109 HR 5756 IH: Colorado Emergency Wildfire U.S. House of Representatives 0 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.

I 109th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5756 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 11, 2006 Mr. Beauprez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, and Ways and Means, 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 provide additional authority to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to implement hazardous fuel reduction projects in the State of Colorado in response to dangerous fuel levels and insect infestations in forested Federal land in Colorado, to extend the maximum duration of stewardship contracts carried out in Colorado, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the credit for electricity produced from biomass, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title and table of contents

(a)

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Colorado Emergency Wildfire and Insect Infestations Response Act of 2006. (b)

Table of contents

The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents. Sec. 2. Implementation of hazardous fuel reduction projects in Colorado in response to dangerous forest fuel levels and insect infestations. Sec. 3. Extension of authorized maximum duration of stewardship contracts carried out in Colorado. Sec. 4. Expansion of Forest Service Fuels for Schools program to include Colorado. Sec. 5. Extension of credit for electricity produced from biomass.

2.

Implementation of hazardous fuel reduction projects in Colorado in response to dangerous forest fuel levels and insect infestations

Section 104 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6514) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (i)

Temporary Alternative Analysis Process for Projects in Colorado

(1)

Proposed agency action

For an authorized hazardous fuel reduction project that is proposed to be conducted on Federal land in Colorado, the Secretary is not required to study, develop, or describe any alternative to the proposed agency action in the environmental assessment or environmental impact statement prepared pursuant to section 102(2) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)). (2)

Duration

Paragraph (1) shall apply during the 10-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of the Colorado Emergency Wildfire and Insect Infestations Response Act of 2006. .

3.

Extension of authorized maximum duration of stewardship contracts carried out in Colorado

Section 347(c) of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 (as contained in section 101(e) of division A of Public Law 105–277; 16 U.S.C. 2104 note), is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (6)

Longer term for projects in colorado

Notwithstanding paragraph (2), an agreement or contract under subsection (a) to be carried out in Colorado may have a term of up to 20 years. The Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management may extend the term of an agreement or contract entered into before the date of the enactment of the Colorado Emergency Wildfire and Insect Infestations Response Act of 2006 to be carried out in Colorado, with the consent of the other party or parties to the agreement or contract, to reflect the longer term authorized by this paragraph. .

4.

Expansion of Forest Service Fuels for Schools program to include Colorado

(a)

Expansion

The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the State and Private Forestry Division of the Forest Service, shall expand the Fuels for Schools program to include the State of Colorado. (b)

Grants

The Secretary is authorized to make grants in the total amount of $5,000,000 each fiscal year to carry out the Fuels for Schools program in Colorado. (c)

Duration

This section shall apply during the five-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of the Colorado Emergency Wildfire and Insect Infestations Response Act of 2006.

5.

Extension of credit for electricity produced from biomass

(a)

In general

Clause (i) of section 45(d)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to open-loop biomass facilities) is amended by striking January 1, 2008 both places it appears and inserting January 1, 2010. (b)

Biomass eligible for full credit rate

Subparagraph (A) of section 45(b)(4) (relating to credit rate) is amended by striking (3),. (c)

Effective dates

(1)The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect the date of the enactment of this Act. (2)The amendment made by subsection (b) shall apply to electricity produced and sold after the date of the enactment of this Act in taxable years ending after such date.