[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5206 Introduced in House (IH)]






107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5206

  To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into cooperative 
agreements and contracts with the Nebraska State Forester to carry out 
  watershed restoration and protection activities on National Forest 
                 System land in the State of Nebraska.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 24, 2002

 Mr. Osborne introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
      Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on 
Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into cooperative 
agreements and contracts with the Nebraska State Forester to carry out 
  watershed restoration and protection activities on National Forest 
                 System land in the State of Nebraska.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Nebraska National Forest Cooperation 
Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. WATERSHED RESTORATION AND PROTECTION ACTIVITIES IN THE STATE OF 
              NEBRASKA.

    (a) Cooperative Agreements and Contracts.--The Secretary of 
Agriculture may enter into a cooperative agreement or contract, 
including a sole source contract, with the Nebraska State Forester, 
under which the State Forester may carry out eligible watershed 
restoration and protection activities on National Forest System land in 
the State of Nebraska if similar or complementary activities are being 
carried out by the State Forester on State or private land that is 
adjacent to the National Forest System land.
    (b) Eligible Activities.--Watershed restoration and protection 
activities that are eligible to be carried out by the Nebraska State 
Forester under subsection (a) shall include--
            (1) treatment of insect-infected trees;
            (2) reduction of hazardous fuels; and
            (3) other activities to restore or improve watersheds 
        across ownership boundaries.
    (c) Agency Agreement.--Except as provided in subsection (f), a 
cooperative agreement or contract under subsection (a) may authorize 
the Nebraska State Forester to be an agent of the Secretary for the 
purpose of carrying out the watershed restoration or protection 
activities under the cooperative agreement or contract.
    (d) Subcontracts Authorized.--In carrying out the watershed 
restoration or protection activities under this section, the Nebraska 
State Forester may enter into subcontracts in accordance with 
applicable contract procedures of the State of Nebraska.
    (e) Timber Sales.--Subsections (d) and (g) of section 14 of the 
National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 472a) shall not apply 
to watershed restoration and protection activities carried out by the 
Nebraska State Forester under this section.
    (f) No Delegation of Duties Under NEPA.--With respect to any 
watershed restoration or protection activity of the Nebraska State 
Forester carried out or proposed to be carried out under this section, 
the Secretary shall not delegate to the State Forester or to any other 
employee of the Nebraska Forest Service any of the duties of the 
Secretary under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
    (g) Termination of Authority.--The authority of the Secretary to 
enter into cooperative agreements or contracts under this section 
terminates on September 30, 2006.
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