3.0.0 1453 2023-01-15T06:17:49Z 2023-01-15T06:17:49Z Senate S S 2003-07-24 108 ssaf00 Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Senate Standing Referred to 2003-07-24T23:46:57Z 2003-07-24 ssaf00 Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Senate Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. IntroReferral 2003-07-24 Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9907-9908) IntroReferral B00100 9 Library of Congress 2003-07-24 Introduced in Senate IntroReferral 10000 9 Library of Congress L000174 Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT] Patrick Leahy D VT N B000711 Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA] BARBARA BOXER D CA 2003-07-24 True Public Lands and Natural Resources Administrative procedure Department of Agriculture Environmental Protection Forest conservation Forest fires Government Operations and Politics Law National forests Public Lands and Natural Resources 00 2003-07-24 Introduced in Senate 2003-11-20T20:10:25Z Forestry and Community Assistance Act of 2003 - Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to conduct hazardous fuels reduction projects on National Forest System lands, and Bureau of Land Management lands, respectively. Provides for: (1) a collaborative project selection process; and (2) an expedited planning and implementation process.

Directs the Secretaries to track firefighter safety and training funds and include a line item for such expenditures in all budget requests after October 1, 2003.

Exempts the Forest Service from the competitive sourcing initiative.

Directs the Secretaries to ensure that forest health programs include research on: (1) best use of mechanical thinning and prescribed fire to reduce fire risk, and to improve the scientific basis for implementation of hazardous fuels reduction treatments; (2) insect and associated diseases and related prevention and early warning activities; and (3) new technologies and markets for value-added products that use the byproducts of insect and disease infestation or hazardous fuels reduction treatments.

Amends the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a watershed forestry assistance program to provide States, through State foresters or Indian tribes, with technical, financial, and related assistance to: (1) expand forest stewardship capacities and activities through best management practices; and (2) prevent water quality degradation, and address watershed issues, on non-Federal forest land.

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to designate ten forest and rangeland health demonstration projects at the watershed scale, and the Secretary of the Interior to designate five such projects.

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the healthy forests reserve program for the purpose of restoring and enhancing forest ecosystems to promote the recovery of threatened and endangered species as well as improve biodiversity and enhance carbon sequestration.

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish: (1) the Rural Community Forestry Enterprise Program to enhance necessary skills and establish organizations to promote forest-related products and activities; (2) at least one Forest Enterprise Center at each Research Station of the Forest Service; and (3) the forest enterprise technical assistance and grant program.

]]> Forestry and Community Assistance Act of 2003 Display Title Forestry and Community Assistance Act of 2003 Official Title as Introduced A bill to expedite procedures for hazardous fuels reduction activities and restoration in wildlife fire prone national forests and for other purposes. Introduced in Senate IS Short Titles as Introduced Forestry and Community Assistance Act of 2003 Introduced in Senate 2003-07-24T04:00:00Z 2003-07-24 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. text/xml 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. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.