirements</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In carrying out this section, the Secretary concerned shall ensure compliance with the amendments made to the National Environmental Policy Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/4321">42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.</external-xref>) by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/118/5">Public Law 118–5</external-xref>). </text></clause>
<clause id="H63D0762265264B20B6A1CE954F436814"><enum>(iv)</enum><header>Use of other authorities</header><text>To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary concerned shall use the authorities provided under this section in combination with other authorities to carry out fireshed management projects, including—</text> <subclause id="HDDD7701E1A184E1B9F1B291F4D588A52"><enum>(I)</enum><text>good neighbor agreements entered into under section 8206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/2113a">16 U.S.C. 2113a</external-xref>) (as amended by this Act); </text></subclause>
<subclause id="HF37072AEAFD14977ACB53FDF587D3A90"><enum>(II)</enum><text>stewardship contracting projects entered into under section 604 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6591c">16 U.S.C. 6591c</external-xref>) (as amended by this Act);</text></subclause> <subclause id="HC4EA6AA9367C4C069DDD342DDC835933"><enum>(III)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">self-determination contracts and self-governance compact agreements entered into under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/25/5301">25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.</external-xref>); and</text></subclause>
<subclause id="H88B84940458D48088970FF33858B8245"><enum>(IV)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">agreements entered into under the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/25/3115a">25 U.S.C. 3115a et seq.</external-xref>).</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H98FC94A8F34245568FBE7DB51D836643"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Expansion</header> <paragraph id="H67394F9F9D0949E49841894F84A04A60"><enum>(1)</enum><header>HFRA amendments</header><text>The Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 is amended—</text>
<subparagraph id="H7D72E6EA4C7E497999D181D8E1F306A5"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in section 3 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6502">16 U.S.C. 6502</external-xref>), by inserting at the end the following:</text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="H82398C785F92490283CE5946CE6F1AC2" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <paragraph id="HEFBF944C9E12421D8971D13DC3586808"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Local Government</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>local government</term> means a county, municipality, or special district.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H15DBD6A6FBEB4755AB69680575243FE6"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Special District</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>special district</term> means a political subdivision of a State that—</text> <subparagraph id="H1018A63CA4234E829AD583E1C2377923"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">has significant budgetary autonomy or control;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HF807A548AB9E48DFBF3DB17B3080BBF7"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">was created by or pursuant to the laws of the State for the purpose of performing a limited and specific governmental or proprietary function; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HFC09ADAD037A4340B7F2FA23C58C5FB3"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">is distinct from any other local government unit within the State.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H8A8E6CB59E4A44D78C1EE3F3A7262E14"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in section 603(c)(1) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6591b">16 U.S.C. 6591b(c)(1)</external-xref>), by striking <quote>3000 acres</quote> and inserting <quote>10,000 acres</quote>; </text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HC073D72393594A3D924E5612E79B988D"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in section 603(c)(2)(B) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6591b">16 U.S.C. 6591b(c)(2)(B)</external-xref>), by striking <quote>Fire Regime Groups I, II, or III</quote> and inserting <quote>Fire Regime I, Fire Regime II, Fire Regime III, Fire Regime IV, or Fire Regime V</quote>;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H963EFC6A19A940C58D6970FF1DCBC8D0"><enum>(D)</enum><text>in section 605(c)(1) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6591d">16 U.S.C. 6591d(c)(1)</external-xref>), by striking <quote>3000 acres</quote> and inserting <quote>10,000 acres</quote>; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H2382DBA5EB544DFA80415E71E3F38E2E"><enum>(E)</enum><text>in section 606(g) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6591e">16 U.S.C. 6591e(g)</external-xref>), by striking <quote>4,500 acres</quote> and inserting <quote>10,000 acres</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H705B1EF71FF54B86B21889090CBB124E"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act amendment</header><text>Section 40806(d)(1) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6592b">16 U.S.C. 6592b(d)(1)</external-xref>), by striking <quote>3,000 acres</quote> and inserting <quote>10,000 acres</quote>.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H18837BAD1A9945AA85A9618A775EBDD2"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Lake Tahoe Restoration Act amendments</header><text>Section 4(c)(4)(C) of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/106/506">Public Law 106–506</external-xref>; 114 Stat. 2353) is amended—</text>
<subparagraph id="H83F94D0BD2F44FFB8F82B64BB4F779FA"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit</quote>; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H08060788B4A948148E169B2BE7977970"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>applicable to the area</quote> before the period at the end. </text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section>
<section id="HD2D08E697074469F818138B9B654A58A"><enum>107.</enum><header>Sunset</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The authority under this subtitle shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act. </text></section></subtitle> <subtitle id="H42E2BB79CBA943E180ABB5338DA2D812"><enum>B</enum><header>Expanding Collaborative Tools to Reduce Wildfire Risk and Improve Forest Health</header> <section id="HF52CB5DD150A4136A90FCAB79D1C33F5"><enum>111.</enum><header>Modification of the treatment of certain revenue and payments under good neighbor agreements</header> <subsection id="HC6CA9BDBEAF34687B2DA293C65EF59C9"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Good neighbor authority</header><text>Section 8206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/2113a">16 U.S.C. 2113a</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H21A493B1FB1541D7B2997C4F4FF711BB"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a)(6), by striking <quote>or Indian tribe</quote>; </text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H3B1619C1DB0540979D0704CB006FFA4B"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (a), by inserting the following:</text>
<quoted-block style="OLC" id="HC4FD80106DBE410ABE2E64FBDA198A06" display-inline="no-display-inline">
<paragraph id="H1890587B5658464581935E71A298CE01"><enum>(11)</enum><header>Special District</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>special district</term> means a political subdivision of a State that—</text> <subparagraph id="HAEF3D5A170C0490B9E04FE3FEC8C67E7"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">has significant budgetary autonomy or control;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HB88184458AD14B80A07306C203FADD09"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">was created by or pursuant to the laws of the State for the purpose of performing a limited and specific governmental or proprietary function; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H49E700A2CEBD41128733DC7BE69337BC"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">is distinct from any other local government unit within the State.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HFB9F509A529547BA95CCB4AC0B8821E9"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in subsection (b)—</text> <subparagraph id="H12141750E9F249B1A6F8E3F4D86BCB0D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting <quote>, Indian tribe, special district,</quote> after <quote>Governor</quote>;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H94F1DA52EDC34846A239BAEF248535CC"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)(C)—</text> <clause id="H66B4B5D003D84ACF9C41234DA2CB1DF1"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by striking clause (i) and inserting the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="H03A02236E6204AF488862F47AE367119" style="OLC">
<clause id="H988D037976714E0A86C08B32840B77FE"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Funds received from the sale of timber or forest product by a Governor, an Indian tribe, a special district, or a county under a good neighbor agreement shall be retained and used by the Governor, Indian tribe, special district, or county, as applicable—</text> <subclause id="HE5362F52B1234E80BAF7D99D44033F42"><enum>(I)</enum><text>to carry out authorized restoration services under the good neighbor agreement; </text></subclause>
<subclause id="H6CA75AD1527B41E48AD1416F286907D6"><enum>(II)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to carry out reconstruction, repair, and restoration of non-National Forest System roads necessary to implement projects on Federal lands; </text></subclause> <subclause id="H16B6E24265604451930465B58AF973AB"><enum>(III)</enum><text>to construct new permanent roads on Federal lands that are—</text>
<item id="H30CAB20DF0A142F0BCC5731B99FBC92F"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>necessary to implement authorized restoration activities; and</text></item> <item id="H0D78D3EA2C8046BDA153D7D46D5625F7"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>approved by the Federal agency through an environmental analysis or categorical exclusion decision; </text></item></subclause>
<subclause id="H98FCB12B8B7B4238BC964B04B48C6823"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>to complete new permanent road construction to replace and decommission an existing permanent road that is adversely impacting forest, rangeland, or watershed health; and</text></subclause> <subclause id="H1E54F3E0D32A4C868F8194AC00092E1B"><enum>(V)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">if there are funds remaining after carrying out subclauses (I) through (IV), to carry out authorized restoration services under other good neighbor agreements and for the administration of a good neighbor authority program by a Governor, Indian tribe, special district, or county.</text></subclause></clause><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause>
<clause id="HAD94721B48AD46909150DBFE837E5E7F"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in clause (ii), by striking <quote>2024</quote> and inserting <quote>2029</quote>;</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H2746DD91ED1A4AF7A680B2FDAF59BE7F"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in paragraph (3), by inserting <quote>, Indian tribe, special district,</quote> after <quote>Governor</quote>; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HF398DC531CB94CB8876A1050B40188E4"><enum>(D)</enum><text>by striking paragraph (4).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H4363F71711BE4721BD4437A14D2ADC88"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header><text>Section 8206(a) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/2113a">16 U.S.C. 2113a(a)</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="HA6D5EA857CC24A6DA948D416692FC699"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting <quote>, Indian tribe, special district,</quote> after <quote>Governor</quote>; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H0E39D8FD80444192A11D63A668404D81"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (5), by inserting <quote>, Indian tribe, special district,</quote> after <quote>Governor</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HCFE80C0D44A34202A3ACC0E7EEF45ED7"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this section apply to any project initiated pursuant to a good neighbor agreement (as defined in section 8206(a) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/2113a">16 U.S.C. 2113a(a)</external-xref>))—</text> <paragraph id="H769B183337664891A0BBC634B817446D"><enum>(1)</enum><text>before the date of enactment of this Act, if the project was initiated after the date of enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/334">Public Law 115–334</external-xref>; 132 Stat. 4490); or</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H5CB55120C9284EE6B6FB87DED219C0AF"><enum>(2)</enum><text>on or after the date of enactment of this Act. </text></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="HF635969B4F3243518309587B09734DA8"><enum>112.</enum><header>Fixing stewardship end result contracting</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 604 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6591c">16 U.S.C. 6591c</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H57EE948BBEFC406B825B7EA9FD02FD26"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (b), by inserting <quote>, including retaining and expanding existing forest products infrastructure</quote> before the period at the end;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H77411A59DFE7481C9AC25355F21A5DFA"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (d)(3)(B), by striking <quote>10 years</quote> and inserting <quote>20 years</quote>; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H75B5B813663041829EC43F4AA9B8763A"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in subsection (h), by adding at the end the following:</text> <quoted-block id="H80165A463B2A4ABAAC2AF9FB889B4187" style="OLC"> <paragraph id="H72B0B871208B47E7ADA80FC1A6FE66FD"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Special rule for long-term stewardship contracts</header> <subparagraph id="HC170B768069C4424970B01F4EB011799"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>A long-term agreement or contract entered into with an entity under subsection (b) by the Chief or the Director shall provide that in the case of the cancellation or termination by the Chief or the Director of such long-term agreement or contract, the Chief or the Director, as applicable, shall provide 10 percent of the agreement or contract amount to such entity as cancellation or termination costs.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H1D1BF8A580A24142BEB2AAA8F146DC26"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Definition of long-term agreement or contract</header><text>In this paragraph, the term <term>long-term agreement or contract</term> means an agreement or contract under subsection (b)—</text> <clause id="HBC1367A119EA4A31B7A67BE18A791E95"><enum>(i)</enum><text>with a term of more than 5 years; and</text></clause>
<clause id="H3979B3D0E9A8482E83FDD61D01D394B0"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>entered into on or after the date of the enactment of this paragraph.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section> <section id="H6686722C4C804FE2A2F0C7DF35BB680F"><enum>113.</enum><header>Intra-agency strike teams</header> <subsection id="H39894D359A9243ECBDDFA29E50EF787A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text>The Secretary concerned shall establish intra-agency strike teams to assist the Secretary concerned with—</text>
<paragraph id="H04087ECD3FB240448A3E5F236D77484A"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any reviews, including analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/4321">42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.</external-xref>), consultations under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/470">16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.</external-xref>), and consultations under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1531">16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.</external-xref>), with the intent to accelerate and streamline interagency consultation processes;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF4963068E0BC4B60A1DF329F9B4C3976"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the implementation of any necessary site preparation work in advance of or as part of a fireshed management project;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HA369FCBF41DD4138BAAA7A3D1A709180"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the implementation of fireshed management projects under such section; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H7E421A4CE14448DC83F0CBEB8AEEA9C9"><enum>(4)</enum><text>any combination of purposes under paragraphs (1) through (3).</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H39C051A8031A406A8D93E57EAC90DD3D"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Members</header><text>The Secretary concerned may appoint not more than 10 individuals to serve on an intra-agency strike team comprised of—</text> <paragraph id="H9E1C1337171E4F0F9BAA65912BA24ABA"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">employees of the Department under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H2B291B24689640CC98377B4C5DDFB4FA"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">employees of a different Federal agency, with the consent of that agency’s Secretary;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H31A4A6FE2FD64B7BA0F67C269C2A8F02"><enum>(3)</enum><text>private contractors from any nonprofit organization, State government, Indian Tribe, local government, quasi-governmental agency, academic institution, or private organization; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HDC64B1825A8C4FA19E227EF0700F111D"><enum>(4)</enum><text>volunteers from any nonprofit organization, State government, Indian Tribe, local government, quasi-governmental agency, academic institution, or private organization.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H631CD4995E5C4F469017F54382C35D12"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Sunset</header><text>The authority provided under this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section>
<section id="HB0E1E0900A8849C7A69C24C6F379FE25"><enum>114.</enum><header>Locally-led restoration</header>
<subsection id="H134E5B96C6C8455EA01021E60D24BF95"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Threshold adjustment</header><text>Section 14(d) of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/472a">16 U.S.C. 472a(d)</external-xref>) is amended by—</text> <paragraph id="HE32B1A80F52344FC91AB5AE5D5E6EC69"><enum>(1)</enum><text>striking <quote>$10,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$55,000</quote>; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H121645C0C3E3456197F6E59172C90AA1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following: <quote>Beginning on January 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the amount in the first sentence of this subsection shall be adjusted by the Secretary for changes in the Consumer Price Index of All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor.</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H67F0D7C667F9407CA0A8C7541C0978D5"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Fireshed management projects</header><text>Beginning on the date that is 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall solicit bids under section 14 of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/472a">16 U.S.C. 472a(d)</external-xref>) for fireshed management projects under section 106.</text></subsection></section>
<section id="H9E29694479384438AC71712E05986A20"><enum>115.</enum><header>Joint Chiefs landscape restoration partnership program</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 40808 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6592d">16 U.S.C. 6592d</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <paragraph id="HE059F4B0BFEE490290CC687E248E2529"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a)(2)—</text>
<subparagraph id="H10C4DF57CBA84226BBCB87C6912A65BA"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subparagraph (B), by striking <quote>or</quote> at the end;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H73C4056DD8284FC49FF79E4265432D84"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HF35EE11D3FA44BA2B190CE69492117D5"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text> <quoted-block id="H578609B741C24D039F03337DA47E389D" style="OLC"> <subparagraph id="H562D6895889249CB8EA56AA673B465CE"><enum>(D)</enum><text>to recover from wildfires; or</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HCD87B059BAD546E7B041101F50F5DD49"><enum>(E)</enum><text>to enhance soil, water, and related natural resources.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H051850E5D44A460894FB946CAE431F36"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (d)(1)—</text>
<subparagraph id="HCEE8A6D4396A4FCA95C604D6FFB54F62"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subparagraph (A), by inserting <quote>and post-wildfire impacts</quote> after <quote>wildfire risk</quote>; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H41F4F045B5A34779846DF7354FAFFEF1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subparagraph (F), by inserting <quote>, as identified in the corresponding State forest action plan or similar priority plan (such as a State wildlife or water plan)</quote> before the semicolon;</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HF136FE48F1D849F0B693283B4472BA6D"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in subsection (g)(2), by inserting <quote>and at least once every 2 fiscal years thereafter</quote> after <quote>and 2023</quote>; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H1156A70F221F4F3CB39C208698E731BF"><enum>(4)</enum><text>in subsection (h)(1), by striking <quote>and 2023</quote> and inserting <quote>through 2028</quote>.</text></paragraph></section>
<section id="H082E482EE96B4C228EC76DC1A3BD216F"><enum>116.</enum><header>Collaborative forest landscape restoration program</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 4003 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/7303">16 U.S.C. 7303</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <paragraph id="HDA1E957A39ED4BF7BF63BC3C1AD4D482"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (b)(3)—</text>
<subparagraph id="HCEC9ED396FD64DCAB6C2B4635B9B54D9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subparagraph (D), by striking <quote>species;</quote> and inserting <quote>species or pathogens;</quote>;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H35A2C5DB4E904A728E82DF40C6D04534"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subparagraph (G), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H7C1B0E866D554F1FB28DB9C34562D264"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in subparagraph (H), by adding <quote>and</quote> after the semicolon at the end; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H47A0710484294DF1A15C13FB988B57FA"><enum>(D)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="HC4E104D077CB4E6889F3257A57C51F73" style="OLC">
<subparagraph id="HAB9C6B773E01440191D174F0D17705C7"><enum>(I)</enum><text>address standardized monitoring questions and indicators;</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF044E6C5883F4774924D795D30ACB876"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (c)(3)(A)—</text>
<subparagraph id="H1FA19735276744E5ABE7298A10A08E57"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in clause (i), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H36A3BBD28C094BE7B06D8773851B7031"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in clause (ii), by adding <quote>and</quote> at the end; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HAE1352782EE8420B892FFD050531EC49"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text> <quoted-block id="H0D0BF4FF82E746CBB6761F63CFDB6892" style="OLC"> <clause id="HF1293D3913BA4AA6AA4829CEADAFFF73"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>include a plan to provide support to collaborative processes established pursuant to subsection (b)(2);</text></clause><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H22D655F9D1BA4C47B2F424012F7A573E"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in subsection (d)—</text> <subparagraph id="H0FE3A9055C8C42FCBD92E1DD56663DDD"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)—</text>
<clause id="HCF6260AE6B024E8A820E6F798B1C21BD"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in subparagraph (E), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></clause> <clause id="HF434216939C14B0999023AC542204013"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in subparagraph (F), by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></clause>
<clause id="H66BEBB4EB1BF4E7BA1552126B8974C64"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text> <quoted-block id="H7C6A8DD2A20E48A7804FC5F50D913513" style="OLC"> <subparagraph id="H956AB052DBCE4635B5F81D0A2A559B6B"><enum>(G)</enum><text>proposals that seek to use innovative implementation mechanisms, including good neighbor agreements entered into under section 8206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/2113a">16 U.S.C. 2113a</external-xref>);</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HDA24972D1E0C4FB2A835F23BC28F4D15"><enum>(H)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">proposals that seek to remove or treat insects or diseases, including the removal of trees killed by, or infested with, bark beetles in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H3B67C8BEA4B24FCA9892E241E4E5D728"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">proposals that seek to facilitate the sale of firewood and Christmas trees on lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H26DC0A17E85245C4870B401049A1C437"><enum>(J)</enum><text>proposals that seek to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire or increase ecological restoration activities—</text> <clause id="H2156E2D546AA43489CD8A2B0B471F3F9"><enum>(i)</enum><text>within areas across land ownerships, including State, Tribal, and private land; and</text></clause>
<clause id="HA7E633AB71F842649DA63EAAA1C09682"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>within the wildland-urban interface (as defined in section 101 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6511">16 U.S.C. 6511</external-xref>)); and</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H8B78E87E80324500BD65BC44AF921AA6"><enum>(K)</enum><text>proposals that seek to enhance watershed health and drinking water sources.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H37ECC0F955A649EAA96572AEB2B5540D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (3)—</text> <clause id="HCD3395F8DDC34FD0AD7A5089EC507944"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block id="H1C54BC3F3B2642F382DB4C31874CCED0" style="OLC">
<subparagraph id="H02BC21ED04DD44378373B083F36DB9DE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>4 proposals in any 1 region of the National Forest System to be funded during any fiscal year; and</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause> <clause id="HC06BD35898EA4CD1973A02D38A761067"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by striking subparagraph (B); and</text></clause>
<clause id="HA7A1AB0355D54D21B7B40C43B3D95CEC"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B); and</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H22BABE0E47D8403D88F8467E06FCED17"><enum>(4)</enum><text>in subsection (f)(6), by striking <quote>2019 through 2023</quote> and inserting <quote>2023 through 2029</quote>.</text></paragraph></section>
<section id="H55EEBA98C96448C6AD325846AEAB34E4"><enum>117.</enum><header>Utilizing grazing for wildfire risk reduction</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, in coordination with holders of permits to graze livestock on Federal land, shall develop a strategy to increase opportunities to utilize livestock grazing as a wildfire risk reduction strategy, including—</text> <paragraph id="H39944A056A5D4850B0CCAE5D7363FAF4"><enum>(1)</enum><text>completion of reviews (as required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)) to allow permitted grazing on vacant grazing allotments during instances of drought, wildfire, or other natural disasters that disrupt grazing on allotments already permitted;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HB9587B648F5C444C86013ABC91D32ADB"><enum>(2)</enum><text>use of targeted grazing;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H22817FB798914222A84811FA24B1D424"><enum>(3)</enum><text>increased use of temporary permits to promote targeted fuels reduction and reduction of invasive annual grasses;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HDCB48D46563B4321BFF16C3916DFD4C4"><enum>(4)</enum><text>increased use of grazing as a postfire recovery and restoration strategy, where appropriate; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H1A6F359ABB8648BF9BB0FB13529B8C97"><enum>(5)</enum><text>use of all applicable authorities under the law.</text></paragraph></section>
<section id="HBE74386DD5BF4D9A91CDBDB7345A718A"><enum>118.</enum><header>Program to support priority reforestation and restoration projects of Department of the Interior</header>
<subsection id="H486DF185E4CF467CAC375EC407C1410E"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the heads of covered Federal agencies, shall establish a program to provide support for priority projects identified under subsection (c)(2), in accordance with this section.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H44D9BB79987C495081ACF84B59B25872"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Support</header><text>In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary may provide support through—</text>
<paragraph id="H21EF188CA3574452914A824126148E11"><enum>(1)</enum><text>cooperative agreements entered into in accordance with processes established by the Secretary; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H6D5E5AA1681A41E5B90CF8F79CB33FCC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>contracts, including contracts established pursuant to the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/25/5301">25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HE5C09554846048C7B60968A7F9255BBA"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Annual identification of priority projects</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the heads of covered Federal agencies, shall—</text> <paragraph id="H87D654BAC500485BA798C6880BDE0AED"><enum>(1)</enum><text>identify lands of the United States administered by, or under the jurisdiction of, the Secretary of the Interior that require reforestation and restoration due to unplanned disturbances and that are unlikely to experience natural regeneration without assistance; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H2804AC11F9B3457B893D0097652A184C"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">establish a list of priority projects for reforestation and restoration for the upcoming year, which may include activities to ensure adequate and appropriate seed and seedling availability to further the objectives of other priority projects.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HF92A037281CD4B3FA3D891220C3438C6"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Consultation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In carrying out the program under subsection (a) and the requirements under subsection (c), the Secretary shall consult or collaborate with, as appropriate, and inform the following:</text>
<paragraph id="H71A78C1850A9461DB760E59C092D43A3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>State and local governments.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA57AB28EDCA1480FA13CB92A6C78F2DE"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Indian Tribes.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HCB3F055D48C24421B41E739607B6B67F"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Covered institutions of higher education.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HB03309FF47F1497D98E129E2E4530979"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Federal agencies that administer lands of the United States that adjoin or are proximal to lands that are the subject of priority projects and potential priority projects.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H653A3225A82746CAAA8D4BD4D7FD8BA4"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Other stakeholders, as determined by the Secretary.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HF41E70B3109E43EE9EE437C96E093440"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Annual report</header><text>Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to the relevant Congressional Committees a report that includes the following:</text>
<paragraph id="HD5182292CF834EB8B52FF40D75176D0B"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An accounting of all lands identified under subsection (c)(1) for the period covered by the report.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H858342BBC1AC475195E3A6EDE03D91F8"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A list of priority projects identified under subsection (c)(2) for the period covered by the report and, with respect to each such priority project, any support issued under the program under subsection (a) and any progress made towards reforestation and restoration.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H2EAC4669A81B44AC9C5556066B117CCF"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An accounting of each contract and cooperative agreement established under the program under subsection (a).</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H2A947D4DD0334C63862768EF876DCAFA"><enum>(4)</enum><text>A description of the actions taken in accordance with subsection (d).</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H6AAE17C226A34BA99B0666230FC61259"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Assessments with respect to—</text> <subparagraph id="H3638E3C7C3C44ACBBDBB881D6EC8A14D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>gaps in—</text>
<clause id="H5038E89CFCF841CCA0D1FC65824C1F8F"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the implementation of the program under subsection (a); and</text></clause> <clause id="H5E3C9E1C85C8460298C2682AA5EB1C46"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the progress made under the program with respect to priority projects; and</text></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H61528A165C1947DF9289CB8F1CB8BAA4"><enum>(B)</enum><text>opportunities to procure funding necessary to address any such gaps.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H697DCC3B93A743ABB50B920D15F1B394"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Nonduplication</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In carrying out this section, the Secretary of the Interior shall collaborate with the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Defense to ensure the nonduplication of activities carried out under section 205.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H6778DA1F6D81414BB026878423003446"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Sunset</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The authority provided under this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H359F30921F1549A38FC1718DF068FD6E"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text>
<paragraph id="H4D1D9213FEFA4AD99B2016B935FD96A7"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Covered Federal agency</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <quote>covered Federal agency</quote> means the National Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, or the Bureau of Indian Affairs.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H322A7D36C4704ADDB73C55E4C4243461"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Covered institution of higher education</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <quote>covered institution of higher education</quote> has the meaning given the term <quote>eligible institutions</quote> in section 301(e)(3)).</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HDFCAB35FD8014FBD99F8E540184CE11C"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Natural regeneration; reforestation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The terms <quote>natural regeneration</quote> and <quote>reforestation</quote> have the meanings given such terms in section 3(e)(4)(A) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1601">16 U.S.C. 1601(3)(4)(A)</external-xref>)</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H8454CDFFC0B747BCA64722BAE3EB9D5C"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Restoration</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <quote>restoration</quote> means activities that facilitate the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed, including the reestablishment of appropriate plant species composition and community structure. </text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HFA5FE27F0830463F9D5C282BECD363CB"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Unplanned ecosystem disturbance</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <quote>unplanned ecosystem disturbance</quote> means any unplanned disturbance that disrupts the structure or composition of an ecosystem, including a wildfire, an infestation of insects or disease, and a weather event.</text></paragraph></subsection></section></subtitle> <subtitle id="HA0C159613A684BC7B8609800038E0E2D"><enum>C</enum><header>Litigation Reform</header> <section id="H0AC5BA655E394E868B1D069091FAE660" commented="no"><enum>121.</enum><header>Commonsense litigation reform</header> <subsection id="H5C9BC1DA4C5A40C1BCB9123A6D168F5E" commented="no"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>A court shall not enjoin a covered agency action if the court determines that the plaintiff is unable to demonstrate that the claim of the plaintiff is likely to succeed on the merits.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="HDD3BA9063C8A4B9A8DCC71D757FD0D6B" commented="no"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Balancing short-and long-term effects of covered agency action in considering injunctive relief</header><text>As part of its weighing the equities while considering any request for an injunction that applies to a covered agency action, the court reviewing such action shall balance the impact to the ecosystem likely affected by such action of—</text> <paragraph id="H8FE9C008D44B499D82DE6D4B909E4139" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the short- and long-term effects of undertaking such action; against</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H17824CC2B7DD4A17A01C77AA6D8E86AD" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the short- and long-term effects of not undertaking such action.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H44D83B66FC3747C1BB970C86FD1B182B" commented="no"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Limitations on judicial review</header> <paragraph id="HC686E8645AE14209BCEAAE3856C9416F" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of law (except this section), in the case of a claim arising under Federal law seeking judicial review of a covered agency action—</text>
<subparagraph id="H8224F015493F4F61A6F3C6E429782691" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a court shall not hold unlawful, set aside, or otherwise limit, delay, stay, vacate, or enjoin such agency action unless the court determines that—</text> <clause id="H3DC6CDFB1FD44E118302FBF104A64603" commented="no"><enum>(i)</enum><text>such action poses or will pose a risk of a proximate and substantial environmental harm; and</text></clause>
<clause id="H3E85CE5D98944A70840D1BD923A9EBA6" commented="no"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>there is no other equitable remedy available as a matter of law; and</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H6BD9C1E4C9BA4CFCBC63A48AC09632DF" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>if a court determines that subparagraph (A) does not apply to the covered agency action the only remedy the court may order with regard to such agency action is to remand the matter to the agency with instructions to, during the 180-day period beginning on the date of the order, take such additional actions as may be necessary to redress any legal wrong suffered by, or adverse effect on, the plaintiff, except such additional actions may not include the preparation of a new agency document unless the court finds the agency was required and failed to prepare such agency document.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HE2BC1D23AE2244F7A42E729F6F050E2B" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Effect of remand</header><text>In the case of a covered agency action to which paragraph (1)(B) applies, the agency may—</text> <subparagraph id="HCE102A6C18F64D04AE990F0BF1C8D372" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>continue to carry out such agency action to the extent the action does not impact the additional actions required pursuant to such paragraph; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H3B1E23D417D3460B974EE2975F351588" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>if the agency action relates to an agency document, use any format to correct such document (including a supplemental environmental document, memorandum, or errata sheet).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H108AC3BD51F04627855BC0B80691B97E" commented="no"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Limitations on claims</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of law (except this section), a claim arising under Federal law seeking judicial review of a covered agency action shall be barred unless—</text>
<paragraph id="HB157DEF892D948A79DC70B2A1D91E642" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>with respect to an agency document or the application of a categorical exclusion noticed in the Federal Register, such claim is filed not later than 120 days after the date of publication of a notice in the Federal Register of agency intent to carry out the fireshed management project relating to such agency document or application, unless a shorter period is specified in such Federal law;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HEEF980271F6F49CA997735841E16346B" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in the case of an agency document or the application of a categorical exclusion not described in paragraph (1), such claim is filed not later than 120 days after the date that is the earlier of—</text>
<subparagraph id="H6901336EC264492D949F378913C7DDAF" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the date on which such agency document or application is published; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H2FB050B3EDC54ECCA8A1DD21B2821DD5" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the date on which such agency document or application is noticed; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H285097DA392D40F1BC7B9111F05BA957" commented="no"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in the case of a covered agency action for which there was a public comment period, such claim—</text> <subparagraph id="HFADFD6F0B79D41B58D6291B0953EF4B7" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>is filed by a party that—</text>
<clause id="H6F473511D2E94E04954A983E0CE052E6" commented="no"><enum>(i)</enum><text>participated in the administrative proceedings regarding the fireshed management project relating to such action; and</text></clause> <clause id="HBF84BE11DF464C61A04CC9DBD107B319" commented="no"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>submitted a comment during such public comment period and such comment was sufficiently detailed to put the applicable agency on notice of the issue upon which the party seeks judicial review; and</text></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H9476E29DD08E49909BB0B1B7AF39147A" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>is related to such comment.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HF1CC6355A8BC423F83E4653EF7A6B950" commented="no"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>ln this section:</text>
<paragraph id="H9E22A43E38A4476D9E9DF7DFFDF7841E" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Agency document</header><text>The term <quote>agency document</quote> means, with respect to a fireshed management project, a record of decision, environmental document, or programmatic environmental document.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H7625BBACE9DF4B6A903313C67C916B48" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Covered agency action</header><text>The term <quote>covered agency action</quote> means—</text>
<subparagraph id="HBC9FEE81281149BDAE82A9B1C2CC37B7" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the establishment of a fireshed management project by an agency;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H2DA5CE63A35B479A812FE8E9582B06B0" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the application of a categorical exclusion to a fireshed management project;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H995092F65CBF4071BB5A7BAA679BB4E7" commented="no"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the preparation of any agency document for a fireshed management project; or</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HC542F1CCA0F04376B04D4957F138C647" commented="no"><enum>(D)</enum><text>any other agency action as part of a fireshed management project.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H9E2E05B22C5F4AADAFB04E6D939C866B" commented="no"><enum>(3)</enum><header>NEPA terms</header><text>The terms <quote>categorical exclusion</quote>, <quote>environmental document</quote>, and <quote>programmatic environmental document</quote> have the meanings given such terms, respectively, in section 111 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/4336e">42 U.S.C. 4336e</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="H3764230F361D442C96DC3B7AE946C3FF"><enum>122.</enum><header>Consultation on forest plans</header> <subsection id="H7D26EFD53E6F486CA724127B977FEB98"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Forest Service plans</header><text>Section 6(d)(2) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1604">16 U.S.C. 1604(d)(2)</external-xref>) is amended to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block id="H80073778434B4D51B402D6EFCCD03509" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="HC21B6D45F19D4AC386A2181D93BED916"><enum>(2)</enum><header>No additional consultation required under certain circumstances</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall not be required to reinitiate consultation under section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1536">16 U.S.C. 1536(a)(2)</external-xref>) or section 402.16 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation), on a land management plan approved, amended, or revised under this section when—</text> <subparagraph id="H12CFECE4DD6F4E1CAF91EA463839AD23"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a new species is listed or critical habitat is designated under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1531">16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.</external-xref>); or</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HDF04966C329248A3B5EE378D1A76B8A6"><enum>(B)</enum><text>new information reveals effects of the land management plan that may affect a species listed or critical habitat designated under that Act in a manner or to an extent not previously considered.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="H750BB2F5C918433EA4F4592F898E4384"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Bureau of Land Management plans</header><text>Section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/43/1712">43 U.S.C. 1712</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="HA5107F42DBDF4E059311F4C2FAF8DA62" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H8CA480D751034A52AC1CF3158D9FD97A"><enum>(g)</enum><header>No additional consultation required under certain circumstances</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall not be required to reinitiate consultation under section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1536">16 U.S.C. 1536(a)(2)</external-xref>) or section 402.16 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation), on a land use plan approved, amended, or revised under this section when—</text> <paragraph id="HFCFC001DDA22448292A7BAF7DC8C93CC"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a new species is listed or critical habitat is designated under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1531">16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.</external-xref>); or</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HB7B317DDB2184B86A432C76C907E9DEE"><enum>(2)</enum><text>new information reveals effects of the land use plan that may affect a species listed or critical habitat designated under that Act in a manner or to an extent not previously considered.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section></subtitle> <enum>II</enum><header>Protecting Communities in the Wildland-Urban Interface </header> <section id="H8BA8E759C8254CFC9EB4C9F634DB242B"><enum>201.</enum><header>Community wildfire risk reduction program</header> <subsection id="H3D40BBE14F6C4C3ABE5E1BDC203B4F52"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text>Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall jointly establish an interagency program to be known as the <quote>Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Program</quote> that shall consist of at least one representative from each of the following:</text>
<paragraph id="H4F201656EA9D4DB2AA54DD36E0F744B5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The Office of Wildland Fire of the Department of the Interior.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HBA295664666B4B1C8A271BE4889DFEE1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The National Park Service.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H7AF97AD94C7E43FAAE54477206BFE7CE"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The Bureau of Land Management.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H48027ACB69404AAF8FB5C558EB6A950D"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The United States Fish and Wildlife Service.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HDFB2CB9FEF7142B6BE0495EBA1C64E5E"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The Bureau of Indian Affairs.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HC04BED17A6B14F8486451F78BB189877"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The Forest Service.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H309374CE12A1416F807005DC60A9C464"><enum>(7)</enum><text>The Federal Emergency Management Agency.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HE3E7E55971F54E99B282BFB82A08D2B0"><enum>(8)</enum><text>The United States Fire Administration.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HFA02EA49FF964159A04A70A80173229A"><enum>(9)</enum><text>The National Institute of Standards and Technology.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H3FB2EBBB007145E7805CB6A889C5A8ED"><enum>(10)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H3971DAB27F64449C83E64C66274A4DBE"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Purpose</header><text>The purpose of the program established under subsection (a) is to support interagency coordination in reducing the risk of, and the damages resulting from, wildfires in communities (including tribal communities) in the wildland-urban interface through—</text> <paragraph id="HA044ABFF938A4DB7A145F15D22AA9881"><enum>(1)</enum><text>advancing research and science in wildfire resilience and land management, including support for non-Federal research partnerships;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HDA4A7DA42A2143FC9F688597E9D756CA"><enum>(2)</enum><text>supporting adoption by Indian Tribes and local governmental entities of fire-resistant building methods, codes, and standards;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H316BA3D81B8B486CACAD000E214C3771"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">supporting efforts by Indian Tribes or local governmental entities to address the effects of wildland fire on such communities, including property damages, air quality, and water quality;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HAE410F420FD74181A64A74ED12ECA050"><enum>(4)</enum><text>encouraging public-private partnerships to conduct hazardous fuels management activities in the wildland-urban interface;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H65A9FD1F0311400AA6432E4E7845C3E7"><enum>(5)</enum><text>providing technical and financial assistance targeted towards communities, including tribal communities, through streamlined and unified technical assistance and grant management mechanisms, including the portal and grant application established under subsection (c), to—</text>
<subparagraph id="HA7BA1AE1817846B1B8EE7AD38C4A5BFE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>encourage critical risk reduction measures on private property with high wildfire risk exposure in such communities; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H62780AAD292C4B84AF2DBC32B32C36F3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>mitigate costs for and improve capacity among such communities.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H142CCF354D5A488483B40FA42EEAE163"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Portal and uniform grant application</header>
<paragraph id="HF75921445F1545F6AF2D9C281003FA39"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>As part of the program established under subsection (a), the Secretaries and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall establish a portal through which a person may submit a single, uniform application for any of the following:</text> <subparagraph id="H2AFD785A90B247419079A93A0B5A039E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>A community wildfire defense grant under section 40803(f) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6592">16 U.S.C. 6592(f)</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HD8E740B37FA849A58915502AE723D556" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(B)</enum><text>An emergency management performance grant under section 662 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/6/761">6 U.S.C. 761</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HA87DAA4EF7E44A3D94A94285DE8B974F"><enum>(C)</enum><text>A grant under section 33 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/2229">15 U.S.C. 2229</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HC895D84F30014FE299BE6927816E90DE"><enum>(D)</enum><text>A grant under section 34 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/2229a">15 U.S.C. 2229a</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H4AEED8A6610247FF840437917D932EB2"><enum>(E)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Financial or technical assistance or a grant under sections 203, 205, 404, 406, or 420 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5133">42 U.S.C. 5133</external-xref>, 5135, 5170c, 5172, 5187).</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H26566BEC6CE8492088C119614AC2C664"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Simplification of application</header><text>In establishing the portal and application under paragraph (1), the Secretaries and the Administrator shall seek to reduce the complexity and length of the application process for the grants described in paragraph (1).</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H5417A4E527F94282AD65AF0D6DAC9C7D"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Technical assistance</header><text>The Secretaries shall provide technical assistance to communities or persons seeking to apply for financial assistance through the portal using the application established under paragraph (1).</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HA6FE116D9DDC45DD82B2F09AB346DD86" commented="no"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Sunset</header><text>The program established under this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H7CE0D214EF334DB990C5BF5686F63C73"><enum>202.</enum><header>Community wildfire defense research program</header> <subsection id="HA9568FE2B0BA466FA9727B8A10A532AE"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretaries shall, acting jointly, expand the Joint Fire Science Program to include a performance-driven research and development program known as the <quote>Community Wildfire Defense Research Program</quote> for the purpose of testing and advancing innovative designs to create or improve the wildfire-resistance of structures and communities.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H8DD55D54220244CABA345E951241B581"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Program priorities</header><text>In carrying out the program established under subsection (a), the Secretaries shall evaluate opportunities to create wildfire-resistant structures and communities through—</text> <paragraph id="H98A7DA0208C24732ADBC4D523FE0CDD1"><enum>(1)</enum><text>different affordable building materials, including mass timber;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H5B6C87315CB54F0AB45EC27C1372B07F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>home hardening, including policies to incentivize and incorporate defensible space;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HB6891EB650A24933A959FC01510973DC"><enum>(3)</enum><text>subdivision design and other land use planning and design;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H684907D7ED23457F86D46D1A90911746"><enum>(4)</enum><text>landscape architecture; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H9C979D169A2C49A2AA69194DE48F545D"><enum>(5)</enum><text>other wildfire-resistant designs, as determined by the Secretary.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HA14941B8BB5345B6A4864467BA03AFC5"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Community wildfire defense innovation prize</header>
<paragraph id="H8EB577101C604DC7A13C54EA66E37C16"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In carrying out the program established under subsection (a), the Secretaries shall carry out a competition through which a person may submit to the Secretaries innovative designs for the creation or improvement of an ignition-resistant structure or fire-adapted communities.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HEF87B79E94EA4555B69F0EB3F062BAC4"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Prize</header><text>Subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for such purpose, the Secretaries may award a prize under the competition described in paragraph (1), based on criteria established by the Secretaries and in accordance with paragraph (3). </text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HA7C54CEAECD44244ABAA0686F27DAD2F"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Scale</header><text>In awarding a prize under paragraph (2), the Secretaries shall prioritize for an award designs with the most potential to scale to existing infrastructure.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HE7B7CF1980C7452D967F24623AF2BD14"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Collaboration and nonduplication</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In carrying out the program established under subsection (a), the Secretaries shall ensure collaboration and nonduplication of activities with the Building Technologies Office of the Department of Energy.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="HEBF989645F8343E18E6FD1CD9A287DF5"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Sunset</header><text>The program established under subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H9B5D1EB70FF8446C93E529318411CEF7"><enum>203.</enum><header>Vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance relating to electric transmission and distribution facility rights-of-way</header> <subsection id="HC12B7750794246368BFDF3A183DDA65A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Hazard trees within 150 feet of electric power line</header><text>Section 512(a)(1)(B)(ii) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/43/1772">43 U.S.C. 1772(a)(1)(B)(ii)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>10</quote> and inserting <quote>150</quote>.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H1B52B420164543F58F64E5C172E408C7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Consultation with private landowners</header><text>Section 512(c)(3)(E) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/43/1772">43 U.S.C. 1772(c)(3)(E)</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <paragraph id="H7B0DEF8F6B344BDAB74CA37B0A8BD262"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in clause (i), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H2FAA3B30FEC54700A5AB66D9E727D6E6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in clause (ii), by striking the period and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H032FA5E4E7644F8BA7DD71BEDA3BB71A"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="H02667F8C6B394B4CA229811CCA4B646F" style="OLC">
<clause id="H7C43D1D2325D49ADAF936F5842D6B361"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>consulting with a private landowner with respect to any hazard trees identified for removal from land owned by the private landowner.</text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H7396C6B4E33B4C9DA802469E32961219"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Review and approval process</header><text>Section 512(c)(4)(A)(iv) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/43/1772">43 U.S.C. 1772(c)(4)(A)(iv)</external-xref>) is amended to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block id="HDDDE68FBC8AF4EBEA4E14863F25AD0BE" style="OLC">
<clause id="HF93213CE95A0425397C5A921BC7D5C31"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>ensures that—</text> <subclause id="H1BC14DE9366E4B7298B7C3A8DA42E58D"><enum>(I)</enum><text>a plan submitted without a modification under clause (iii) shall be automatically approved 120 days after being submitted; and</text></subclause>
<subclause id="HA0FAE53D64044B47907069EF0C1EC0C3"><enum>(II)</enum><text>with respect to a plan submitted with a modification under clause (iii), if not approved within 120 days after being submitted, the Secretary concerned shall develop and submit a letter to the owner and operator describing—</text> <item id="H69B85574F59F46C7AA7EEC6563718ADB"><enum>(aa)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a detailed timeline (to conclude within 165 days after the submission of the plan) for completing review of the plan;</text></item>
<item id="H7F7FA30A31A34490B4A3070B107B3DFC"><enum>(bb)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any identified deficiencies with the plan and specific opportunities for the owner and operator to address such deficiencies; and</text></item> <item id="HA6CDA0D0EF34462D8130B66B50B2D728"><enum>(cc)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any other relevant information, as determined by the Secretary concerned. </text></item></subclause></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section>
<section id="HE0891714F5254DDD80A6B3CDE4A76BDA"><enum>204.</enum><header>Categorical exclusion for electric utility lines rights-of-way</header>
<subsection id="H4355B9D8331D43E5AEE803608F84BDCA"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Categorical exclusion established</header><text>Forest management activities described in subsection (b) are a category of activities hereby designated as being categorically excluded from the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/4332">42 U.S.C. 4332</external-xref>).</text></subsection> <subsection id="H5342DD58F35849D5B61E607546679AAB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Forest management activities designated for categorical exclusion</header><text>The forest management activities designated under subsection (a) for a categorical exclusion are—</text>
<paragraph id="H7B2FFF60B9A243FBA2CD9CBADD20BF92"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the development and approval of a vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plan submitted under section 512(c)(1) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/43/1772">43 U.S.C. 1772(c)(1)</external-xref>) by the Secretary concerned; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H1D77789F0D244F74AC5BC323A82B840C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the implementation of routine activities conducted under the plan referred to in paragraph (1).</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H5B4E663CABF848F9BE76B3D300FFC04A"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Availability of categorical exclusion</header><text>On and after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned may use the categorical exclusion established under subsection (a) in accordance with this section.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HB4058525A85D43DF9EEAD2AC10B8B3EF"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Exclusion of certain areas from categorical exclusion</header><text>The categorical exclusion established under subsection (a) shall not apply to any forest management activity conducted—</text>
<paragraph id="HFAA879BDB243484587B3B38A2472EFFC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System; or</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF6B7A3F38E304597AEF3CA965001375F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>on National Forest System lands on which the removal of vegetation is restricted or prohibited by an Act of Congress.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H890B370D0CA5429784F7137880614B80"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Permanent roads</header>
<paragraph id="HAC55ECD4DA9A438897DECC30D881996E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Prohibition on establishment</header><text>A forest management activity designated under subsection (b) shall not include the establishment of a permanent road.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HAD7532FA71D2413CB62C5E7FAACC034D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Existing roads</header><text>The Secretary concerned may carry out necessary maintenance and repair on an existing permanent road for the purposes of conducting a forest management activity designated under subsection (b). </text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H65E64C3C840840F5B8A23F0375E9127A"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Temporary roads</header><text>The Secretary concerned shall decommission any temporary road constructed for carrying out a forest management activity designated under subsection (b) not later than the date that is 3 years after the date on which the forest management activity is completed.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H67789FBF6F674F4DBFD8D7F28A265A40"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Applicable laws</header><text>Clauses (iii) and (iv) of section 106(a)(3) shall apply to forest management activities designated under subsection (b).</text></subsection></section>
<section id="H7B394167CE094B31B6C42418470836FC"><enum>205.</enum><header>Seeds of success</header>
<subsection id="H794F65AB7BF64A46BEAB27D436746CEF"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Strategy established</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly develop and implement a strategy, to be known as the <quote>Seeds of Success strategy</quote>, to enhance the domestic supply chain of seeds.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H26E5B6AA3048495DA59E29F17FE0F775"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Elements</header><text>The strategy required under subsection (a) shall include a plan for each of the following:</text>
<paragraph id="H231A65EF57F24877ABB77546543AF0F6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Facilitating sustained interagency coordination in, and a comprehensive approach to, native plant materials development and restoration.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H150BCBC596E34726BE5F920989E5A4E4"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Promoting the re-seeding of native or fire-resistant vegetation post-wildfire, particularly in the wildland-urban interface.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H5E97D8E5A3FF486FAB2D3FE05D967626"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Creating and consolidating information on native or fire-resistant vegetation and sharing such information with State governments, Indian Tribes, and local governments.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H24A7F7B3C6424FACB36CBCE66BB529A2"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Building regional programs and partnerships to promote the development of materials made from plants native to the United States and restore such plants to their respective, native habitats within the United States, giving priority to the building of such programs and partnerships in regions of the Bureau of Land Management where such partnerships and programs do not already exist as of the date of enactment of this Act.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HEFEA35D83AF34CEFAA6CEC36FBA74992"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Expanding seed storage and seed-cleaning infrastructure.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H65E2E51712874975B963DAEA4339CCF6"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Expanding the Warehouse System of the Bureau of Land Management, particularly the cold storage capacity of the Warehouse System.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H0BCACC0ADF8F430699F56CFE7C25E874"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Shortening the timeline for the approval of permits to collect seeds on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H417A2DFB61F84D1EB696B46026117F65"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Report</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretaries and the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the relevant Congressional Committees the strategy developed under paragraph (1).</text></subsection></section>
<enum>III</enum><header>Transparency and Technology</header>
<section id="H4D771E3738C0462FBBCFDEF4A3690140"><enum>301.</enum><header>Biochar innovations and opportunities for conservation, health, and advancements in research</header>
<subsection id="H8F55DC9777E242CDB1548F827B748FF0"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Demonstration projects</header>
<paragraph id="H48CE459EF9E441EBA81882DA7A3D2756"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Establishment</header>
<subparagraph id="H802FD53D16884FF28D613E5588ECA5C6"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for such purpose, not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the covered Secretaries shall establish a program to enter into partnerships with eligible entities to carry out demonstration projects to support the development and commercialization of biochar in accordance with this subsection.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HD97B850B0B3E4DA3A1533BD29A8ECC2A"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Location of demonstration projects</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In carrying out the program established under subparagraph (A), the covered Secretaries shall, to the maximum extent practicable, enter into partnerships with eligible entities such that not fewer than one demonstration project is carried out in each region of the Forest Service and each region of the Bureau of Land Management.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HF8244BF3FABE42AD9789872155E700A1"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Proposals</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">To be eligible to enter into a partnership to carry out a biochar demonstration project under paragraph (1)(A), an eligible entity shall submit to the covered Secretaries a proposal at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the covered Secretaries may require.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HE9A27898F2E541FC9BDAAF4A20755B1A"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Priority</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In selecting proposals under paragraph (2), the covered Secretaries shall give priority to entering into partnerships with eligible entities that submit proposals to carry out biochar demonstration projects that—</text>
<subparagraph id="HF81FF13B49E84493B7DB575DF2F4F2AD"><enum>(A)</enum><text>have the most carbon sequestration potential;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HED6C8736FCA04789AB364EA28026D687"><enum>(B)</enum><text>have the most potential to create new jobs and contribute to local economies, particularly in rural areas;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H613A69E36FBF40408F1F3E8DDD45C691"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">have the most potential to demonstrate—</text> <clause id="HA0CDFE70EF8B47A6BF273880872E0EF4"><enum>(i)</enum><text>new and innovative uses of biochar;</text></clause>
<clause id="HA2254203B21A4A50A7A5747E497A809C"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>market viability for cost effective biochar-based products;</text></clause> <clause id="H769F1C2EB09143029C5F9855C926D9BE"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>the ecosystem services created or supported by the use of biochar;</text></clause>
<clause id="HD42B1CDB2036459EBCC961203FEA814B"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>the restorative benefits of biochar with respect to forest heath and resiliency, including forest soils and watersheds; or</text></clause> <clause id="HA3F1500413CF4331942262FD25612061"><enum>(v)</enum><text>any combination of purposes specified in clauses (i) through (iv); and</text></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HFEA6CA3DCBDB4AB8B7311F1AA5269315"><enum>(D)</enum><text>are located in areas that have a high need for biochar production, as determined by the covered Secretaries, due to—</text> <clause id="HC165FDBA6AA240E7A6C79099BEBDDF5D"><enum>(i)</enum><text>nearby lands identified as having high or very high or extreme risk of wildfire;</text></clause>
<clause id="HCD45933223C946D88A97D611D5D979CE"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>availability of sufficient quantities of feedstocks;</text></clause> <clause id="H60E96904B8CA41D5836C7E344B9D7FB4"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>a high level of demand for biochar or other commercial byproducts of biochar; or</text></clause>
<clause id="H7DF8B2993CDB40F987FF0BDFBCA1A0A6"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>any combination of purposes specified in subparagraphs (A) through (D). </text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H95127E78A5FE4E1FB95B4D9D6015E4C3"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Use of funds</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In carrying out the program established under paragraph (1)(A), the covered Secretaries may enter into partnerships and provide funding to such partnerships to carry out demonstration projects to—</text>
<subparagraph id="H4193E2581C134F58A49F43B0FE52E8AF"><enum>(A)</enum><text>acquire and test various feedstocks and their efficacy;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H05D96F8CC8544F3F88852CFAE34DACA3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>develop and optimize commercially and technologically viable biochar production units, including mobile and permanent units;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HF2839A39E6824C4C900C39261D9591D8"><enum>(C)</enum><text>demonstrate—</text> <clause id="H950F9E16899D44738691B49EA1820D7F"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the production of biochar from forest residue; and</text></clause>
<clause id="HD065913EE0C54DE69F83C5C8A05B8CF0"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the use of biochar to restore forest health and resiliency;</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H682AAF6432174BC8946ED7BD14696072"><enum>(D)</enum><text>build, expand, or establish biochar facilities;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H2E1A2BFF0E6A44C3BEF2E9BDD6B58082"><enum>(E)</enum><text>conduct research on new and innovative uses of biochar;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HE8867F8F4E494161AC74EE6F1AAD3E00"><enum>(F)</enum><text>demonstrate cost-effective market opportunities for biochar and biochar-based products;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H04F8C22F4C924C39AE982B5F897F18F4"><enum>(G)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">carry out any other activities the covered Secretaries determine appropriate; or</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H3FA5C5405E88412DA564472C70F4FB1B"><enum>(H)</enum><text>any combination of the purposes specified in subparagraphs (A) through (F). </text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H0A917F53DA0B424CB9D43BE1E9DADE00" commented="no"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Feedstock requirements</header><text>To the maximum extent practicable, an eligible entity that carries out a biochar demonstration project under this subsection shall, with respect to the feedstock used under such project, derive at least 50 percent of such feedstock from forest thinning and management activities, including mill residues, conducted on National Forest System lands or public lands.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF6D4F2D7AD2B4B4D9A091EB3C6D7C55F"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Review of biochar demonstration</header> <subparagraph id="H44968CE84F2E4EE5BC111C7DC7649734"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The covered Secretaries shall conduct regionally-specific research, including economic analyses and life-cycle assessments, on any biochar produced from a demonstration project carried out under the program established in paragraph (1)(A), including—</text>
<clause id="H6F2AD9F6C3314F72BF5513A6B641F30D"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the effects of such biochar on—</text> <subclause id="H0F5392453523477FAE1CADBBA2EEE0C9"><enum>(I)</enum><text>forest health and resiliency;</text></subclause>
<subclause id="HF24A5C2821A74F9086A1506756F8746E"><enum>(II)</enum><text>carbon capture and sequestration, including increasing soil carbon in the short-term and long-term;</text></subclause> <subclause id="H9BA5E5A3A5AD413EA9E8822A520C81B6"><enum>(III)</enum><text>productivity, reduced input costs, and water retention in agricultural practices;</text></subclause>
<subclause id="H8C3BC4F413D8438E96EE87260FBA5C9D"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>the health of soil and grasslands used for grazing activities, including grazing activities on National Forest System land and public land;</text></subclause> <subclause id="HFD2B88C8171848F5A6E765CEC8606073"><enum>(V)</enum><text>environmental remediation activities, including abandoned mine land remediation; and</text></subclause>
<subclause id="H20094B11BC35465C9D1A8712823AD0B1"><enum>(VI)</enum><text>other ecosystem services created or supported by the use of biochar;</text></subclause></clause> <clause id="HEEB2BD24A7DB412D85E94BBA2B839603"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the effectiveness of biochar as a co-product of biofuels or in biochemicals; and</text></clause>
<clause id="H5613D81E9BC54E2CAA69106E56075040"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>the effectiveness of other potential uses of biochar to determine if any such use is technologically and commercially viable.</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H1C4D0C04BF884D168508EF20FCCA3746"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Coordination</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The covered Secretaries shall, to the maximum extent practicable, provide data, analyses, and other relevant information collected under subparagraph (A) with recipients of a grant under subsection (b).</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HE6F42C3BCBBB4D34AE0E90744F216084" commented="no"><enum>(7)</enum><header>Limitation on funding for establishing biochar facilities</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the covered Secretaries provide to an eligible entity that enters into a partnership with the covered Secretaries under paragraph (1)(A) funding for establishing a biochar facility, such funding may not exceed 35 percent of the total capital cost of establishing such biochar facility.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H5EBDC81378274FECB3A90DD653D273AB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Biochar research and development grant program</header> <paragraph id="HB467464714664E60A0665DA66218A512"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text>The Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall establish or expand an existing applied biochar research and development grant program to make competitive grants to eligible institutions to carry out the activities described in paragraph (3).</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HCA7635FE21734A14BD8DF23A57F6DC73"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Applications</header><text>To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an eligible institution shall submit to the Secretary a proposal at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H3DA007FDE2AE466DA467B7BFB9E028F7"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Use of funds</header><text>An eligible institution that receives a grant under this subsection shall use the grant funds to conduct applied research on—</text>
<subparagraph id="H60404193A91D4818B19A156A05ABF6F6"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the effect of biochar on forest health and resiliency, accounting for variations in biochar, soil, climate, and other factors;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H4AB0A9C81966499DA3C000F2FD5BE614"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the effect of biochar on soil health and water retention, accounting for variations in biochar, soil, climate, and other factors;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H8F6EA618B73C4C539EED3666936C104C"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the long-term carbon sequestration potential of biochar;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H86D2FB53E1DB42B8B6CE1D2AF4FCE166"><enum>(D)</enum><text>the best management practices with respect to biochar and biochar-based products that maximize—</text>
<clause id="H809AC4B475604EB28F46C24F9300E45D"><enum>(i)</enum><text>carbon sequestration benefits; and</text></clause> <clause id="HA36DDA2E17964E4CA4D34FDDEB79888F"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the commercial viability and application of such products in forestry, agriculture, environmental remediation, water quality improvement, and any other similar uses, as determined by the Secretary;</text></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H3C493A7211F747BFB504226AA4DA397B"><enum>(E)</enum><text>the regional uses of biochar to increase productivity and profitability, including—</text> <clause id="H306A56C5A26141A18C81A99C8E3BAD64"><enum>(i)</enum><text>uses in agriculture and environmental remediation; and</text></clause>
<clause id="H484222CC183C4E9BA3B90E3F6EC4486E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>use as a co-product in fuel production;</text></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H380DB2393D1F47C8B5CDB7C5FC82444D"><enum>(F)</enum><text>new and innovative uses for biochar byproducts; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H2552BD86ED8F419CBBB0383885058BE7"><enum>(G)</enum><text>opportunities to expand markets for biochar and create related jobs, particularly in rural areas.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H70AA5F10C60C48D28CDEB60A22F927BB"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Reports</header> <paragraph id="HCC94F622BE894D138FE9FC2659405E6C"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Report to congress</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the covered Secretaries shall submit to Congress a report that—</text>
<subparagraph id="H431622294BF041F4B6E7100E463336CF"><enum>(A)</enum><text>includes policy and program recommendations to improve the widespread use of biochar;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H6B3C364BA7BA4DF2B4D2DC6A2A508501"><enum>(B)</enum><text>identifies any area of research needed to advance biochar commercialization; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HB3999FCF16C14AB2B897561E2C5FE496"><enum>(C)</enum><text>identifies barriers to further biochar commercialization, including permitting and siting considerations.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA06B6ECCDB714CF189D997741C841445"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Materials submitted in support of the President’s budget</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Beginning with the second fiscal year that begins after the date of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter until the date described in subsection (d), the covered Secretaries shall include in the materials submitted to Congress in support of the President’s budget pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, a report describing, for the fiscal year covered by the report, the status of each demonstration project carried out under subsection (a) and each research and development grant carried out under subsection (b).</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HC1F90EC3427449F29EC01E93224CBBF2"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Sunset</header><text>The authority to carry out this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HD6A366F7F0374C579C66BAC618CB6536"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text>
<paragraph id="H544A4AD95A9B416A9862546F8B92994B"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Biochar</header><text>The term <term>biochar</term> means carbonized biomass produced by converting feedstock through reductive thermal processing for non-fuel uses.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HCD52B9EF646D4C77B9253882DD8D3C36" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Eligible entity</header><text>The term <term>eligible entity</term> means—</text>
<subparagraph id="H0A991A5474DC47D3B8424192B2211505" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a State, local, special district, or Tribal government;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HA15BD0E9D7C94F20A09CCDC19EFAAD9F" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>an eligible institution; </text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H1576D52442FF4E44888D02C2E353DDAB" commented="no"><enum>(C)</enum><text>a private, non-private, or cooperative entity or organization;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HD794D64EDD7E48068D010FFF31D6D286"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline"> a National Laboratory (as such term is defined in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/15801">42 U.S.C. 15801</external-xref>)); or</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H49EDC6A26C9F471598F3322F284CA885"><enum>(E)</enum><text>a partnership or consortium of two or more entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (D).</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HB94DA35F9FE9413A947ABAFEB33E05CF" commented="no"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Eligible institution</header><text>The term <term>eligible institution</term> means land-grant colleges and universities, including institutions eligible for funding under the—</text>
<subparagraph id="H19981EC8232C498B949BC3809094EA61" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Act of July 2, 1862 (12 Stat. 503, chapter 130; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/301">7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.</external-xref>);</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HFDCF530C8C154A409934497AFE1B3A0A" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Act of August 30, 1890 (26 Stat. 417, chapter 841; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/321">7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.</external-xref>), including Tuskegee University;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HB1E92C02680E44B7A412470337D9B09E" commented="no"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Public Law 87–788 (commonly known as the <quote>McIntire-Stennis Act of 1962</quote>); or</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H26F232FE20484D9D8866F45EB6A4AEA8" commented="no"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/301">7 U.S.C. 301</external-xref> note; <external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/103/382">Public Law 103–382</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H8B49B123A062430D81D12DD868501D08"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Feedstock</header><text>The term <term>feedstock</term> means excess biomass in the form of plant matter or materials that serves as the raw material for the production of biochar.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H0A42B04573C94966A086E994CB644BF7" commented="no"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Covered Secretaries</header><text>The term <term>covered Secretaries</term> means—</text>
<subparagraph id="H190CB8C439F441418BAD9446EE12485C" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HA44ECC61D2224341821392A7A226FAE5" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H6A4A508CD3E74F4CA948F9007AE4EBD1" commented="no"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Director of the Office of Science.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section> <section id="H99364A62BFA64B2EB6750AC8CC0C3C26"><enum>302.</enum><header>Accurate hazardous fuels reduction reports</header> <subsection id="H31C2E7DE364B4913894605DD0B320F01"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Inclusion of hazardous fuels reduction report in materials submitted in support of the President’s budget</header> <paragraph id="H683299B678D04940B350D08CD0978876"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Beginning with the first fiscal year that begins after the date of enactment of this Act, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary concerned shall include in the materials submitted to Congress in support of the President’s budget pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, a report on the number of acres of Federal land on which the Secretary concerned carried out hazardous fuels reduction activities during the preceding fiscal year.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H0023B7BF398F4C5ABC685E3701B4790C"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Requirements</header><text>For purposes of the report required under paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall—</text> <subparagraph id="H6CDFA78C8F4C44B4A51462A1AC1C2375"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in determining the number of acres of Federal land on which the Secretary concerned carried out hazardous fuels reduction activities during the period covered by the report—</text>
<clause id="H25A011A444C8450185C0DCBA3278CB3A"><enum>(i)</enum><text>record acres of Federal land on which hazardous fuels reduction activities were completed during such period; and</text></clause> <clause id="HB7D373FF510E4AC5873D762B8EA36CDD"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>record each acre described in clause (i) once in the report, regardless of whether multiple hazardous fuels reduction activities were carried out on such acre during such period; and</text></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HEB9BBF9418554031A1CADF851348277B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>with respect to the acres of Federal land recorded in the report, include information on—</text> <clause id="HA5EECBB5AF274E699ACA8676902A67B5"><enum>(i)</enum><text>which such acres are located in the wildland-urban interface;</text></clause>
<clause id="H7A849AF494F0473DA42F35552A40E065"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the level of wildfire risk (high, moderate, or low) on the first and last day of the period covered by the report;</text></clause> <clause id="HEB1266A09117467194B8E9A62E72FD90"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>the types of hazardous fuels activities completed for such acres, delineating between whether such activities were conducted—</text>
<subclause id="H9268559CCB6044A3A104AB0899458E3B"><enum>(I)</enum><text>in a wildfire managed for resource benefits; or</text></subclause> <subclause id="H7A16EC37770649CA889E764B52214FCE"><enum>(II)</enum><text>through a planned project;</text></subclause></clause>
<clause id="H539F7E8980CD43D0ABD2245A6BA08AA1"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>the cost per acre of hazardous fuels activities carried out during the period covered by the report;</text></clause> <clause id="H20A9502B4CA6498089086F856DE4D828"><enum>(v)</enum><text>the region or system unit in which the acres are located; and</text></clause>
<clause id="HE99CD5FE5ED142B2B4C8EC3BC7C9157F"><enum>(vi)</enum><text>the effectiveness of the hazardous fuels reduction activities on reducing the risk of wildfire.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H7C8379CAE33948228D5FBC576C5120FF"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Transparency</header><text>The Secretary concerned shall make each report submitted under paragraph (1) publicly available on the websites of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior, as applicable.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HF3D8ADA8436943F594944F0B2A0FA919"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Accurate data collection</header>
<paragraph id="HD580F37605064DFB96464A565026FDCA"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall implement standardized procedures for tracking data related to hazardous fuels reduction activities carried out by the Secretary concerned.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA49AFFD271834721BD9E31257F14F56C"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Elements</header><text>The standardized procedures required under paragraph (1) shall include—</text>
<subparagraph id="H29A0E533ED9948D488D53053A2A3C5B8"><enum>(A)</enum><text>regular, standardized data reviews of the accuracy and timely input of data used to track hazardous fuels reduction activities;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HFFCD075830EF4BD1AEEB7565BE4C773D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>verification methods that validate whether such data accurately correlates to the hazardous fuels reduction activities carried out by the Secretary concerned;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H2304ABD6D23F479387A71590860833E1"><enum>(C)</enum><text>an analysis of the short- and long-term effectiveness of the hazardous fuels reduction activities on reducing the risk of wildfire; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HDDB47382602F4F73933E058BC2BF5619"><enum>(D)</enum><text>for hazardous fuels reduction activities that occur partially within the wildland-urban interface, methods to distinguish which acres are located within the wildland-urban interface and which acres are located outside the wildland-urban interface.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H29A7418EB6B64160A4BC513D620D1EFC"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 2 weeks after implementing the standardized procedures required under paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall submit to Congress a report that describes—</text> <subparagraph id="H80938932BDB74C50975051E625CDCBA2"><enum>(A)</enum><text>such standardized procedures; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H7BC5E340F79E4C6F937B32B1DC208BD5"><enum>(B)</enum><text>program and policy recommendations to Congress to address any limitations in tracking data related to hazardous fuels reduction activities under this subsection.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H8484B48B69474F7A8916347C4968CAE2"><enum>(c)</enum><header>GAO study</header><text>Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall—</text>
<paragraph id="HA878C30A3673488FAFE229FDD5B82113"><enum>(1)</enum><text>conduct a study on the implementation of this section, including any limitations with respect to—</text> <subparagraph id="HE0ADC5A2E7224D4EB8E558FDC818E431"><enum>(A)</enum><text>reporting hazardous fuels reduction activities under subsection (a); or</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H6812E79B10DD4BB787DC7CE95175087F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>tracking data related to hazardous fuels reduction activities under subsection (b); and</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H88CC39F2588847F6A72754F3C3C14916"><enum>(2)</enum><text>submit to Congress a report that describes the results of the study under paragraph (1).</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H187EADFAD89445BB94AA6D43FDA360BF"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text> <paragraph id="HEAC1D187DC104F04A264357E8AF86902"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Hazardous fuels reduction activity</header><text>The term <term>hazardous fuels reduction activity</term>—</text>
<subparagraph id="H6329C5B1EC464E478DB7C72479590AD3"><enum>(A)</enum><text>means any vegetation management activity to reduce the risk of wildfire, including mechanical treatments, grazing, and prescribed burning; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H1CCC6F9A6BFE403D9C9AAC3C5B44DEAC"><enum>(B)</enum><text>does not include the awarding of contracts to conduct hazardous fuels reduction activities.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H53396EA2829A45C7B070D5BF3116932B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Federal lands</header><text>The term <term>Federal lands</term> means lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H6378673ADBA54A98AAD1EB00CABB068D"><enum>(e)</enum><header>No additional funds authorized</header><text>No additional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements of this section, and the activities authorized by this section are subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for such purposes.</text></subsection></section>
<section id="HBE07CF68F57D4013A2E6D7B77E9A2630"><enum>303.</enum><header>Public-private wildfire technology deployment and demonstration partnership</header>
<subsection id="HD2717F14DC914F6C94DE1FFD1E0D95DD"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text> <paragraph id="H04B8049626014E2090D494285D9F9CE9"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Covered agency</header><text>The term <term>covered agency</term> means—</text>
<subparagraph id="H37761A82E8CF4491936AAB0302E27236"><enum>(A)</enum><text>each Federal land management agency (as such term is defined in the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6801">16 U.S.C. 6801</external-xref>));</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H80547076D794433AAA4E4D64CD51537F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HB49035EA01BE4EBC80D649F6BA9DD749"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the United States Fire Administration;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HFDE047FE2AE44290B9364B0E6745890E"><enum>(D)</enum><text>the Federal Emergency Management Agency;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HF3EC8E7D48244301AC4C465667D0C24D"><enum>(E)</enum><text>the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H6E9C568AA3EB4E42919BE0B3A23CBA08"><enum>(F)</enum><text>the Bureau of Indian Affairs;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HFB6843E30CF94E28AF12EA314816D6D8"><enum>(G)</enum><text>the Department of Defense; </text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HC656B04FB3DA4AED8F660DE053B88A67"><enum>(H)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a State, Tribal, county, or municipal fire department or district operating through the United States Fire Administration or pursuant to an agreement with a Federal agency; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HE168ACE990EF485F8441506AF9A299B6"><enum>(I)</enum><text>any other Federal agency involved in wildfire response.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HFC2AF27651944EB4A0459F42D432E1A0"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Covered entity</header><text>The term <term>covered entity</term> means—</text>
<subparagraph id="H304AC226A6E3411C85BC9414E2E2263C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a private entity;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H4A319963639049D3BCF89D9F0229CA33"><enum>(B)</enum><text>a nonprofit organization; or</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H9C7E5F0A92C84F75894D3272162D0D8E"><enum>(C)</enum><text>an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/20/1001">20 U.S.C. 1001</external-xref>)).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H803B1536B75D46BFB8E60A88F3108E6C"><enum>(b)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries, in coordination with the heads of the covered agencies, shall establish a deployment and demonstration pilot program (in this section referred to as <quote>Pilot Program</quote>) for new and innovative wildfire prevention, detection, communication, and mitigation technologies.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H3E5125C8EA3045E180B61BC1EF35B4EF"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Functions</header><text>In carrying out the Pilot Program, the Secretaries shall—</text> <paragraph id="HF9F5718075C34DF7835AA72DBA1F25BD"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">incorporate the Pilot Program into the National Wildfire Coordinating Group;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H52304062CA4F41218F52BBE1F1E6CB89"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in consultation with the heads of covered agencies, identify and advance the demonstration and deployment of key technology priority areas with respect to wildfire prevention, detection, communication, and mitigation technologies, including—</text> <subparagraph id="HCCA9F95B9AB04382BABFC0A17EE42EB9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>hazardous fuels reduction treatments or activities;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H60CF4E7D82AA491E96714B059CC47ED6"><enum>(B)</enum><text>dispatch communications;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H1AB071E7D13B4650AD0C9DD37BB48C88"><enum>(C)</enum><text>remote sensing, detection, and tracking;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H283A6A39A53F4E9F94CD5AC60F0A41BB"><enum>(D)</enum><text>safety equipment; </text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HEE54929E96454D5AAE199A96A8D2C03C"><enum>(E)</enum><text>common operating pictures or operational dashboards; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HDB5739B127A44F3E869FFB3B94180241"><enum>(F)</enum><text>interoperable commercial data; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H39975FEA459D48F3A8301DF40EBB6126"><enum>(3)</enum><text>connect each covered entity selected to participate in the Pilot Program with the appropriate covered agency to coordinate real-time and on-the-ground testing of technology during wildland fire mitigation activities and training. </text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HC9C0F77D274C443193FA2E5DEB78D04F"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Applications</header><text>To be eligible to be selected to participate in the Pilot Program, a covered entity shall submit to the Secretaries an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretaries may require, including a proposal to demonstrate technologies specific to the key technology priority areas identified pursuant to subsection (c)(2).</text></subsection> <subsection id="HD2EF0DBD87984A33A551CD48DD882248"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Prioritization of emerging technologies</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In selecting covered entities to participate in the Pilot Program, the Secretaries shall give priority to covered entities—</text>
<paragraph id="H4704876BCE744007AF5592A52BCDED88"><enum>(1)</enum><text>that have participated in the Fire Weather Testbed of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; or</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HE6F19097A6DF44ED8A9F709EB88E641A"><enum>(2)</enum><text>developing and applying emerging technologies for wildfire mitigation, including artificial intelligence, quantum sensing, computing and quantum-hybrid applications, thermal mid-wave infrared equipped low earth orbit satellites, augmented reality, 5G private networks, and device-to-device communications supporting nomadic mesh networks and detection.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H8695C6D2C98D456C9DDBF66382CF03DA"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Outreach</header><text>The Secretaries, in coordination with the heads of covered agencies, shall make public the key technology priority areas identified pursuant to subsection (c)(2) and invite covered entities to apply under subsection (d) to deploy and demonstrate their technologies to address such priority areas.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H571F93B401E240B2BB96456584B6B5CC"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Reports and recommendations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the duration of the Pilot Program, the Secretaries shall submit to the relevant Congressional Committees, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that includes, with respect to the Pilot Program, the following:</text>
<paragraph id="H343772CC238D4D25934DFBE1244933BB"><enum>(1)</enum><text>A list of participating covered entities.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H7C712770B44944CBB633FD4B1943546F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>A brief description of the technologies deployed and demonstrated by each such covered entity.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H95B4CDD11AAF46A4B9C5351DAEF2358C"><enum>(3)</enum><text>An estimate of the cost of acquiring each such technology and applying the technology at scale.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HBB8FE88DA8B14E8A81000800D22EAC33"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Outreach efforts by Federal agencies to covered entities developing wildfire technologies.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HD696FA68364342ADAA386CC29E0B2285"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Assessments of, and recommendations relating to, new technologies with potential adoption and application at-scale in Federal land management agencies’ wildfire prevention, detection, communication, and mitigation efforts.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H414E65AE55234DD8AAEB1A3AF422C3FD"><enum>(6)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A description of the relationship and coordination between the Pilot Program and the activities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including the Fire Weather Testbed.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HF12E3D12B962492BBFFD307E8ED3450A"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Sunset</header><text>The authority to carry out this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section> <section id="HBCB99E7848A641148F593109F8EADE08"><enum>304.</enum><header>GAO study on Forest Service policies</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H85EF34DD5A6B44B396D92070BEC90D5A"><enum>(1)</enum><text>conduct a study evaluating—</text> <subparagraph id="HEBE47905F96348318620417177962B86"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the effectiveness of Forest Service wildland firefighting operations;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HFB7AE7868C034C638943EE51A31B351C"><enum>(B)</enum><text>transparency and accountability measures in the Forest Service’s budget and accounting process; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H5C1AAF7F021D4A4AB5A38B6437D0E205"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the suitability and feasibility of establishing a new Federal agency with the responsibility of responding and suppressing wildland fires on Federal lands; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H8BCD2EEA51CD41A9B11A161A659D8BBB"><enum>(2)</enum><text>submit to Congress a report that describes the results of the study required under paragraph (1).</text></paragraph></section> <section id="HD6EDD746BD334CE0BF2CEC04E396B9F7"><enum>305.</enum><header>Forest Service Western headquarters study</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Chief of the Forest Service shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H53D8C9F1533743FC9F51526FBF652953"><enum>(1)</enum><text>conduct a study evaluating—</text> <subparagraph id="H0AEA74DC49D34F32B47E0B9B78B80562"><enum>(A)</enum><text>potential locations for a Western headquarters for the Forest Service, including potential locations in at least 3 different States located west of the Mississippi river; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HC22D883717064B8A913DEDC700703D4E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the potential benefits of creating a Western headquarters for the Forest Service, including expected—</text> <clause id="HEEBE86352AB74CF48C80F4F0BDD27ADD"><enum>(i)</enum><text>improvements to customer service;</text></clause>
<clause id="H78861C21A24943029E8112D17CE98CCF"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>improvements to employee recruitment and retention; and</text></clause> <clause id="H7A29C777D3AF49ACB2C92EA7E6C9261C"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>operational efficiencies and cost savings; and</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HF1AE4EEF601A400AAB46F8F0FEC7396A"><enum>(2)</enum><text>submit to Congress a report that describes the results of the study required under paragraph (1).</text></paragraph></section> <section id="H7D952E8EDB184C34A6E0363AB0EF3CB1" commented="no"><enum>306.</enum><header>Keeping forest plans current and monitored</header> <subsection id="HE7E57A32A2CB49B984B3A82447DFD486" commented="no"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary—</text>
<paragraph id="HB4E30F5D53F44E08B39E3E5BE7FAB72B" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>to the greatest extent practicable and subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for such purpose—</text> <subparagraph id="H2BC04491B16F499EBCBB775E01051F34" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>ensure forest plans comply with the requirements of section 6(f)(5)(A) of the Forest and Rangeland Resources Planning Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1604">16 U.S.C. 1604(f)(5)(A)</external-xref>); and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H52433313AF2840BD93B48CFFE0619635" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>prioritize revising any forest plan not in compliance with such section 6(f)(5)(A);</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HEC7821B810854D629F1A0D83DF3CA18C" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">not be considered to be in violation of section 6(f)(5)(A) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1604">16 U.S.C. 1604(f)(5)(A)</external-xref>) solely because more than 15 years have passed without revision of the plan for a unit of the National Forest System;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H4528970C0A554845973BD95671D7BF69" commented="no"><enum>(3)</enum><text>not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, submit to the relevant Congressional Committees the date on which each forest plan required by such section 6 was most recently revised, amended, or modified;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H96C0C0BB86F3437A80482B75E80E2EB6" commented="no"><enum>(4)</enum><text>seek to publish a new, complete version of a forest plan that the Secretary has been directed to amend, revise, or modify by a court order within 60 days of such amendment, revision, or modification, subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for such purpose; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H6028A7440D18487A933494682739E0C7" commented="no"><enum>(5)</enum><text>maintain a central, publicly accessible website with links to—</text> <subparagraph id="H1E1CCCE62B624341A621718FB9003C2B" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the most recently available forest plan adopted, amended, or modified by a court order as a single document; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H83C27620DB6F4529A831387A59F9B080" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the most recently published forest plan monitoring report for each unit of the National Forest System.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HAE25BE01CCFB491A9BF822ACE0AD5A9E" commented="no"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Good faith updates</header><text>If the Secretary is not acting expeditiously and in good faith, within the funding available to revise, amend, or modify a plan for a unit of the National Forest System as required by law or a court order, subsection (a) shall be void with respect to such plan and a court of proper jurisdiction may order completion of the plan on an accelerated basis.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="HDE1444FB6E3D452EA81C03C67C87A815" commented="no"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to the relevant Congressional Committees summarizing the implementation of this section.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H1B18B85EA7604AC488A01EB08E080EA2"><enum>307.</enum><header>Container Aerial Firefighting System (CAFFS)</header> <subsection id="H41A5FB1E64F648EEAAB402FCA345AAFA"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Evaluation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the National Interagency Aviation Committee and the Interagency Airtanker Board, shall jointly conduct an evaluation of the container aerial firefighting system to assess the use of such system to mitigate and suppress wildfires.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H05A78BCA1BCE47C4959CA7EF158552EA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the National Interagency Aviation Committee and the Interagency Airtanker Board, shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees a report that includes the results of the evaluation required under subsection (a).</text></subsection> <subsection id="H90230194EE1B4685BBAE27CCCA379246"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Appropriate Committees Defined</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section, the term <quote>appropriate committees</quote> means—</text>
<paragraph id="HDBF7F117947C4C30928A57386BE673AA"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the Committees on Agriculture and Natural Resources of the House of Representatives; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H63837C29DF0242939F703DDE810987E3"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.</text></paragraph></subsection></section>
<section id="H87BA50B88EFC4122BCF09A491E64E762"><enum>308.</enum><header>Study on pine beetle infestation</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall—</text> <paragraph id="H7CCD603FF53D4F4BBA85B7B0EEF12D6C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>carry out a study on the causes and effects of, and solutions for, the infestation of pine beetles in the North Eastern region of the United States; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H6F6F1D9B9C614591825770568677A09E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>submit to the relevant Congressional Committees a report that includes the results of the study required under paragraph (1). </text></paragraph></section> <enum>IV</enum><header>Ensuring Casualty Assistance for our Firefighters</header> <section id="HCAE6DD8825004E19ACA9F4C96A6B6D04"><enum>401.</enum><header>Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program</header> <subsection id="HCAADD15A67D240AA85964C8A441FB7A5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Development of Program</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall develop a Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program (referred to in this section as the <quote>Program</quote>) to provide assistance to the next-of-kin of—</text>
<paragraph id="HA28503CBC15B4E24B56553946B17A5DA" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">firefighters who, while in the line of duty, suffer illness or are critically injured or killed; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA0F537FA14CB4E1C97107745F6989035" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text>wildland fire support personnel critically injured or killed in the line of duty.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HA3E751AF719B489E878A3C8FBE9CCD47"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Aspects of Program</header><text>The Program shall address the following:</text> <paragraph id="HFA9BBE655F7D48869430F5C2A744CA2F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The initial and any subsequent notifications to the next-of-kin of a firefighter or wildland fire support personnel who—</text>
<subparagraph id="HD59E078903E942E79EC071D4D812BD01"><enum>(A)</enum><text>is killed in the line of duty; or</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H329A460811094F3B9ECE023FD7D522BE"><enum>(B)</enum><text>requires hospitalization or treatment at a medical facility due to a line-of-duty injury or illness.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H55D2C8F6B5354AD2BCEE0CDA6CF84B10"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The reimbursement of next-of-kin for expenses associated with travel to visit a firefighter or wildland fire support personnel who—</text> <subparagraph id="H76477B97A6244927A0FD5CCA43C5C760"><enum>(A)</enum><text>is killed in the line of duty; or</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H81B31921284447A7A4636711AAE69C50"><enum>(B)</enum><text>requires hospitalization or treatment at a medical facility due to a line-of-duty injury or illness.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H836884B25C684B7A86FF027C95AE7E33"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The qualifications, assignment, training, duties, supervision, and accountability for the performance of casualty assistance responsibilities.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H7ABE32786DBD41FD96C2440C3CED41EC"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The relief or transfer of casualty assistance officers, including notification to survivors of critical injury or illness in the line of duty and next-of-kin of the reassignment of such officers to other duties.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HEEC5C4A9D4F54AE48F16624EEA2455A0"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Centralized, short-term and long-term case management procedures for casualty assistance, including rapid access by survivors of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel and casualty assistance officers to expert case managers and counselors.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H2ADA54E9E6BE436EB30E837F52211FF6"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The provision, through a computer accessible website and other means and at no cost to survivors and next-of-kin of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel, of personalized, integrated information on the benefits and financial assistance available to such survivors from the Federal Government.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HC15C6F53AFA44ED891654D0C51E8E8A7"><enum>(7)</enum><text>The provision of information to survivors and next-of-kin of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel on mechanisms for registering complaints about, or requests for, additional assistance related to casualty assistance.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HB6AB5070C5614210BC7ADCC0085F3C26"><enum>(8)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Liaison with the Department of the Interior, the Department of Justice, and the Social Security Administration to ensure prompt and accurate resolution of issues relating to benefits administered by those agencies for survivors of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HE45E061A82274FDA94E6ABD3D5D38FEA"><enum>(9)</enum><text>Data collection, in consultation with the United States Fire Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, regarding the incidence and quality of casualty assistance provided to survivors of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H96303E60754D4E93940C374DF469A8E5"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Line of Duty Death benefits</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Program shall not affect existing authorities for Line of Duty Death benefits for Federal firefighters and wildland fire support personnel.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H4B8D39E781914E3AA9A6DB6E6D51943E" commented="no"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Next-of-Kin defined</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section, the term <term>next-of-kin</term> means person or persons in the highest category of priority as determined by the following list (categories appear in descending order of priority):</text>
<paragraph id="HC568C6DDF04348F695A11E984E619ADD" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Surviving legal spouse.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H3093C0F24BB94E0D9DC7398BEA6C05B0" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Children (whether by current or prior marriage) age 18 years or older in descending precedence by age.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H9F73437823344D89AB416BB01B5A6E18" commented="no"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Father or mother, unless by court order custody has been vested in another (adoptive parent takes precedence over natural parent).</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HB9AA23CFB36B4FB09D667219021C77ED" commented="no"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Siblings (whole or half) age 18 years or older in descending precedence by age.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HE5515E3D9B4C432EBE5BA1DEF5AA4075" commented="no"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Grandfather or grandmother.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H29156A4B18C94366B6E74E39ADC26544" commented="no"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Any other relative (precedence to be determined in accordance with the civil law of descent of the deceased former member’s State of domicile at time of death).</text></paragraph></subsection></section>
<enum>V</enum><header>White Oak Resilience</header>
<section id="H1958FB8F44E74E3CA76762771E460776"><enum>501.</enum><header>White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition</header>
<subsection id="H48ABF4864B2944DDBC170679B152A681"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition shall be established—</text> <paragraph id="H3012617871E74AB7AE0703CCF32D04AC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>as a voluntary collaborative group of Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments and private and non-governmental organizations to carry out the duties described in subsection (b); and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HB2D66E0BDB934576B8EEA1C19292737F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in accordance with the charter titled <quote>White Oak Initiative Coalition Charter</quote> adopted by the White Oak Initiative Board of Directors on March 21, 2023 (or a successor charter).</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H5080999377E245C7B656A9357E1F37A2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Duties</header><text>In addition to the duties specified in the charter described in subsection (a)(2), the duties of the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition are—</text>
<paragraph id="HE222C2EF5C6D401E83AFFA53D0595779"><enum>(1)</enum><text>to coordinate Federal, State, Tribal, local, private, and non-governmental restoration of white oak in the United States; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HFE17B89767F94219AEF9BCBFEE982DCE"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to make program and policy recommendations, consistent with applicable forest management plans, with respect to—</text>
<subparagraph id="H65C5EDE2066F4992A1C955636792DECE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>changes necessary to address Federal and State policies that impede activities to improve the health, resiliency, and natural regeneration of white oak;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H5A2D068D79AA41DB8D1E5E617A5BDA35"><enum>(B)</enum><text>adopting or modifying Federal and State policies to increase the pace and scale of white oak regeneration and resiliency of white oak;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H2A7BD321A52849FE89D4237FCF2FF83C"><enum>(C)</enum><text>options to enhance communication, coordination, and collaboration between forest land owners, particularly for cross-boundary projects, to improve the health, resiliency, and natural regeneration of white oak;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HF8F91174E3E142BBBBE7C583FB3FB813"><enum>(D)</enum><text>research gaps that should be addressed to improve the best available science on white oak;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H465C43E63E024A9DA7D41C28EE2BF4D9"><enum>(E)</enum><text>outreach to forest landowners with white oak or white oak regeneration potential; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H8061C5DCC9F14115A5DD7C7DDD9BEFA7"><enum>(F)</enum><text>options and policies necessary to improve the quality and quantity of white oak in tree nurseries.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H2A36EF247674489DA9957FC671C6680B"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Administrative support, technical services, and staff support</header><text>The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall make such personnel available to the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition for administrative support, technical services, and development and dissemination of educational materials as the Secretaries determine necessary to carry out this section.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H29862609864545D39FA9988D7426BAD4"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Private funding of white oak restoration projects</header><text>Subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for such purpose, the Secretary of Agriculture may make funds available to the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition to carry out this section from the account established pursuant to section 1241(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/3841">16 U.S.C. 3841(f)</external-xref>).</text></subsection></section>
<section id="HDFBE6E788A3A40BCB425D4B4949510E5"><enum>502.</enum><header>Forest Service pilot program</header>
<subsection id="H215CDDC56D324A74884BAD8688E308A3"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall establish and carry out 5 pilot projects in national forests to restore white oak in such forests through white oak restoration and natural regeneration practices that are consistent with applicable forest management plans.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HC2A6EDD0443041BC84A0AA68356DF027"><enum>(b)</enum><header>National forests reserved or withdrawn from the public domain</header><text>At least 3 pilot projects required under subsection (a) shall be carried out on national forests reserved or withdrawn from the public domain.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H5839CE8932E0488185681E01D9C460B3"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Authority To enter into cooperative agreements</header><text>The Secretary of Agriculture may enter into cooperative agreements to carry out the pilot projects required under subsection (a).</text></subsection> <subsection id="H8F9822CE9014422A831A8B84F4C74464"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Sunset</header><text>The authority under this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section>
<section id="HC20BFA36BF9541A68597A87B23BC0866"><enum>503.</enum><header>Department of the Interior white oak review and restoration</header>
<subsection id="HC5FAE01FE52840F5871B5EFD07F223B4"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Assessment</header>
<paragraph id="H980054497A8F47618F387BEDA6B1F70F"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary of the Interior shall carry out an assessment of land under the administrative jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior, including fish and wildlife refuges and abandoned mine land, to evaluate—</text> <subparagraph id="HA96873B885BA44F1B3D2EA9F1DC8C621"><enum>(A)</enum><text>whether white oak is present on such land; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HCD36FB87808B4036A54ACB4D9D2DF205"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the potential to restore white oak forests on such land.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H0038512DAA2F445DB62BF4DE8B8A925B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Use of information</header><text>In carrying out the assessment under paragraph (1), the Secretary may use information from sources other than the Department of the Interior, including from the White Oak Initiative and the Forest Service.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H4FA0EEEF96F047BB8EA3311C876BD901"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress, and make publicly available on the website of the Department of the Interior, a report regarding the results of the assessment carried out under this subsection.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H91F44111122242F08C6C66F0354F0DDA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Pilot projects</header><text>After the date on which the report required under subsection (a)(3) is submitted, the Secretary shall establish and carry out 5 pilot projects in different areas of land described in subsection (a)(1) to restore and naturally regenerate white oak.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="HC0ED724FEBCB4239B3E9C984CF03EDC3"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Authority to enter into cooperative agreements</header><text>The Secretary of the Interior may enter into cooperative agreements to carry out the pilot projects required under subsection (b).</text></subsection> <subsection id="H87092496C3A9496CBD960CEB7EAD4A1C"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Sunset</header><text>The authority under this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section>
<section id="HC1BE5983DA744209B3A051E59485514B"><enum>504.</enum><header>White oak regeneration and upland oak habitat</header>
<subsection id="H0961162C94F449B48BFB0DC4ECF2FF26"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture (in this section referred to as the <quote>Secretary</quote>) shall establish a non-regulatory program to be known as the <quote>White Oak and Upland Oak Habitat Regeneration Program</quote> (in this section referred to as the <quote>Program</quote>).</text></subsection> <subsection id="H795F37209F0348BBB66C42AA2019DE78"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Duties</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In carrying out the Program, the Secretary shall—</text>
<paragraph id="HE2959FE8C37B4091A5DEC91BBBDD1C4F"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">draw upon the best available science and management plans for species of white oak to identify, prioritize, and implement restoration and conservation activities that will improve the growth of white oak within the United States;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H3DD07C4887094BE8B6CBEBD7F423476A"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">collaborate and coordinate with the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition to prioritize white oak restoration initiatives;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H17AC1E8534FF49C5AF157A87CB168373"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">adopt a white oak restoration strategy that—</text> <subparagraph id="H02EB4A2C014544B2B2F7C78971B58C74"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">supports the implementation of a shared set of science-based restoration and conservation activities developed in accordance with paragraph (1);</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H90BD9B5BD4F14052995704207B5F9238"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">targets cost effective projects with measurable results; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HBA6C783AC4944AAA922E79B2BEC6D102"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">maximizes restoration outcomes with no net gain of Federal full-time equivalent employees; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HD8C27A2AF1B747219FFF3BCB47D6BBB4"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">establish the voluntary grant and technical assistance programs in accordance with subsection (e).</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H4B6FBA15134248219F1EF2C0C0A91BC3"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Coordination</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In establishing the Program the Secretary, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall consult with—</text>
<paragraph id="H668F0FC53CFC4495B6BB6CE8D83C918B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the heads of Federal agencies, including—</text> <subparagraph id="H6286976AB66C47EE8C386B92D5F3F3AC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H4FEF912063404B27964A71560BE14BB1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA8DB9E64D561413494BDBAE080C4AD36"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the Governor of each State in which restoration efforts will be carried out pursuant to the Program.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H9687399995FA4F3591C83FCECBD9F907"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Purposes</header><text>The purposes of the Program include—</text> <paragraph id="H5B7EA13A82224BDA99E803CE7A66101B"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">coordinating restoration and conservation activities among Federal, State, local, and Tribal entities and conservation partners to address white oak restoration priorities;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HAC6F84DA008143F0A635AB0984666CBB"><enum>(2)</enum><text>improving and regenerating white oak and upland oak forests and the wildlife habitat such forests provide;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H7CA3E6BA9D8446EDB041D9F910EBDC44"><enum>(3)</enum><text>carrying out coordinated restoration and conservation activities that lead to the increased growth of species of white oak in native white oak regions on Federal, State, Tribal, and private land;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H4E04EDCA679F4F43A22F12BB905B38E9"><enum>(4)</enum><text>facilitating strategic planning to maximize the resilience of white oak systems and habitats under changing climate conditions;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H0C53D66B3FE244E1B54FE9CDBEE2147B"><enum>(5)</enum><text>engaging the public through outreach, education, and citizen involvement to increase capacity and support for coordinated restoration and conservation activities for species of white oak; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HCA7118272EBF4E6986BE728D366D1B82"><enum>(6)</enum><text>increasing scientific capacity to support the planning, monitoring, and research activities necessary to carry out such coordinated restoration and conservation activities.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H39FDA7DEB63045B8B65F18BA0C01AC0B"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Grants and assistance</header> <paragraph id="HEFCD9167EF2B40A8A6ECA40AD56120D4"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">To the extent that funds are available to carry out this section, the Secretary shall establish a voluntary grant and technical assistance program (in this section referred to as the <quote>grant program</quote>) to achieve the purposes of the Program described in subsection (d).</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H477A986417B149C09568EAA28FF83C8A"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Administration</header>
<subparagraph id="HEF3CE56B045C47508EE0B6DC9722FDF4"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (in this subsection referred to as the <quote>Foundation</quote>) to manage and administer the grant program.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H6C08FAD16DB64EC7B5FB5F8CFA679307"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Funding</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for such purpose, after the Secretary enters into a cooperative agreement with the Foundation under subparagraph (A), the Foundation shall for each fiscal year, receive amounts to carry out this subsection in an advance payment of the entire amount on October 1, or as soon as practicable thereafter, of that fiscal year.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HA4CAA6A51E5349E695D28992A2D76C4E"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Application of National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act</header><text>Amounts received by the Foundation to carry out the grant program shall be subject to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/3701">16 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.</external-xref>), excluding section 10(a) of that Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/3709">16 U.S.C. 3709(a)</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H268E8D50D28D4CEEB98F319D40FFF344" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Sunset</header><text>The authority under this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section>
<section id="HF5E2A73AF47C4418AA0D0065D0EC1979"><enum>505.</enum><header>Tree nursery shortages</header>
<subsection id="HA2360E964E274BEA98D3510FD2B40C19"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall—</text> <paragraph id="H65845A40574348A29FC9B7B878A8074C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>develop and implement a national strategy to increase the capacity of Federal, State, Tribal, and private tree nurseries to address the nationwide shortage of tree seedlings; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HC227913753824228BE6FE39386C046B3"><enum>(2)</enum><text>coordinate such strategy with—</text> <subparagraph id="H563CDA5014634C0CB06F14468B7788AA"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the national reforestation strategy of the Forest Service; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H70FC71FA824E4C238D8EB25A074D8DFF"><enum>(B)</enum><text>each regional implementation plan for National Forests.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H35BCA14E90AC4AAD8C0661E990D8BC75"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Elements</header><text>The strategy required under subsection (a) shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H149B4F5EE6A84201B5B45CB2ABC9C7DD"><enum>(1)</enum><text>be based on the best available science and data; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HC5B8739563A44666AF86DA92035DDF4F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>identify and address—</text>
<subparagraph id="HBCCDEE8033FF4530AF0488D15567CDB2"><enum>(A)</enum><text>regional seedling shortages of bareroot and container tree seedlings;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H1BD1F800040E4013B594868F5D22F416"><enum>(B)</enum><text>regional reforestation opportunities and the seedling supply necessary to fulfill such opportunities;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HEBB2CB3B84FB44F0B40CC8B4F60BE95C"><enum>(C)</enum><text>opportunities to enhance seedling diversity and close gaps in seed inventories; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H87324FAA96E34659B6D3D747D9F632C4"><enum>(D)</enum><text>barriers to expanding, enhancing, or creating new infrastructure to increase nursery capacity.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section>
<section id="H87E1779405A74294BB7E7EBB76EF2FAA"><enum>506.</enum><header>White oak research</header>
<subsection id="H7F726A340E8246FDAC29ACED3720E0E0"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary of Agriculture may enter into a memorandum of understanding with a Tribe or institution, including a covered land grant college, to collaboratively conduct research on—</text> <paragraph id="H5AB027C643744C94BEE1D805E6184DE1"><enum>(1)</enum><text>white oak genes with resistance or tolerance to stress;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HB9DAA06A850849ED970D3ABA23E47918"><enum>(2)</enum><text>white oak trees that exhibit vigor for the purpose of increasing survival and growth;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HDF89FD498BA043819B0F0BBB8BE8FAAA"><enum>(3)</enum><text>establishing a genetically diverse white oak seeds bank capable of responding to stressors;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H2978C11D0C6647C28DFF08ABE7A414E4"><enum>(4)</enum><text>providing a sustainable supply of white oak seedlings and genetic resources;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H9248B3EF4DF246489C11BE288C3CA9AA"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">improved methods for aligning seed sources with the future climate at planting sites;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H532070444296465E9B8A1F88CBBA4ED8"><enum>(6)</enum><text>reforestation of white oak through natural and artificial regeneration; </text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H19C8B8E27B254FEE8A6051E67C497A22"><enum>(7)</enum><text>improved methods for retaining and increasing white oak trees in forests;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H97B8CBCE84344AF0876CB9FA17D09DB4"><enum>(8)</enum><text>improved methods for reforesting abandoned mine land sites; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H5C6B97C4B2504062B53CD451F1B79228"><enum>(9)</enum><text>economic and social aspects of white oak forest management across land ownerships.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HB91B74F6B1DC44018F323BF93DE6C6DF"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Consult</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In carrying out the research under subsection (a), the Tribe or institution, including a covered land grant college, that enters into the memorandum of understanding under such subsection may consult with such States, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and other scientific bodies, as the entity subject to such memorandum determines appropriate.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H0B75C99141A6448BA8A6E8EB11B05969" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Sunset</header><text>The authority under this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H8022550388274ABF8743DD6B650B3FF8"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Covered land grant college defined</header><text>In this section, the term <term>covered land grant college</term> means an 1862 Institution, an 1890 Institution, or a 1994 Institution (as such terms are defined, respectively, in section 2 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/7601">7 U.S.C. 7601</external-xref>)).</text></subsection></section> <section id="H86905D9F3D8F4CB686F9D423CCFEB9A7"><enum>507.</enum><header>USDA formal initiative</header> <subsection id="H0E88D7A5D71A407A8001DFE23AEE4931"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service and in coordination with the Chief of the Forest Service, shall establish a formal initiative on white oak to—</text>
<paragraph id="HA4875F2AE948413C981BA1545B6A0AC6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>re-establish white oak forests where appropriate;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H33E232D2F86E41D38364F85487AFD9EB"><enum>(2)</enum><text>improve management of existing white oak forests to foster natural regeneration of white oak;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HE599D1A4270841B39D6E5E46881739DF"><enum>(3)</enum><text>provide technical assistance to private landowners to re-establish, improve management of, and naturally regenerate white oak;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H2273BB6FEC8B4F6D805426F8AF678CD4"><enum>(4)</enum><text>improve and expand white oak nursery stock; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HAED4C961F41048FC930AB7CDAD6CC470"><enum>(5)</enum><text>adapt and improve white oak seedlings.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HF62A1667BE5843579D8DAE4E7F2C7D75"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Sunset</header><text>The authority under this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section>
<section id="H0286EC179E864204A3FE0E400D004B33"><enum>508.</enum><header>Authorities</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall use the authorities provided under this title in combination with other authorities to carry out projects, including—</text> <paragraph id="HD2381D661B5A4638A5A0593C18ED947A"><enum>(1)</enum><text>good neighbor agreements entered into under section 8206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/2113">16 U.S.C. 2113</external-xref>); and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HB36AAC4BB33F4BFC830A73C892B23DA4"><enum>(2)</enum><text>stewardship contracting projects entered into under section 604 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6591">16 U.S.C. 6591</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></section> <enum>VI</enum><header>Expansion of Public-Private Partnerships under Water Source Protection Program</header> <section id="H56FF1E6CF7CF45EAAB45D90BB29B291C" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>601.</enum><header>Water source protection program</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 303 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6542">16 U.S.C. 6542(g)(4)(B)</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H7C4717E2403E40BA95E57969A11D70A0"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a)—</text> <subparagraph id="H36087AF0AAC54F25AD1E22EB7C113841"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (7) as paragraphs (2) through (8), respectively;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H3F4F2D47AF2C4D598582901F5FFEEE68"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by inserting before paragraph (2), as so redesignated, the following:</text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="H8A7AA4CC0F9149239C112676E69A117D" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <paragraph id="HF68AE7CC6179499A9AE432EF72E36A4D"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Adjacent land</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>adjacent land</term> means non-Federal land, including State, local, and private land, that is adjacent to, and within the same watershed as, National Forest System land on which a watershed protection and restoration project is carried out under this section.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H2581F58570DB4D6F9A26B22213403815"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in paragraph (2), as so redesignated—</text> <clause id="HC0519B47F4444BA289E81FA3912497E2"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by redesignating subparagraphs (G) and (H) as subparagraphs (K) and (L), respectively; and</text></clause>
<clause id="H9BF834A3A9B84B2782EB73162F0613DF"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by inserting after subparagraph (F) the following: </text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="H1439700559E04498A43DE255F8529BE4" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <subparagraph id="H88F1430167014685898037412E1364B0"><enum>(G)</enum><text>an acequia association;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H4912FD8315B7467CAC44B631CEEF88E5"><enum>(H)</enum><text>a local, regional, or other public entity that manages stormwater or wastewater resources or other related water infrastructure;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H059F2DB05B0B4EB4A8C03A2F63465A51"><enum>(I)</enum><text>a land-grant mercedes;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H65C1D51511944304B91B17AE5FC98F5E"><enum>(J)</enum><text>a local, regional, or other private entity that has water delivery authority;</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; </after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H69EBD7E7BE114BF3832FF0A221B1BAF6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (b)—</text>
<subparagraph id="H0C6985FCCCC64AFEB98DB39E4FC94CFC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>The Secretary shall</quote> and inserting the following: </text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="HB99D769EA8424569A231111DC0FD44A9" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <paragraph id="H0B78037B6FAE4D82ACEEBAB0C58A04F3"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary shall</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H5F2A487EB54C4E1BBD5381AD1FBF1978"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following: </text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="HF6E85B067E0646FB9820DA27080A25F9" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <paragraph id="HD24306AE61C245EEA581F78DB549F136"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Requirements</header><text>A watershed protection and restoration project under the Program shall be designed to—</text>
<subparagraph id="H762F5AAA50E6403A8A112BDFE4D5A142"><enum>(A)</enum><text>protect and restore watershed health, water supply and quality, a municipal or agricultural water supply system, and water-related infrastructure;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H655B35F68D184A8F8CAAD3F28395E6C7"><enum>(B)</enum><text>protect and restore forest health from insect infestation and disease or wildfire; or</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HDE9AFBD08B134485ACC653B4ACED26DF"><enum>(C)</enum><text>advance any combination of the purposes described in subparagraphs (A) and (B).</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HE7422FD20ADF4347AC267A577EAFEE0F"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Priorities</header><text>In selecting watershed protection and restoration projects under the Program, the Secretary shall give priority to projects that would—</text>
<subparagraph id="H632BA9BFBB6D46EF85080D9DFBB01001"><enum>(A)</enum><text>provide risk management benefits associated with: drought; wildfire; post-wildfire conditions; extreme weather; flooding; resilience to climate change; and watershed and fire resilience, including minimizing risks to watershed health, water supply and quality, and water-related infrastructure, including municipal and agricultural water supply systems;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H41CBD4F2521F4789B274CF9DA5604C9C"><enum>(B)</enum><text>support aquatic restoration and conservation efforts that complement existing or planned forest restoration or wildfire risk reduction efforts; or</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H8D9D5F996F3848438ECC44C80FCDFF96"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">provide quantifiable benefits to water supply or quality and include the use of nature-based solutions, such as restoring wetland and riparian ecosystems.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H1AB51EA1E50E4CFF867D1CBB7FDAFB8E"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Conditions for projects on adjacent land</header> <subparagraph id="H4E0759CB83BA4F56821B5BC8B76CCAB8"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>No project or activity may be carried out under this section on adjacent land unless the owner of the adjacent land agrees in writing that the owner is a willing and engaged partner in carrying out that project or activity.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H383F3D7E88D0410296EAD58A8E070D71"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Effect</header><text>Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize any change in—</text> <clause id="H5B90A1C7668F4D199705555EAABCA137"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the ownership of adjacent land on which a project or activity is carried out under this section; or</text></clause>
<clause id="HE92E382559ED453A97971D3903207418"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the management of adjacent land on which a project or activity is carried out under this section, except during the carrying out of that project or activity.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HC4B74C04BF5C40B78131732C22A83FC6"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in subsection (c)—</text>
<subparagraph id="H841B4A0A879F465C898637A37DCD31DE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>with end water users</quote> and inserting</text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="H14999D43D4F54F71BAC7251BE917CC29" display-inline="yes-display-inline"><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">with end water users to protect and restore the condition of National Forest watersheds and adjacent land that provide water—</text>
<subparagraph id="H8661C12EAC564C50AF37FD8C964B4EF4"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to the end water users subject to the agreement; or</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HC515A39FCBBF4A4EA6B7B07D34632718"><enum>(B)</enum><text>for the benefit of another end water user.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H4B90E544BF5D4033A6535A29E2219D32"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)—</text> <clause id="H6F702AB9D8CC43F48EBCB37A65853E53"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in subparagraph (C), by striking <quote>or</quote> at the end;</text></clause>
<clause id="H970DE54C2E9A4AC691BACC7F10C03A73"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E); and</text></clause> <clause id="HAD83267F767340ED90A86535DBC04DD5"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following: </text>
<quoted-block style="OLC" id="H5D649C025DD24213AF8DDE2B9D95E5EC" display-inline="no-display-inline">
<subparagraph id="H17CD91E2FA1547F28707C9BD6299FD4D"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a good neighbor agreement entered into under section 8206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/2113a">16 U.S.C. 2113a</external-xref>); or</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H2395920D2B2B4A04A042C20F07E9D947"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following: </text>
<quoted-block style="OLC" id="H9E2A4C78E0754EB2AC2FA91834FBAD0B" display-inline="no-display-inline">
<paragraph id="H2BE97874BBD34E87AA2D9B67D3484C26"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Cooperation with non-Federal partners</header><text>The Secretary shall cooperate with non-Federal partners in carrying out assessments, planning, project design, and project implementation under this section.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; </after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H023D7D1F9978402BB481140E1571B5E5"><enum>(4)</enum><text>in subsection (d)—</text>
<subparagraph id="H3563F1383760491683D375D0B4C9D4C0"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:</text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="H6B999CD144CB4E449570860A108CB81D" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <paragraph id="H7019C36A7FF747B39CE57853C82603EA"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Requirement</header><text>A water source management plan shall be—</text>
<subparagraph id="HD7905AFB6A404DEA87C12DBF576A11BB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>designed to protect and restore ecological integrity (as defined in section 219.19 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this subparagraph));</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HA8F7DA863EBB46FAA519CD273B357988"><enum>(B)</enum><text>based on the best available scientific information; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HFAB5BD0E89734A149A13AB858AE3B2D1"><enum>(C)</enum><text>conducted in a manner consistent with the forest plan applicable to the National Forest System land on which the watershed protection and restoration project is carried out.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H1970EFDAC0D5438382BC348F46F01D23"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following: </text>
<quoted-block style="OLC" id="H39BB9A9C36C74990A119B3405FBED94A" display-inline="no-display-inline">
<paragraph id="H97B6D89C33D9427FAF10FE9F235032FD"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Reducing redundancy</header><text>An existing watershed plan, such as a watershed protection and restoration action plan developed under section 304(a)(3), or other applicable watershed planning documents as approved by the Secretary may be used as the basis for a water source management plan under this subsection.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HCE376E96D0B34EFC8FCA5D8B8BAEA6E1"><enum>(5)</enum><text>in subsection (e)(1), by striking <quote>primary purpose of</quote> and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting <quote>primary purpose of advancing any of the purposes described in subsection (b)(2).</quote>.</text></paragraph></section>
<section id="HC33AE735F63C45E58B9B1C522818CF42" commented="no"><enum>602.</enum><header>Watershed condition framework technical corrections</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 304(a) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/6543">16 U.S.C. 6543(a)</external-xref>) is amended in paragraphs (3) and (5) by striking <quote>protection and</quote>. </text></section> Passed the House of Representatives September 24, 2024.Kevin F. McCumber,Clerk.