[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 691 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 691

  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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 21, 2003

   Mr. Hagel introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

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

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.
            (2) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Nebraska.
            (3) State forester.--The term ``State Forester'' means the 
        Nebraska State Forester.
    (b) Cooperative Agreements and Contracts.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary may enter into a cooperative 
        agreement or contract, including a sole source contract, with 
        the State Forester, under which the State Forester may carry 
        out eligible watershed restoration and protection activities on 
        National Forest System land in the State if similar or 
        complementary activities are being carried out by the State 
        Forester on State or private land that is located within the 
        same watershed as the National Forest System land.
            (2) Eligible activities.--Watershed restoration and 
        protection activities that are eligible to be carried out by 
        the State Forester under paragraph (1) shall include--
                    (A) treatment of insect-infected trees;
                    (B) reduction of hazardous fuels; and
                    (C) 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 (b)(1) may authorize 
the 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 subsection (b), the State 
Forester may enter into subcontracts in accordance with applicable 
contract procedures of the State.
    (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 
State Forester under subsection (b).
    (f) No Delegation of Duties Under NEPA.--With respect to any 
watershed restoration or protection activity of the State Forester 
carried out or proposed to be carried out under subsection (b), the 
Secretary shall not delegate to the State Forester or to any other 
employee of the State 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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