[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 109 (Thursday, June 28, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4755-S4756]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 3362. Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mr. Daines, and Ms. Duckworth)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 3224
proposed by Mr. Roberts (for himself and Ms. Stabenow) to the bill H.R.
2, to provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other
programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2023, and
for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
Strike section 8101 insert the following:
SEC. 8101. STATE AND PRIVATE FOREST LANDSCAPE-SCALE
RESTORATION PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 13A of the Cooperative Forestry
Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2109a) is amended to read
as follows:
``SEC. 13A. STATE AND PRIVATE FOREST LANDSCAPE-SCALE
RESTORATION PROGRAM.
``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to encourage
collaborative, science-based restoration of priority forest
landscapes, as identified in--
``(1) a State-wide assessment under section 2A(a)(1); or
``(2) a long-term State-wide forest resource strategy under
section 2A(a)(2).
``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian tribe' has the
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
``(2) Nonindustrial private forest land.--The term
`nonindustrial private forest land' means land that--
``(A) has existing tree cover or is suitable for growing
trees; and
[[Page S4756]]
``(B) is owned by any private individual, group,
association, corporation, Indian tribe, or other private
legal entity.
``(3) State forest land.--The term `State forest land'
means land that is--
``(A) under State or local governmental ownership; and
``(B) considered to be non-Federal forest land.
``(c) Establishment.--The Secretary, in consultation with
State foresters or appropriate State agencies, shall
establish a competitive grant program to provide financial
and technical assistance to encourage collaborative, science-
based restoration of priority landscapes.
``(d) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this section, a State forester or another appropriate entity,
on approval of the State forester, shall submit to the
Secretary a State and private forest landscape-scale
restoration proposal based on a restoration strategy that--
``(1) is complete or substantially complete;
``(2) is for a multiyear period;
``(3) enhances public benefits from trees and forests on
nonindustrial private forest land or State forest land, as
identified in--
``(A) a State-wide assessment under section 2A(a)(1); or
``(B) a long-term State-wide forest resource strategy under
section 2A(a)(2);
``(4) is accessible by wood-processing infrastructure; and
``(5) is based on the best available science.
``(e) Plan Criteria.--A State and private forest landscape-
scale restoration proposal submitted under this section shall
include plans--
``(1) to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfires;
``(2) to improve fish and wildlife habitats, including the
habitats of threatened and endangered species;
``(3) to maintain or improve water quality and watershed
function;
``(4) to mitigate invasive species, insect infestation, and
disease;
``(5) to improve important forest ecosystems;
``(6) to measure ecological and economic benefits,
including air quality and soil quality and productivity; or
``(7) to take other relevant actions, as determined by the
Secretary.
``(f) Priorities.--In making grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to plans that--
``(1) further a statewide forest assessment and resource
strategy;
``(2) promote cross boundary landscape collaboration; and
``(3) leverage public and private resources.
``(g) Collaboration and Consultation.--The Chief of the
Forest Service, the Chief of the Natural Resources
Conservation Service, and relevant stakeholders shall
collaborate and consult on an ongoing basis regarding--
``(1) administration of the program established under this
section; and
``(2) identification of other applicable resources for
landscape-scale restoration.
``(h) Matching Funds Required.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), as
a condition of receiving a grant under this section, the
Secretary shall require the recipient of the grant to provide
funds or in-kind support from non-Federal sources in an
amount that is at least equal to the amount of Federal funds.
``(2) Exception.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply in any case
in which the Secretary determines that--
``(A) the recipient of the grant is unable to obtain from
non-Federal sources the matching funds required under that
paragraph; and
``(B) regardless of that inability, the benefits of the
project of the recipient justify carrying out the project.
``(i) Coordination and Proximity Encouraged.--In making
grants under this section, the Secretary may consider
coordination with and proximity to other landscape-scale
projects on other land under the jurisdiction of the
Secretary, the Secretary of the Interior, or a Governor of a
State, including under--
``(1) the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration
Program established under section 4003 of the Omnibus Public
Land Management Act of 2009 (16 U.S.C. 7303);
``(2) landscape areas designated for insect and disease
treatments under section 602 of the Healthy Forests
Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6591a);
``(3) good neighbor authority under section 19;
``(4) stewardship end result contracting projects
authorized under section 604 of the Healthy Forests
Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6591c);
``(5) appropriate State-level programs; and
``(6) other relevant programs, as determined by the
Secretary.
``(j) Use of Funds.--
``(1) Allocation.--Of the amounts made available to carry
out this section, the Secretary shall use--
``(A) 50 percent for allocation through a competitive grant
process; and
``(B) 50 percent for allocation proportionally to States,
in consultation with State foresters, to address the highest
national priorities, as identified in--
``(i) a State-wide assessment under section 2A(a)(1); or
``(ii) a long-term State-wide forest resource strategy
under section 2A(a)(2).
``(2) Multiyear projects.--The Secretary may provide
amounts under this section for multiyear projects.
``(k) Regulations.--The Secretary shall promulgate such
regulations as the Secretary determines necessary to carry
out this section.
``(l) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the
Senate a report on--
``(1) the status of development, execution, and
administration of selected projects;
``(2) the accounting of program funding expenditures; and
``(3) specific accomplishments that have resulted from
landscape-scale projects.
``(m) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section
$20,000,000 for the first fiscal year beginning after the
date of enactment of this section and each fiscal year
thereafter through fiscal year 2023, to remain available
until expended.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 13B of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act
of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2109b) is repealed.
(2) Section 19(a)(4)(C) of the Cooperative Forestry
Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2113(a)(4)(C)) is amended
by striking ``sections 13A and 13B'' and inserting ``section
13A''.
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