[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 48 (Thursday, April 27, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S3716]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CRAPO (for himself and Mrs. Lincoln):
  S. 2676. A bill to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to enter 
into partnership agreements with entities and local communities to 
encourage greater cooperation in the administration of Forest Service 
activities on the near National Forest System land, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, last August I participated in the White 
House Conference on Cooperative Conservation. The conference reinforced 
that conservation success can be achieved by collaboration. Many of the 
advancements in conservation result from the commitment of individuals 
to work together and with local and Federal agencies. Cooperative 
conservation requires cooperative legislation.
  That is why I rise to introduce the Forest Service Partnership Act, 
which will enhance the ability of the Forest Service to work 
cooperatively with local communities. Unfortunately, the authorities 
for the Forest Service to work jointly with others are a complex 
patchwork of temporary authorities, which have resulted in differing 
interpretations and lengthy procedures. Additionally, the existing 
authorities need enhancements to accommodate today's resources 
conservation needs and allow for the delivery of a range of visitor 
services and interpretive and educational materials.
  The Forest Service Partnership Enhancement Act will better enable 
cooperative work with the Forest Service by consolidating and providing 
permanent authority for mutually-beneficial agreements with the Forest 
Service. The legislation would also enable visitors to purchase health 
and safety items in remote Forest Service locations and permit joint 
facilities and publications, which benefit the public.
  In fiscal year 2005 alone, the Forest Service entered into more than 
3,000 cooperative agreements that would be permanently authorized 
through this legislation. These agreements leveraged $37.3 million in 
Federal funds with $32.8 million in private contributions for a total 
of more than $70 million worth of mutually-beneficial collaborative 
successes. In my home State of Idaho, the Forest Service entered into a 
public-private partnership for the construction of 1900 feet of new 
channel and associated flood plain on Granite Creek. This project 
restores habitat connectivity to approximately 6 miles of stream. The 
cooperative work of the Forest Service, Avista Utilities, the Idaho 
Department of Fish and Game, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and 15 
volunteers from Trout Unlimited enabled the leveraging of $60,000 of 
Forest Service funds with $120,000 from the participating partners.
  Collaboration is necessary to bring lasting conservation success. The 
Forest Service Partnership Act would enhance the ability of the Forest 
Service to partner with other Federal agencies, local communities, 
tribal governments, and other interested parties, and I encourage the 
commitment to collaborative conservation by supporting this 
legislation.
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