[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1301 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1301

To provide for the restoration of forest landscapes, protection of old 
  growth forests, and management of national forests in the eastside 
                    forests of the State of Oregon.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                July 16 (legislative day, July 15), 2013

Mr. Wyden (for himself and Mr. Merkley) introduced the following bill; 
   which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for the restoration of forest landscapes, protection of old 
  growth forests, and management of national forests in the eastside 
                    forests of the State of Oregon.

    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 ``Oregon Eastside Forests Restoration, 
Old Growth Protection, and Jobs Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to conserve and restore the eastside National Forests 
        of the State;
            (2) to create an immediate, predictable, and increased 
        timber flow to support locally based restoration economies in 
        the communities of the eastside National Forests of the State;
            (3) to make the eastside National Forests of the State more 
        resistant and resilient to, and to mitigate the effects of, 
        climate change;
            (4) to protect, restore, and increase old-growth forest 
        stands and trees in the eastside National Forests of the State;
            (5) to promote collaboration in the communities of the 
        eastside National Forests of the State to respond to critical 
        threats to forest and watershed health and to support natural 
        resource- and restoration-based economies;
            (6) to prioritize, strategically target, and accelerate 
        projects to improve forest health and watershed health in old 
        growth forests located in the eastside National Forests of the 
        State; and
            (7) to provide the Secretary, collaborative groups, and the 
        public with independent scientific advice for restoring forest 
        health and watershed health in the eastside National Forests of 
        the State.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Advisory panel.--The term ``advisory panel'' means the 
        Eastside Forest Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel 
        established under section 6(a).
            (2) Collaborative group.--The term ``collaborative group'' 
        means a group of individuals that meets the requirements of 
        section 8(a)(2).
            (3) Covered area.--The term ``covered area'' means the area 
        selected by the Secretary under section 4(a)(1) that is--
                    (A) within the State; and
                    (B) not within the area covered by the Record of 
                Decision for Amendments to Forest Service and Bureau of 
                Land Management Planning Documents Within the Range of 
                the Northern Spotted Owl, dated April 1994.
            (4) Decision notice.--The term ``Decision Notice'' means 
        the decision notice entitled ``Decision Notice for the Revised 
        Continuation of Interim Management Direction Establishing 
        Riparian, Ecosystem and Wildlife Standards for Timber Sales, 
        United States Forest Service Region 6, Colville, Deschutes, 
        Fremont, Malheur, Ochoco, Okanogan, Umatilla, Wallowa-Whitman 
        and Winema National Forests in Oregon and Washington'' and 
        approved by the Pacific Northwest Regional Forester on June 6, 
        1995.
            (5) Emergency condition.--The term ``emergency condition'' 
        means a condition--
                    (A) that results in an--
                            (i) imminent risk to life or property; or
                            (ii) immediate impairment of the public use 
                        and enjoyment of a trail, road, highway, public 
                        facility, or public land; and
                    (B) with respect to subparagraph (A)(ii), the 
                urgency to address the emergency of which outweighs the 
                benefits of full notice and comment.
            (6) Forest health.--The term ``forest health'' means 
        conditions that enable forested land--
                    (A) to be durable, resilient, and less prone to 
                uncharacteristic wildfire, insect, or pathogen 
                outbreaks, while--
                            (i) supporting ecosystem services and 
                        populations of native species; and
                            (ii) allowing for natural disturbances;
                    (B) to maintain or develop species composition, 
                ecosystem function and structure, hydrologic function, 
                and sediment regimes that are within an acceptable 
                range that considers--
                            (i) historic variability; and
                            (ii) anticipated future conditions; and
                    (C) to be resistant and resilient to 
                uncharacteristic events.
            (7) Forest stand.--The term ``forest stand'' means a 
        contiguous group of trees that are sufficiently uniform in age-
        class distribution, composition, and structure and that are 
        growing on a site of sufficiently uniform quality to be a 
        distinguishable unit.
            (8) Initiative.--The term ``Initiative'' means an 
        initiative established by the Secretary--
                    (A) to restore and improve the ecological 
                structure, composition, and function and the natural 
                processes of watersheds within the National Forest 
                System;
                    (B) to preserve and create local jobs in rural 
                communities that are located in or near National Forest 
                System land;
                    (C) to sustain the local wood products 
                infrastructure and community capacity that is necessary 
                for the appropriate management and restoration of 
                National Forest System land;
                    (D) to promote cooperation and collaboration in the 
                management of National Forest System land;
                    (E) to carry out collaborative projects to restore 
                forest health and watershed health and to reduce the 
                risk of uncharacteristic disturbances from fire, 
                insects, and disease to communities, watersheds, and 
                natural resources through a collaborative process of 
                planning, prioritizing, and implementing ecological 
                restoration, hazardous fuel reduction, and other 
                vegetation management projects;
                    (F) to collect information from the projects 
                carried out under this Act in an effort to better 
                understand the manner in which to improve forest 
                restoration and management activities;
                    (G) that includes all National Forest System land 
                within the covered area; and
                    (H) under which not more than 15 National Forests 
                may be selected to participate.
            (9) Inventoried roadless area.--The term ``inventoried 
        roadless area'' means 1 of the areas identified in the set of 
        inventoried roadless area maps contained in the Forest Service 
        Roadless Areas Conservation, Final Environmental Impact 
        Statement, Volume 2, dated November 2000.
            (10) National forest system.--The term ``National Forest 
        System'' 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(a)).
            (11) Pilot landscape.--The term ``pilot landscape'' means a 
        National Forest entirely within the covered area on which a 
        project is being carried out under section 4003 of the Omnibus 
        Public Land Management Act of 2009 (16 U.S.C. 7303) as of 
        January 1, 2013.
            (12) Plant association.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``plant association'' 
                means a description of a plant community that--
                            (i) would potentially, in the absence of a 
                        disturbance, occupy a site; and
                            (ii) may be aggregated into 1 or more 
                        groups based on similarities in plant species, 
                        composition, environment, and productivity.
                    (B) Inclusion.--The term ``plant association'' 
                includes, with respect to a forested site, species 
                representing tree, shrub, and herbaceous layers.
            (13) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture (acting through the Chief of the Forest 
        Service).
            (14) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Oregon.
            (15) Uncharacteristic.--The term ``uncharacteristic'' means 
        a wildfire, insect, or pathogen outbreak or level of forest 
        fuel, the severity, size, frequency, or quantity of which 
        exceeds the historic range of variability.
            (16) Watershed area.--The term ``watershed area'' means 1 
        or more subwatersheds (also known as 6th code hydrologic 
        units).
            (17) Watershed health.--The term ``watershed health'' means 
        landscape conditions that enable riparian and aquatic 
        ecosystems--
                    (A) to capture, store, and release water, sediment, 
                wood, and nutrients;
                    (B) to provide for water temperatures that are 
                within the range of variability of the natural regimes 
                for the processes described in subparagraph (A); and
                    (C) to create and sustain functional riparian, 
                aquatic, and wetland habitats that are capable of 
                supporting diverse populations of native aquatic- and 
                riparian-dependent species.

SEC. 4. LAND MANAGEMENT.

    (a) Application of the Initiative to the Covered Area.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall select all or part 
        of 1 or more National Forests in the State as part of the 
        Initiative.
            (2) Term.--The selection under paragraph (1) shall be for a 
        period of 15 years.
            (3) Effect.--The provisions of this Act shall apply to the 
        covered area.
    (b) Land Management Goals.--
            (1) In general.--In the covered area, the Secretary shall, 
        considering the best available science, seek--
                    (A) to conserve and restore forest health, 
                watershed health, and other ecosystems;
                    (B) to reduce the risk of, and increase the 
                resistance and resiliency of the land to, 
                uncharacteristic disturbances;
                    (C) to allow for characteristic natural 
                disturbances; and
                    (D) to harvest wood to maintain adequate levels of 
                industry infrastructure to accomplish the goals 
                described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C).
            (2) Forest management.--To achieve the goals of paragraph 
        (1) in the forested land in the covered area, the Secretary 
        shall consider opportunities--
                    (A) to reduce the basal area in overstocked forest 
                stands;
                    (B) to increase the mean diameter of forest stands;
                    (C) to maintain or create a forest composition that 
                focuses on more fire- and drought-tolerant species;
                    (D) to restore historic levels of within-forest 
                stand spatial heterogeneity;
                    (E) to conserve and restore old growth;
                    (F) to conserve and restore population levels of 
                older trees;
                    (G) to conserve and restore ecologically 
                sustainable forest stands and landscapes to incorporate 
                characteristic forest stand structures and older tree 
                populations;
                    (H) to harvest wood and use the value of 
                merchantable sawlogs and biomass to help offset the 
                cost of improving forest health and watershed health;
                    (I) to restore or maintain sustainable and fire-
                resilient conditions in perpetuity through active 
                management (including management through prescribed or 
                wildland fire and mechanical treatments);
                    (J) to restore or maintain ecologically appropriate 
                spatial complexity (including a range of open to dense 
                forest patches at scales from the forest stand to the 
                landscape);
                    (K) to create nonuniform effects in carrying out 
                vegetation management projects by avoiding extensive 
                areas of uniform treatment, except for certain 
                treatments (such as broadcast burns) that are carried 
                out to enhance the spatial heterogeneity of the forest 
                site;
                    (L) to restore or maintain ecologically appropriate 
                understory plant community composition and condition, 
                including--
                            (i) by restoring and maintaining native 
                        ground cover; and
                            (ii) by reducing the impacts of, and 
                        potential for, exotic and other invasive 
                        species; and
                    (M) to increase stakeholder participation through 
                collaborative groups.
    (c) Planning.--To help to achieve the goals described in subsection 
(b), the Secretary shall use landscape scale planning based on 
watershed areas as a tool to implement ecological restoration projects 
in the covered area.
    (d) Performance Goals.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date on 
        which the Secretary selects the covered area, the Secretary, in 
        consultation with the relevant collaborative groups, may 
        establish performance goals, in addition to the goals that are 
        established by subsection (b), that the Secretary shall seek to 
        achieve consistent with the purposes of this Act and the goals 
        and opportunities described in subsection (b) for the covered 
        area.
            (2) Term.--Subject to paragraph (3), each performance goal 
        established under paragraph (1) shall be measured annually for 
        a period of 15 years.
            (3) Additions.--The Secretary may develop additional 
        performance goals that the Secretary determines to be 
        appropriate during the period established by paragraph (2).
            (4) Prioritization.--Subject to the limitations described 
        in section 12(c), the Secretary shall prioritize the vegetation 
        management and hazardous fuels reduction program activities in 
        the covered area to achieve the performance goals established 
        under this subsection.
            (5)  Restoration goals.--
                    (A) In general.--Within the covered area, 
                consistent with the goals, and after considering the 
                opportunities, described in subsection (b), the 
                Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
                prepare, offer, and promptly implement--
                            (i) projects that--
                                    (I) are predominantly comprised of 
                                mechanical treatment in the covered 
                                area that emphasize sawtimber as a 
                                byproduct; and
                                    (II) are conducted on--
                                            (aa) for the first fiscal 
                                        year after the date of 
                                        enactment of this Act, not less 
                                        than 60,000 acres;
                                            (bb) for the subsequent 
                                        fiscal year, not less than 
                                        80,000 acres; and
                                            (cc) for each fiscal year 
                                        thereafter until the fiscal 
                                        year in which at least 1 
                                        ecological restoration project 
                                        for each National Forest is 
                                        initiated under section 7, not 
                                        less than 100,000 acres; and
                            (ii) for each fiscal year after the fiscal 
                        year specified in subparagraph clause 
                        (i)(II)(cc), an ecological restoration project 
                        on each National Forest in the covered area 
                        with a gross planning area of not less than 
                        25,000 acres.
                    (B) Annual goals.--
                            (i) In general.--Beginning in the first 
                        fiscal year after the date on which at least 1 
                        ecological restoration project is initiated for 
                        each National Forest under section 8 and each 
                        fiscal year thereafter until the date on which 
                        the Initiative is completed, the Secretary may, 
                        subject to clause (ii), set annual acreage 
                        performance goals for projects that are 
                        predominantly comprised of mechanical treatment 
                        in the covered area that emphasize sawtimber as 
                        a byproduct consistent with the goals, and 
                        after considering the opportunities, described 
                        in subsection (b).
                            (ii) Considerations.--In setting goals 
                        under clause (i), the Secretary shall 
                        consider--
                                    (I) any specific recommendations of 
                                the advisory panel relating to acreage 
                                treatment needs; and
                                    (II) advice provided by a 
                                collaborative group relating to acreage 
                                treatment needs.
                    (C) Priority for restoration goals.--In seeking to 
                meet the restoration goals established under 
                subparagraph (A) or (B), the Secretary shall prioritize 
                for treatment--
                            (i) any area located on a pilot landscape; 
                        and
                            (ii) any area that has opportunities for 
                        reduced planning and implementation costs 
                        because of--
                                    (I) opportunities to work with a 
                                collaborative group on the project; or
                                    (II) opportunities to use non-
                                Federal resources to complete the 
                                project.
    (e) Prohibitions on Removal of Certain Trees.--
            (1) Older trees.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        Secretary shall prohibit the cutting or removal of any live 
        tree located in the covered area that is 150 years of age or 
        older measured at breast height.
            (2) Administrative exceptions.--
                    (A) In general.--The prohibition described in 
                paragraph (1) shall not apply if the Secretary 
                determines that there is no reasonable alternative to 
                the cutting or removal of the tree to provide for a 
                safe administrative, public, or special use.
                    (B) Notice requirement.--The Secretary shall 
                provide to the public and each relevant collaborative 
                group notice and an opportunity to comment before 
                making a determination under subparagraph (A), unless 
                the Secretary determines that the cutting or removal of 
                the tree is necessary to respond to an emergency 
                condition.
                    (C) Application of decision notice.--
                            (i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii), if 
                        the Secretary, after considering the 
                        recommendations of the relevant collaborative 
                        group or the recommendations report issued 
                        under section 6(d), determines that the 
                        prohibition in paragraph (1) is infeasible to 
                        implement for a specific vegetation management 
                        project, the Secretary shall apply the Decision 
                        Notice with respect to the specific vegetation 
                        management project.
                            (ii) Requirement.--In applying the Decision 
                        Notice to a specific vegetation management 
                        project under clause (i), the Secretary may 
                        make site-specific forest plan amendments to 
                        allow the cutting or removal of live trees 
                        greater than 21 inches in diameter at breast 
                        height that are younger than 150 years old at 
                        breast height, the cutting or removal of which 
                        is necessary to meet the land management goals 
                        described in subsection (b)(1).
    (f) Limitations on Road Construction.--In carrying out any 
vegetation management project in the covered area, the Secretary 
shall--
            (1) not construct any permanent road, unless the Secretary 
        determines that the road is a justifiable realignment of a 
        permanent road to restore or improve the ecological structure, 
        composition, and function and the natural processes of the 
        affected forest or watershed; and
            (2) by the earlier of the date on which the vegetation 
        management project is completed or the date that is 1 year 
        after the activities for which the road was constructed are 
        complete, decommission any temporary road constructed to carry 
        out the vegetation management project by--
                    (A) reestablishing vegetation on the road; and
                    (B) restoring any natural drainage, watershed 
                function, or other ecological processes that are 
                disrupted or adversely impacted by the road, including 
                by removing or hydrologically disconnecting the road 
                prism.

SEC. 5. WATERSHED MANAGEMENT.

    (a) Aquatic and Riparian Resources Management.--
            (1) In general.--Within the covered area, each vegetation 
        management project in an area delineated under subsection (b) 
        shall protect and restore the aquatic and riparian-dependent 
        resources of the delineated area.
            (2) Effects.--A project described in paragraph (1) may 
        result in short-term negative effects on the aquatic and 
        riparian-dependent resources of the delineated area if the 
        Secretary determines, after considering the best available 
        science, that the project would result in a net improvement to 
        the condition of those resources over the long term.
    (b) Delineation of Areas.--
            (1) Fish-bearing streams.--The Secretary shall delineate 
        each permanently flowing fishbearing stream and the area 
        extending away from each edge of the active stream channel to 
        include--
                    (A) the top of the inner gorge;
                    (B) the outer edges of the 100-year floodplain;
                    (C) the outer edges of riparian vegetation;
                    (D) a distance equal to the height of 2 site-
                potential trees; and
                    (E) a slope distance of not less than 300 feet.
            (2) Permanently flowing non-fishbearing streams.--The 
        Secretary shall delineate each permanently flowing non-
        fishbearing stream and the area extending away from each edge 
        of the active stream channel to include--
                    (A) the top of the inner gorge;
                    (B) the outer edges of the 100-year flood plain;
                    (C) the outer edges of riparian vegetation;
                    (D) a distance equal to the height of 1 site-
                potential tree; and
                    (E) a slope distance of not less than 150 feet.
            (3) Ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands larger than 1 
        acre.--The Secretary shall delineate each pond, lake, 
        reservoir, and wetland larger than 1 acre and the area 
        extending away from the high-water edges to include--
                    (A) the outer edges of the riparian vegetation;
                    (B) the extent of the seasonally saturated soil;
                    (C) the extent of moderately and highly unstable 
                areas;
                    (D) a distance equal to the height of 1 site-
                potential tree; and
                    (E) a slope distance of--
                            (i) if the area located in a watershed 
                        identified as key or priority under the 
                        applicable land and resource management plan, 
                        not less than 100 feet; or
                            (ii) not less than 50 feet.
            (4) Intermittent streams, wetlands less than 1 acre, 
        landslides, and landslide-prone areas.--The Secretary shall 
        delineate each wetland smaller than 1 acre, landslide, 
        landslide-prone area, intermittent stream channel, and the area 
        extending away from the edges of the wetland, landslide, 
        landslide-prone area, or intermittent stream channel to 
        include--
                    (A) the top of the inner gorge;
                    (B) the outer edges of the riparian vegetation;
                    (C) a distance equal to the height of 1 site-
                potential tree; and
                    (D) a slope distance of--
                            (i) if the area is located in a watershed 
                        identified as key or priority under the 
                        applicable land and resource management plan, 
                        not less than 100 feet; or
                            (ii) not less than 50 feet.
    (c) Aquatic and Riparian Protection.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        Secretary shall comply with the aquatic and riparian protection 
        requirements of the applicable land and resource management 
        plan in existence on the date of enactment of this Act in 
        carrying out each vegetation management project in the covered 
        area.
            (2) Modifications.--The Secretary may modify the aquatic 
        and riparian protection requirements described in paragraph (1) 
        if the Secretary determines, after considering the best 
        available science, that the modifications would meet or exceed 
        the goals of the aquatic and riparian protection requirements.

SEC. 6. EASTSIDE FOREST SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL ADVISORY PANEL.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which the 
Secretary selects the covered area, the Secretary shall establish an 
advisory panel--
            (1) to be known as the ``Eastside Forest Scientific and 
        Technical Advisory Panel''; and
            (2) to advise the Secretary, collaborative groups, and the 
        public regarding the development and implementation of--
                    (A) goals to improve forest health, watershed 
                health, and related social and economic goals in the 
                covered area; and
                    (B) projects needed to accomplish the purposes of 
                this Act.
    (b) Composition.--The advisory panel shall be composed of 9 
members, each of whom shall have expertise in 1 or more of the 
following:
            (1) Silviculture.
            (2) Timber economics.
            (3) Road and logging engineering.
            (4) Soil science and geology.
            (5) Ecosystem services or natural resources economics.
            (6) Community economics or ecosystem workforce development.
            (7) Forest ecology.
            (8) Aquatic and riparian ecology.
            (9) Wildlife ecology.
            (10) Fish Ecology.
            (11) Ecological restoration.
            (12) Invasive species control and eradication.
            (13) Wildland fire.
            (14) Hydrology.
            (15) Forest carbon life-cycle and sequestration.
            (16) Social science.
    (c) Appointments.--The Secretary shall--
            (1) ensure that the advisory panel includes experts in a 
        broad array of the fields described in subsection (b); and
            (2) give consideration to the recommendations of 
        institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101(a) 
        of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))), 
        professional societies, and other interested organizations and 
        persons.
    (d) Duties.--
            (1) Recommendations report.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
                date on which the Secretary appoints the members of the 
                advisory panel, the advisory panel, after considering 
                the best available science and information, shall 
                submit to the Secretary and make available to the 
                public a report that contains recommendations regarding 
                the manner by which the Secretary may best achieve the 
                purposes and goals and consider the opportunities 
                described in section 4(b).
                    (B) Requirements.--The report shall provide 
                recommendations based on the best available science--
                            (i) for the size and scope of projects 
                        needed to accomplish the goals and consider the 
                        opportunities described in section 4(b);
                            (ii) for increasing local capacity to 
                        accomplish the goals and consider the 
                        opportunities described in section 4(b);
                            (iii) for hydrologically and ecologically 
                        restoring land and water by--
                                    (I) decommissioning unnecessary and 
                                undesirable roads; and
                                    (II) reducing the environmental 
                                impact of necessary and desirable 
                                roads; and
                            (iv) for each relevant plant association 
                        group--
                                    (I) for protecting and restoring 
                                terrestrial, aquatic, riparian, 
                                wildlife, fish, vegetation, soil, 
                                carbon, and other resources;
                                    (II) for the types of activities 
                                necessary and desirable to restore 
                                forest health and watershed health 
                                (including thinning, prescribed, and 
                                natural fire, and other appropriate 
                                activities);
                                    (III) for cases in which the 
                                cutting or removal of trees described 
                                in section 4(e)(1) would generally be 
                                considered to be ecologically 
                                appropriate; and
                                    (IV) for cases in which the cutting 
                                or removal of trees described in 
                                section 4(e)(2)(C) would generally be 
                                considered to be ecologically 
                                appropriate.
                    (C) Administration.--
                            (i) In general.--To the maximum extent 
                        practicable, the advisory panel shall achieve a 
                        consensus with respect to each recommendation 
                        included in the report.
                            (ii) Inclusion of dissenting opinions.--If 
                        the advisory panel fails to achieve a consensus 
                        with respect to any recommendation included in 
                        the report, the report shall include each 
                        dissenting opinion relating to the 
                        recommendation.
            (2) Review report.--Not later than 5 years after the date 
        on which the Secretary appoints the members of the advisory 
        panel, the advisory panel shall submit to the Secretary and 
        make available to the public a report providing--
                    (A) a quantitative and qualitative assessment of 
                the status of, and changes to, forest health and 
                watershed health in the covered area, including the 
                resiliency, aquatic function, and plant composition, 
                structure, and function; and
                    (B) an assessment of the implementation of the 
                recommendations made under paragraph (1).

SEC. 7. ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PROJECTS.

    (a) In General.--As soon as practicable after the date on which the 
Secretary selects the covered area, the Secretary shall, considering 
the opportunities described in section 4(b)(2), implement ecological 
restoration projects in the covered area to further the goals described 
in section 4(b).
    (b) Landscape-Scale Projects.--Subject to the availability of 
appropriations in accordance with section 12, the Secretary shall, to 
the maximum extent practicable, implement 1 or more ecological 
restoration projects with a gross planning area of 50,000 acres for 
each National Forest in the covered area that provide landscape-scale 
work within a watershed area not later than 3 years after the date on 
which the Secretary selects the covered area.
    (c) Requirements.--In developing and implementing ecological 
restoration projects under this section, the Secretary shall consider--
            (1) the best available science and data;
            (2) the recommendations of the advisory panel; and
            (3) the views of the relevant collaborative groups.
    (d) Net Road Reduction.--In developing ecological restoration 
projects under this Act, the Secretary shall examine opportunities for, 
and achieve, a net reduction in the permanent road system to improve 
forest and watershed health to the maximum extent practicable.
    (e) Prioritization.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall prioritize ecological 
        restoration projects in the covered area considering the 
        requirements in subsection (c) and based on the degree to which 
        the ecological restoration projects would improve forest health 
        and watershed health, based on--
                    (A) dry and moist forest plant association groups; 
                and
                    (B) the need to sustain adequate levels of industry 
                infrastructure to accomplish the goals described in 
                section 4(b).
            (2) Inclusions.--In carrying out this section, the types of 
        projects the Secretary shall consider to be priority projects 
        include projects that--
                    (A) reduce the risk of, and increase the resistance 
                and resiliency of the land to, uncharacteristic 
                disturbances, particularly if critical components or 
                values are at risk, including--
                            (i) communities located in the wildland-
                        urban interface (as defined in section 101 of 
                        the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 
                        U.S.C. 6511)); and
                            (ii) valuable forest structures (including 
                        old growth and older mature trees);
                    (B) restore the structure and composition of forest 
                stands at a high or moderate departure from the 
                historic range of variability;
                    (C) accelerate the development of complex forest 
                structure in a young forest that has been simplified 
                through past management, such as by--
                            (i) creating spatial heterogeneity 
                        (including the creation of skips and gaps) 
                        using mechanical treatments to create wildlife 
                        habitat; and
                            (ii) retaining biological legacies 
                        (including large standing, downed, live, and 
                        dead trees);
                    (D) assist in the implementation of community 
                wildfire protection plans developed by at-risk 
                communities (as those terms are defined in section 101 
                of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 
                U.S.C. 6511));
                    (E) use the value of merchantable sawlogs and 
                biomass to help offset the cost of ecological 
                restoration projects;
                    (F) meet local and rural community needs through a 
                source that is selected on a best-value basis; and
                    (G) reduce the permanent road system to improve 
                forest health and watershed health.

SEC. 8. COLLABORATION.

    (a) Collaborative Groups.--
            (1) In general.--To assist in the development of the 
        projects needed to accomplish the purposes of this Act in the 
        covered area, the Secretary shall consult with, and consider 
        the recommendations of, any collaborative group that meets the 
        criteria described in paragraph (2).
            (2) Collaborative groups.--A collaborative group under 
        paragraph (1) means a group that--
                    (A) is interested in the implementation of this 
                Act;
                    (B) includes multiple individuals representing 
                diverse interests that include--
                            (i) environmental organizations;
                            (ii) timber and forest products industry 
                        representatives; and
                            (iii) county governments;
                    (C) operates--
                            (i) in a transparent and nonexclusive 
                        manner; and
                            (ii) by consensus or in accordance with 
                        voting procedures to ensure a high degree of 
                        agreement among participants and across various 
                        interests; and
                    (D) requires a level of participation sufficient to 
                ensure that members of the collaborative group are 
                adequately informed before each decision.
    (b) Multiparty Monitoring.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
relevant collaborative groups, may develop a multiparty monitoring plan 
for any vegetation management project carried out under this Act.

SEC. 9. LARGE SCALE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

    (a) Congressional Finding.--Congress finds that it is expected that 
the environmental impact statement described in subsection (b) would be 
adequate to support the requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) for projects implemented 
under this section, as documented in subsequent agency decision 
documents.
    (b) Requirements.--The Secretary shall prepare a large scale 
environmental impact statement that is adequate under the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) to support a 
record of decision for vegetation management projects under this 
section in National Forests in the eastern part of the State for 
projects--
            (1) that are located wholly in dry ponderosa pine and dry 
        mixed conifer forests types;
            (2) that are located on a pilot landscape;
            (3) that are endorsed by or the product of a collaborative 
        group; and
            (4) no portion of which are located in an inventoried 
        roadless area.
    (c) Completion Date.--The Secretary shall complete the record of 
decision for the large scale environmental impact statement under 
subsection (b) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act.
    (d) Timeliness.--Any legal challenge to the environmental impact 
statement and record of decision under this section shall be filed not 
later than 120 days after the record of decision is signed by the 
Secretary.

SEC. 10. COOPERATIVE PARTNERSHIP.

    (a) Forest Planning.--Section 327(b)(2) of the Department of the 
Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 (16 U.S.C. 1611 
note; Public Law 104-134) is amended by inserting after ``may include'' 
the following: ``expenditures for forest planning activities necessary 
for timber sales for projects that are on a pilot landscape (as defined 
in section 3 of the Oregon Eastside Forests Restoration, Old Growth 
Protection, and Jobs Act of 2013) and''.
    (b) Cooperative Forest Innovation Partnership Projects.--Section 
13B of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 
2109b) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Regulations.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of the Oregon Eastside Forests Restoration, Old Growth 
Protection, and Jobs Act of 2013, the Secretary shall promulgate 
regulations to implement the authority of the Secretary under that Act.
    ``(e) Cooperation With State Governments.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
        of enactment of the Oregon Eastside Forests Restoration, Old 
        Growth Protection, and Jobs Act of 2013, the Secretary shall 
        carry out a project to support the ability of the Department of 
        Agriculture to address the restoration of forests in 
        cooperation with States.
            ``(2) Eligible areas.--A project under paragraph (1) may be 
        carried out on a pilot landscape (as defined in section 3 of 
        the Oregon Eastside Forests Restoration, Old Growth Protection, 
        and Jobs Act of 2013).
            ``(3) Funding.--The Secretary shall use not more than 5 
        percent of the funds for the `Forest Health-Federal Lands' 
        budget line item made available under the State and Private 
        Forestry appropriation to pay not more than 50 percent of the 
        total cost of carrying out a project under paragraph (1).''.

SEC. 11. ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Effect.--Nothing in this Act affects--
            (1) any right described in a treaty between an Indian tribe 
        and the United States; or
            (2) any biological opinion, including any opinion 
        associated with the aquatic and riparian protection 
        requirements of applicable land and resource management plans.
    (b) No Retroactive Effect During Transition.--
            (1) Vegetation management projects.--The provisions of this 
        Act shall not apply to a vegetation management project that 
        is--
                    (A) initiated, either through a scoping notice or a 
                notice of intent, more than 180 days before the date on 
                which the Secretary selects the covered area under 
                section 4(a)(1); or
                    (B) approved or under contract before the date on 
                which the Secretary selects the covered area under 
                section 4(a)(1).
            (2) Recommendations report.--The completion of the Eastside 
        Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel recommendations report 
        shall not automatically compel an amendment or revision of any 
        vegetation management project initiated, approved, or under 
        contract before the date on which the recommendations report is 
        completed.
            (3) Forest plans.--The completion of the Eastside 
        Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel recommendations report 
        shall not automatically compel an amendment or revision of any 
        existing forest plan.
    (c) Applicable Law.--The Secretary shall carry out this Act in 
accordance with applicable law (including regulations).
    (d) Principal Agency Contact.--
            (1) Selection.--The Secretary shall select a principal 
        agency contact for the implementation of this Act.
            (2) Duties.--The principal agency contact shall--
                    (A) serve as the point-of-contact for the advisory 
                panel; and
                    (B) facilitate communications among--
                            (i) the advisory panel;
                            (ii) collaborative groups;
                            (iii) employees of the Forest Service; and
                            (iv) any other stakeholders (including the 
                        public).
    (e) Reporting.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall prepare a report on 
        the implementation of this Act--
                    (A) not later than 5 years after the date on which 
                the Secretary selects the covered area; and
                    (B) 2 years before the date referred to in 
                subsection (e)(1).
            (2) Contents.--The reports required under paragraph (1) 
        shall, for each National Forest in the covered area, assess the 
        progress toward accomplishing--
                    (A) the purposes of this Act; and
                    (B) the performance goals established under section 
                4(d).
    (f) Termination of Authority.--
            (1) In general.--The authorities under this Act (other than 
        the authorities under sections 4(e) and 5(c)) shall terminate 
        on the date that is 15 years after the date of enactment of 
        this Act.
            (2) Effect.--Nothing in this subsection affects a valid 
        contract in effect on the date described in paragraph (1).

SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (c), there is authorized to 
be appropriated $50,000,000 to carry out this Act, to remain available 
until expended.
    (b) Use.--Any amounts appropriated to the Secretary under 
subsection (a) may be used to support implementation of any cost-
sharing authorities provided by this Act.
    (c) Limitation.--Amounts expended to carry out provisions of this 
Act that are not subject to a cost-sharing requirement shall not reduce 
the allocations of appropriated funds to the Secretary for use in--
            (1) other National Forests not included in the covered 
        area;
            (2) other States; or
            (3) other Regions of the Forest Service.
                                 <all>