[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 165 (Friday, November 19, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15193-S15195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    COMMUNITY FOREST RESTORATION ACT

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 1288) to provide 
incentives for collaborative forest restoration projects on National 
Forest System and other public lands in New Mexico, and for other 
purposes, which had been reported from the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting 
clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Community Forest Restoration 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds the following:
       (1) A century of fire suppression, logging, and livestock 
     grazing has altered the ecological balance of New Mexico's 
     forests.
       (2) Some forest lands in New Mexico contain an unnaturally 
     high number of small diameter trees that are subject to 
     large, high intensity wildfires that can endanger human 
     lives, livelihoods, and ecological stability.
       (3) Forest lands that contain an unnaturally high number of 
     small diameter trees have reduced biodiversity and provide 
     fewer benefits to human communities, wildlife, and 
     watersheds.
       (4) Healthy and productive watersheds minimize the threat 
     of large, high intensity wildfires, provide abundant and 
     diverse wildlife habitat, and produce a variety of timber and 
     non-timber products including better quality water and 
     increased water flows.
       (5) Restoration efforts are more successful when there is 
     involvement from neighboring communities and better 
     stewardship will evolve from more diverse involvement.
       (6) Designing demonstration restoration projects through a 
     collaborative approach may--

[[Page S15194]]

       (A) lead to the development of cost effective restoration 
     activities;
       (B) empower diverse organizations to implement activities 
     which value local and traditional knowledge;
       (C) build ownership and civic pride; and
       (D) ensure healthy, diverse, and productive forests and 
     watersheds.

     SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

       The purposes of this Act are--
       (1) to promote healthy watersheds and reduce the threat of 
     large, high intensity wildfires, insect infestation, and 
     disease in the forests in New Mexico;
       (2) to improve the functioning of forest ecosystems and 
     enhance plant and wildlife biodiversity by reducing the 
     unnaturally high number and density of small diameter trees 
     on Federal, Tribal, State, County, and Municipal forest 
     lands;
       (3) to improve communication and joint problem solving 
     among individuals and groups who are interested in restoring 
     the diversity and productivity of forested watersheds in New 
     Mexico;
       (4) to improve the use of, or add value to, small diameter 
     trees;
       (5) to encourage sustainable communities and sustainable 
     forests through collaborative partnerships, whose objectives 
     are forest restoration; and
       (6) to develop, demonstrate, and evaluate ecologically 
     sound forest restoration techniques.

     SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

       As used in this Act--
       (1) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
     Agriculture acting through the Chief of the Forest Service; 
     and
       (2) the term ``stakeholder'' includes: tribal governments, 
     educational institutions, landowners, and other interested 
     public and private entities.

     SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.

       (a) The Secretary shall establish a cooperative forest 
     restoration program in New Mexico in order to provide cost-
     share grants to stakeholders for experimental forest 
     restoration projects that are designed through a 
     collaborative process (hereinafter referred to as the 
     ``Collaborative Forest Restoration Program''). The projects 
     may be entirely on, or on any combination of, Federal, 
     Tribal, State, County, or Municipal forest lands. The Federal 
     share of an individual project cost shall not exceed eighty 
     percent of the total cost. The twenty percent matching may be 
     in the form of cash or in-kind contribution.
       (b) Eligibility Requirements.--To be eligible to receive 
     funding under this Act, a project shall--
       (1) address the following objectives--
       (A) reduce the threat of large, high intensity wildfires 
     and the negative effects of excessive competition between 
     trees by restoring ecosystem functions, structures, and 
     species composition, including the reduction of non-native 
     species populations;
       (B) re-establish fire regimes approximating those that 
     shaped forest ecosystems prior to fire suppression;
       (C) preserve old and large trees;
       (D) replant trees in deforested areas if they exist in the 
     proposed project area; and
       (E) improve the use of, or add value to, small diameter 
     trees;
       (2) comply with all Federal and State environmental laws;
       (3) include a diverse and balanced group of stakeholders as 
     well as appropriate Federal, Tribal, State, County, and 
     Municipal government representatives in the design, 
     implementation, and monitoring of the project;
       (4) incorporate current scientific forest restoration 
     information; and
       (5) include a multi-party assessment to--
       (A) identify both the existing ecological condition of the 
     proposed project area and the desired future condition; and
       (B) report, upon project completion, on the positive or 
     negative impact and effectiveness of the project including 
     improvements in local management skills and on the ground 
     results;
       (6) create local employment or training opportunities 
     within the context of accomplishing restoration objectives, 
     that are consistent with the purposes of this Act, including 
     summer youth jobs programs such as the Youth Conservation 
     Corps where appropriate;
       (7) not exceed four years in length;
       (8) not exceed a total annual cost of $150,000, with the 
     Federal portion not exceeding $120,000 annually, nor exceed a 
     total cost of $450,000 for the project, with the Federal 
     portion of the total cost not exceeding $360,000;
       (9) leverage Federal funding through in-kind or matching 
     contributions; and
       (10) include an agreement by each stakeholder to attend an 
     annual workshop with other stakeholders for the purpose of 
     discussing the cooperative forest restoration program and 
     projects implemented under this Act. The Secretary shall 
     coordinate and fund the annual workshop. Stakeholders may use 
     funding for projects authorized under this Act to pay for 
     their travel and per diem expenses to attend the workshop.

     SEC. 6. SELECTION PROCESS.

       (a) After consulting with the technical advisory panel 
     established in subsection (b), the Secretary shall select the 
     proposals that will receive funding through the Collaborative 
     Forest Restoration Program.
       (b) The Secretary shall convene a technical advisory panel 
     to evaluate the proposals for forest restoration grants and 
     provide recommendations regarding which proposals would best 
     meet the objectives of the Collaborative Forest Restoration 
     Program. The technical advisory panel shall consider 
     eligibility criteria established in section 5, the effect on 
     long term management, and seek to use a consensus-based 
     decision making process to develop such recommendations. The 
     panel shall be composed of 12 to 15 members, to be appointed 
     by the Secretary as follows:
       (1) A State Natural Resource official from the State of New 
     Mexico.
       (2) At least two representatives from Federal land 
     management agencies.
       (3) At least one tribal or pueblo representative.
       (4) At least two independent scientists with experience in 
     forest ecosystem restoration.
       (5) Equal representation from--
       (A) conservation interests;
       (B) local communities; and
       (C) commodity interests.

     SEC. 7. MONITORING AND EVALUATON.

       The Secretary shall establish a multi-party monitoring and 
     evaluation process in order to assess the cumulative 
     accomplishments or adverse impacts of the Collaborative 
     Forest Restoration Program. The Secretary shall include any 
     interested individual or organization in the monitoring and 
     evaluation process. The Secretary also shall conduct a 
     monitoring program to assess the short and long term 
     ecological effects of the restoration treatments, if any, or 
     a minimum of 15 years.

     SEC. 8. REPORT.

       No later than five years after the first fiscal year in 
     which funding is made available for this program, the 
     Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Energy 
     and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and the 
     Committee on Resources of the United States House of 
     Representatives. The report shall include an assessment on 
     whether, and to what extent, the projects funded pursuant to 
     this Act are meeting the purposes of the Collaborative Forest 
     Restoration Program.


                           amendment no. 2805

   (Purpose: To authorize the appropriation of $5 million each year)

       At the end of the bill add the following:

     ``SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 annually 
     to carry out this Act.''.

  The amendment (No. 2805) was agreed to.
  The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended, 
was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 1288), as amended, was passed, as follows:

                                S. 1288

       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 ``Community Forest Restoration 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds the following:
       (1) A century of fire suppression, logging, and livestock 
     grazing has altered the ecological balance of New Mexico's 
     forests.
       (2) Some forest lands in New Mexico contain an unnaturally 
     high number of small diameter trees that are subject to 
     large, high intensity wildfires that can endanger human 
     lives, livelihoods, and ecological stability.
       (3) Forest lands that contain an unnaturally high number of 
     small diameter trees have reduced biodiversity and provide 
     fewer benefits to human communities, wildlife, and 
     watersheds.
       (4) Healthy and productive watersheds minimize the threat 
     of large, high intensity wildfires, provide abundant and 
     diverse wildlife habitat, and produce a variety of timber and 
     non-timber products including better quality water and 
     increased water flows.
       (5) Restoration efforts are more successful when there is 
     involvement from neighboring communities and better 
     stewardship will evolve from more diverse involvement.
       (6) Designing demonstration restoration projects through a 
     collaborative approach may--
       (A) lead to the development of cost effective restoration 
     activities;
       (B) empower diverse organizations to implement activities 
     which value local and traditional knowledge;
       (C) build ownership and civic pride; and
       (D) ensure healthy, diverse, and productive forests and 
     watersheds.

     SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

       The purposes of this Act are--
       (1) to promote healthy watersheds and reduce the threat of 
     large, high intensity wildfires, insect infestation, and 
     disease in the forests in New Mexico;
       (2) to improve the functioning of forest ecosystems and 
     enhance plant and wildlife biodiversity by reducing the 
     unnaturally high number and density of small diameter trees 
     on Federal, Tribal, State, County, and Municipal forest 
     lands;
       (3) to improve communication and joint problem solving 
     among individuals and groups who are interested in restoring 
     the diversity and productivity of forested watersheds in New 
     Mexico;
       (4) to improve the use of, or add value to, small diameter 
     trees;
       (5) to encourage sustainable communities and sustainable 
     forests through collaborative partnerships, whose objectives 
     are forest restoration; and
       (6) to develop, demonstrate, and evaluate ecologically 
     sound forest restoration techniques.

     SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

       As used in this Act--
       (1) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
     Agriculture acting through the Chief of the Forest Service; 
     and
       (2) the term ``stakeholder'' includes: tribal governments, 
     educational institutions, landowners, and other interested 
     public and private entities.

[[Page S15195]]

     SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.

       (a) The Secretary shall establish a cooperative forest 
     restoration program in New Mexico in order to provide cost-
     share grants to stakeholders for experimental forest 
     restoration projects that are designed through a 
     collaborative process (hereinafter referred to as the 
     ``Collaborative Forest Restoration Program''). The projects 
     may be entirely on, or on any combination of, Federal, 
     Tribal, State, County, or Municipal forest lands. The Federal 
     share of an individual project cost shall not exceed eighty 
     percent of the total cost. The twenty percent matching may be 
     in the form of cash or in-kind contribution.
       (b) Eligibility Requirements.--To be eligible to receive 
     funding under this Act, a project shall--
       (1) address the following objectives--
       (A) reduce the threat of large, high intensity wildfires 
     and the negative effects of excessive competition between 
     trees by restoring ecosystem functions, structures, and 
     species composition, including the reduction of non-native 
     species populations;
       (B) re-establish fire regimes approximating those that 
     shaped forest ecosystems prior to fire suppression;
       (C) preserve old and large trees;
       (D) replant trees in deforested areas if they exist in the 
     proposed project area; and
       (E) improve the use of, or add value to, small diameter 
     trees;
       (2) comply with all Federal and State environmental laws;
       (3) include a diverse and balanced group of stakeholders as 
     well as appropriate Federal, Tribal, State, County, and 
     Municipal government representatives in the design, 
     implementation, and monitoring of the project;
       (4) incorporate current scientific forest restoration 
     information; and
       (5) include a multi-party assessment to--
       (A) identify both the existing ecological condition of the 
     proposed project area and the desired future condition; and
       (B) report, upon project completion, on the positive or 
     negative impact and effectiveness of the project including 
     improvements in local management skills and on the ground 
     results;
       (6) create local employment or training opportunities 
     within the context of accomplishing restoration objectives, 
     that are consistent with the purposes of this Act, including 
     summer youth jobs programs such as the Youth Conservation 
     Corps where appropriate;
       (7) not exceed four years in length;
       (8) not exceed a total annual cost of $150,000, with the 
     Federal portion not exceeding $120,000 annually, nor exceed a 
     total cost of $450,000 for the project, with the Federal 
     portion of the total cost not exceeding $360,000;
       (9) leverage Federal funding through in-kind or matching 
     contributions; and
       (10) include an agreement by each stakeholder to attend an 
     annual workshop with other stakeholders for the purpose of 
     discussing the cooperative forest restoration program and 
     projects implemented under this Act. The Secretary shall 
     coordinate and fund the annual workshop. Stakeholders may use 
     funding for projects authorized under this Act to pay for 
     their travel and per diem expenses to attend the workshop.

     SEC. 6. SELECTION PROCESS.

       (a) After consulting with the technical advisory panel 
     established in subsection (b), the Secretary shall select the 
     proposals that will receive funding through the Collaborative 
     Forest Restoration Program.
       (b) The Secretary shall convene a technical advisory panel 
     to evaluate the proposals for forest restoration grants and 
     provide recommendations regarding which proposals would best 
     meet the objectives of the Collaborative Forest Restoration 
     Program. The technical advisory panel shall consider 
     eligibility criteria established in section 5, the effect on 
     long term management, and seek to use a consensus-based 
     decision making process to develop such recommendations. The 
     panel shall be composed of 12 to 15 members, to be appointed 
     by the Secretary as follows:
       (1) A State Natural Resource official from the State of New 
     Mexico.
       (2) At least two representatives from Federal land 
     management agencies.
       (3) At least one tribal or pueblo representative.
       (4) At least two independent scientists with experience in 
     forest ecosystem restoration.
       (5) Equal representation from--
       (A) conservation interests;
       (B) local communities; and
       (C) commodity interests.

     SEC. 7. MONITORING AND EVALUATON.

       The Secretary shall establish a multi-party monitoring and 
     evaluation process in order to assess the cumulative 
     accomplishments or adverse impacts of the Collaborative 
     Forest Restoration Program. The Secretary shall include any 
     interested individual or organization in the monitoring and 
     evaluation process. The Secretary also shall conduct a 
     monitoring program to assess the short and long term 
     ecological effects of the restoration treatments, if any, or 
     a minimum of 15 years.

     SEC. 8. REPORT.

       No later than five years after the first fiscal year in 
     which funding is made available for this program, the 
     Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Energy 
     and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and the 
     Committee on Resources of the United States House of 
     Representatives. The report shall include an assessment on 
     whether, and to what extent, the projects funded pursuant to 
     this Act are meeting the purposes of the Collaborative Forest 
     Restoration Program.

     SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 annually 
     to carry out this Act.

                          ____________________