[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3242-S3246]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 6039. Mr. PADILLA submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of title X, add the following:
Subtitle H--Save Our Sequoias Act
SEC. 1094. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ``Save Our Sequoias
Act''.
[[Page S3243]]
SEC. 1094A. DEFINITIONS.
In this subtitle:
(1) Assessment.--The term ``Assessment'' means the Giant
Sequoia Health and Resiliency Assessment required by section
1094D.
(2) Coalition.--The term ``Coalition'' means the Giant
Sequoia Lands Coalition codified under section 1094C(a).
(3) Collaborative process.--The term ``collaborative
process'' means a collaborative process as described in
section 4003(b)(2) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act
of 2009 (16 U.S.C. 7303(b)(2)).
(4) Covered national forest system lands.--The term
``covered National Forest System lands'' means the proclaimed
National Forest System lands reserved or withdrawn from the
public domain of the United States covering the Sequoia
National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument, Sierra
National Forest, and Tahoe National Forest.
(5) Covered public lands.--The term ``covered public
lands'' means--
(A) the Case Mountain Extensive Recreation Management Area
in California managed by the Bureau of Land Management; and
(B) Kings Canyon National Park, Sequoia National Park, and
Yosemite National Park in California managed by the National
Park Service.
(6) Giant sequoia.--The term ``giant sequoia'' means a tree
of the species Sequoiadendron giganteum.
(7) Protection project.--The term ``Protection Project''
means a Giant Sequoia Protection Project carried out under
section 1094E.
(8) Reforestation.--The term ``reforestation'' means the
act of renewing tree cover, taking into consideration species
composition and resilience, by establishing young trees
through--
(A) natural regeneration;
(B) natural regeneration with site preparation and
vegetation competition control; or
(C) planting or direct seeding.
(9) Rehabilitation.--The term ``rehabilitation'' means any
action taken during the 5-year period beginning on the last
day of a wildland fire to repair or improve fire-impacted
lands which are unlikely to recover to management-approved
conditions.
(10) Relevant congressional committees.--The term
``relevant Congressional Committees'' means--
(A) the Committees on Natural Resources, Agriculture, and
Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
(B) the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources,
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Appropriations of
the Senate.
(11) Responsible official.--The term ``responsible
official'' means an employee of the Department of the
Interior or Forest Service who has the authority to make and
implement a decision on a proposed action.
(12) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(13) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned''
means--
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to covered
National Forest System lands, or their designee; and
(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to covered
public lands, or their designee.
(14) Strategy.--The term ``Strategy'' means the Giant
Sequoia Reforestation and Rehabilitation Strategy established
under section 1094F.
(15) Strike team.--The term ``Strike Team'' means a Giant
Sequoia Strike Team established under section 1094G.
(16) Tribe.--The term ``Tribe'' means the Tule River Indian
Tribe of the Tule River Reservation, California.
SEC. 1094B. SHARED STEWARDSHIP AGREEMENT FOR GIANT SEQUOIAS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after receiving a
request from the Governor of the State of California or the
Tribe, the Secretary shall enter into or expand an existing
shared stewardship agreement or enter into a similar
agreement with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Governor of
the State of California, and the Tribe to jointly carry out
the short-term and long-term management and conservation of
giant sequoias.
(b) Participation.--
(1) In general.--If the Secretary has not received a
request from the Governor of the State of California or the
Tribe under subsection (a) before the date that is 90 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
enter into the agreement under subsection (a) and jointly
implement such agreement with the Secretary of Agriculture.
(2) Future participation.--If the Secretary receives a
request from the Governor of the State of California or the
Tribe any time after entering into the agreement with the
Secretary of Agriculture under paragraph (1), the Secretary
shall accept the Governor of the State of California or the
Tribe as a party to such agreement.
SEC. 1094C. GIANT SEQUOIA LANDS COALITION.
(a) Codification.--The Coalition is the entity established
under the charter titled ``Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition
Charter'' (or successor charter) signed during the period
beginning June 2, 2022, and ending August 2, 2022, by each of
the following:
(1) The National Park Service, representing Sequoia and
Kings Canyon National Parks.
(2) The National Park Service, representing Yosemite
National Park.
(3) The Forest Service, representing Sequoia National
Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument.
(4) The Forest Service, representing Sierra National
Forest.
(5) The Forest Service, representing Tahoe National Forest.
(6) The Bureau of Land Management, representing Case
Mountain Extensive Recreation Management Area.
(7) The Tribe, representing the Tule River Indian
Reservation.
(8) The State of California, representing Calaveras Big
Trees State Park.
(9) The State of California, representing Mountain Home
Demonstration State Forest.
(10) The University of California, Berkeley, representing
Whitaker's Research Forest.
(11) The County of Tulare, California, representing Balch
Park.
(b) Duties.--In addition to the duties specified in the
charter referenced in subsection (a), the Coalition shall--
(1) produce the Assessment under section 1094D;
(2) observe implementation, and provide policy
recommendations to the Secretary concerned, with respect to--
(A) Protection Projects carried out under section 1094E;
and
(B) the Strategy established under section 1094F;
(3) facilitate collaboration and coordination on Protection
Projects, particularly projects that cross jurisdictional
boundaries;
(4) facilitate information sharing, including best
available science as described in section 1094D(d) and
mapping resources; and
(5) support the development and dissemination of
educational materials and programs that inform the public
about the threats to the health and resiliency of giant
sequoia groves and actions being taken to reduce the risk to
such groves from high-severity wildfire, insects, and
drought.
(c) Administrative Support, Technical Services, and Staff
Support.--The Secretary shall make personnel of the
Department of the Interior available to the Coalition for
administrative support, technical services, development and
dissemination of educational materials, and staff support
that the Secretary determines necessary to carry out this
section.
(d) Public Meeting Requirement.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
Coalition shall provide for public observation at no less
than one meeting annually.
(2) Closed sessions.--The Coalition may close portions of a
meeting as provided in paragraph (1) to the public only when
discussion will involve--
(A) sensitive law enforcement, security, or emergency
response matters, the public disclosure of which would
compromise public safety; or
(B) confidential commercial information, private property
information, or landowner information.
SEC. 1094D. GIANT SEQUOIA HEALTH AND RESILIENCY ASSESSMENT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Coalition shall submit to the
relevant Congressional Committees a Giant Sequoia Health and
Resiliency Assessment that, based on the best available
science--
(1) identifies--
(A) each giant sequoia grove that has experienced a--
(i) stand-replacing disturbance; or
(ii) disturbance but continues to have living giant
sequoias within the grove, including identifying the tree
mortality and regeneration of giant sequoias within such
grove;
(B) each giant sequoia grove that is at high risk of
experiencing a stand-replacing disturbance;
(C) lands--
(i) contiguous or adjacent to giant sequoia groves that are
at risk of experiencing high-severity wildfires that could
adversely impact such giant sequoia groves; or
(ii) in which the placement of fuel breaks could reduce the
risk of high-severity wildfires that could adversely impact
giant sequoia groves; and
(D) each giant sequoia grove that has experienced a
disturbance and is unlikely to naturally regenerate and is in
need of reforestation;
(2) analyzes the resiliency of each giant sequoia grove to
threats, such as--
(A) high-severity wildfire;
(B) insects, including beetle kill; and
(C) drought;
(3) examines how historical, Tribal, or current approaches
to wildland fire suppression and forest management activities
across various jurisdictions have impacted the health and
resiliency of giant sequoia groves with respect to--
(A) high-severity wildfires;
(B) insects, including beetle kill; and
(C) drought; and
(4) includes program and policy recommendations that
address--
(A) options to enhance communication, coordination, and
collaboration, particularly for cross-boundary projects, to
improve the health and resiliency of giant sequoias; and
(B) research gaps that should be addressed to improve the
best available science on the giant sequoias.
(b) Annual Updates.--Not later than 1 year after the
submission of the Assessment under subsection (a), and
annually thereafter, the Coalition shall submit an updated
Assessment to the relevant Congressional Committees that--
(1) includes any new data, information, or best available
science that has changed or
[[Page S3244]]
become available since the previous Assessment was submitted;
(2) with respect to Protection Projects--
(A) includes information on the number of Protection
Projects initiated the previous year and the estimated
timeline for completing those projects;
(B) includes information on the number of Protection
Projects planned in the upcoming year and the estimated
timeline for completing those projects;
(C) provides status updates and long-term monitoring
reports on giant sequoia groves after the completion of
Protection Projects; and
(D) if the Secretary concerned failed to reduce hazardous
fuels in at least 3 giant sequoia groves in the previous
year, a written explanation that includes--
(i) a detailed explanation of what impediments resulted in
failing to reduce hazardous fuels in at least 3 giant sequoia
groves; and
(ii) a detailed explanation of what actions the Secretary
concerned is taking to ensure that hazardous fuels are
reduced in at least 3 giant sequoia groves the following
year; and
(3) with respect to reforestation and rehabilitation of
giant sequoias--
(A) contains updates on the implementation of the Strategy
under section 1094F, including grove-level data on
reforestation and rehabilitation activities; and
(B) provides status updates and monitoring reports on giant
sequoia groves that have experienced reforestation or
rehabilitation as part of the Strategy under section 1094F.
(c) Dashboard.--
(1) Requirement to maintain.--The Coalition shall create
and maintain a website that--
(A) publishes the Assessment, annual updates to the
Assessment, and other educational materials developed by the
Coalition;
(B) contains searchable information about individual giant
sequoia groves, including the--
(i) resiliency of such groves to threats described in
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a);
(ii) Protection Projects that have been proposed,
initiated, or completed in such groves; and
(iii) reforestation and rehabilitation activities that have
been proposed, initiated, or completed in such groves; and
(C) maintains a searchable database to track--
(i) the status of Federal environmental reviews and
authorizations for specific Protection Projects and
reforestation and rehabilitation activities; and
(ii) the projected cost of Protection Projects and
reforestation and rehabilitation activities.
(2) Searchable database.--The Coalition shall include
information on the status of Protection Projects in the
searchable database created under paragraph (1)(C),
including--
(A) a comprehensive permitting timetable;
(B) the status of the compliance of each lead agency,
cooperating agency, and participating agency with the
permitting timetable;
(C) any modifications of the permitting timetable required
under subparagraph (A), including an explanation as to why
the permitting timetable was modified; and
(D) information about project-related public meetings,
public hearings, and public comment periods, which shall be
presented in English and the predominant language of the
community or communities most affected by the project, as
that information becomes available.
(d) Best Available Science.--In utilizing the best
available science for the Assessment, the Coalition shall
include--
(1) data and peer-reviewed research from academic
institutions with a demonstrated history of studying giant
sequoias and with experience analyzing distinct management
strategies to improve giant sequoia resiliency;
(2) traditional ecological knowledge from the Tribe related
to improving the health and resiliency of giant sequoia
groves; and
(3) data from Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments
or agencies, and other interested stakeholders with a
demonstrated history of studying giant sequoias and with
experience analyzing distinct management strategies to
improve giant sequoia resiliency.
(e) Technology Improvements.--In carrying out this section,
the Secretary may enter into memorandums of understanding or
agreements with other Federal agencies or departments, State
or local governments, Tribal governments, private entities,
or academic institutions to improve, with respect to the
Assessment, the use and integration of--
(1) advanced remote sensing and geospatial technologies;
(2) statistical modeling and analysis; or
(3) any other technology the Secretary determines will
benefit the quality of information used in the Assessment.
(f) Planning.--The Coalition shall make information from
this Assessment available to the Secretary concerned and
State of California to integrate into the--
(1) State of California's Wildfire and Forest Resilience
Action Plan;
(2) Forest Service's 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy (or
successor plan); and
(3) Department of the Interior's Wildfire Risk Five-Year
Monitoring, Maintenance, and Treatment Plan (or successor
plan).
(g) Relation to the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969.--The development and submission of the Assessment under
subsection (a) shall not be subject to the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
SEC. 1094E. GIANT SEQUOIA EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
(a) Emergency Response To Protect Giant Sequoias.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Emergency determination.--Congress determines that--
(i) an emergency exists on covered public lands and covered
National Forest System lands that makes it necessary to carry
out Protection Projects that take needed actions to respond
to the threat of wildfires, insects, and drought to giant
sequoias; and
(ii) Protection Projects are necessary to control the
immediate impacts of the emergency described in clause (i)
and are needed to mitigate harm to life, property, or
important natural or cultural resources on covered public
lands and covered National Forest System lands.
(B) Application.--The emergency determination established
under subparagraph (A) shall apply to all covered public
lands and covered National Forest System lands.
(C) Expiration.--The emergency determination established
under subparagraph (A) shall expire on the date that is 7
years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2) Implementation.--While the emergency determination
established under paragraph (1) is in effect, the following
shall apply:
(A) The Secretary concerned, acting through a responsible
official, shall carry out Protection Projects on covered
public lands and covered National Forest System lands in
accordance with this section, all applicable land management
plans, and the laws (including regulations) applicable to the
Secretary concerned.
(B) A responsible official shall carry out Protection
Projects in accordance with the following, as applicable:
(i) Section 220.4(b) of title 36, Code of Federal
Regulations (as in effect July 21, 2022), with respect to
covered National Forest System lands.
(ii) Section 46.150 of title 43, Code of Federal
Regulations (as in effect October 12, 2022), with respect to
covered public lands.
(iii) Section 402.05 of title 50, Code of Federal
Regulations (as in effect July 21, 2022), with respect to
covered National Forest System lands and covered public
lands.
(iv) Section 800.12 of title 36, Code of Federal
Regulations (as in effect July 21, 2022), with respect to
covered National Forest System lands and covered public
lands.
(C) The rules established under subsections (d) and (e) of
section 40807 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
(16 U.S.C. 6592c(d), (e)) shall apply with respect to
Protection Projects by substituting ``Protection Projects''
for ``authorized emergency action under this section'' each
place it appears in such subsections.
(D) Protection Projects shall be subject to the
requirements of section 106 of the Healthy Forests
Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6516).
(3) Protection projects.--The responsible official shall
carry out the following forest management activities as
Protection Projects under the emergency determination under
this section:
(A) Conducting hazardous fuels management, including
mechanical thinning, mastication, and prescribed burning.
(B) Removing hazard trees, dead trees, or dying trees, as
determined by the responsible official.
(C) Removing trees to address overstocking or crowding in a
forest stand, consistent with the appropriate basal area of
the forest stand and the best available science, as
determined by the responsible official.
(D) Activities to address insects, disease, invasive
species, and vegetative encroachment of a giant sequoia
grove.
(E) Any combination of activities described in this
paragraph.
(4) Requirements.--
(A) In general.--Protection Projects carried out under
paragraph (3) and reforestation and rehabilitation activities
carried out under this subtitle that are described by
subparagraph (C) are categorically excluded from the
preparation of an environmental assessment or an
environmental impact statement under section 102 of the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332).
(B) Availability.--The Secretary concerned shall use the
categorical exclusion established under subparagraph (A) in
accordance with this section.
(C) Requirements.--A Protection Project or reforestation or
rehabilitation activity is described by this subparagraph if
such Protection Project or reforestation or rehabilitation
activity--
(i) covers an area of no more than--
(I) 2,000 acres within giant sequoia groves; and
(II) 3,000 acres on lands identified under section
1094D(a)(1)(C); and
(ii) occurs on Federal land or non-Federal land with the
consent of the non-Federal landowner.
(D) Extraordinary circumstances.--The extraordinary
circumstances procedures under provisions (e) through (g) of
section 1b.3 of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, shall
apply to a Protection Project or reforestation or
rehabilitation activity that is categorically excluded under
subparagraph (A).
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(E) Use of other authorities.--To the maximum extent
practicable, the Secretary concerned shall use the
authorities provided under this section in combination with
other authorities to carry out Protection Projects,
including--
(i) good neighbor agreements entered into under section
8206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a); and
(ii) stewardship contracting projects entered into under
section 604 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003
(16 U.S.C. 6591c).
(F) Savings clause.--With respect to joint Protection
Projects and reforestation and rehabilitation activities
involving the Tribe, nothing in this section shall be
construed to add any additional regulatory requirements onto
the Tribe.
(b) Implementation.--To the maximum extent practicable, the
Secretary concerned shall reduce hazardous fuels in no fewer
than 3 giant sequoia groves each year.
(c) Public Notice.--The Secretary concerned shall provide
notice of each Protection Project on a publicly available
website maintained by the Secretary concerned.
SEC. 1094F. GIANT SEQUOIA REFORESTATION AND REHABILITATION
STRATEGY.
(a) Reforestation and Rehabilitation Strategy.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation
with the Coalition, shall develop and implement a strategy,
to be known as the Giant Sequoia Reforestation and
Rehabilitation Strategy, to enhance the reforestation and
rehabilitation of giant sequoia groves that--
(A) identifies giant sequoia groves in need of
reforestation or rehabilitation, giving highest priority to
groves identified under section 1094D(a)(1)(A)(i);
(B) creates a priority list of reforestation and
rehabilitation activities;
(C) identifies and addresses--
(i) barriers to reforestation or rehabilitation,
including--
(I) regulatory and funding barriers;
(II) seedling shortages or related nursery infrastructure
capacity constraints;
(III) labor and workforce shortages;
(IV) technology and science gaps; and
(V) site preparation challenges;
(ii) potential public-private partnership opportunities to
complete high-priority reforestation or rehabilitation
projects;
(iii) a timeline for addressing the backlog of
reforestation for giant sequoias in the 10-year period after
the agreement is entered into under section 1094B; and
(iv) strategies to ensure genetic diversity across giant
sequoia groves; and
(D) includes program and policy recommendations needed to
improve the efficiency or effectiveness of the Strategy.
(2) Assessment.--The Secretary may incorporate the Strategy
into the Assessment under section 1094D.
(b) Priority Reforestation Projects Amendment.--Section
3(e)(4)(C)(ii)(I) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable
Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C.
1601(e)(4)(C)(ii)(I)) is amended--
(1) in item (bb), by striking ``and'';
(2) in item (cc), by striking the period and inserting ``;
and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(dd) shall include reforestation and rehabilitation
activities conducted under section 1094F of the Save Our
Sequoias Act.''.
SEC. 1094G. GIANT SEQUOIA STRIKE TEAMS.
(a) Giant Sequoia Strike Teams.--
(1) Establishment.--The Secretary concerned shall each
establish a Giant Sequoia Strike Team to assist the Secretary
concerned with the implementation of--
(A) primarily, section 1094E; and
(B) secondarily, section 1094F.
(2) Duties.--Each Strike Team shall--
(A) assist the Secretary concerned with any reviews,
including analysis under the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), consultations under
division A of subtitle III of title 54, United States Code
(commonly referred to as the ``National Historic Preservation
Act''), and consultations under the Endangered Species Act of
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.);
(B) implement any necessary site preparation work in
advance of or as part of a Protection Project or
reforestation or rehabilitation activity;
(C) implement Protection Projects under section 1094E; and
(D) implement reforestation or rehabilitation activities
under section 1094F.
(3) Members.--The Secretary concerned may appoint no more
than 10 individuals each to serve on a Strike Team comprised
of--
(A) employees of the Department of the Interior;
(B) employees of the Forest Service;
(C) private contractors from any nonprofit organization,
State government, Tribal Government, local government,
academic institution, or private organization; and
(D) volunteers from any nonprofit organization, State
government, Tribal Government, local government, academic
institution, or private organization.
SEC. 1094H. GIANT SEQUOIA COLLABORATIVE RESTORATION GRANTS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the
parties to the agreement under section 1094B, shall establish
a program or expand an existing program to award grants to
eligible entities to advance, facilitate, or improve giant
sequoia health and resiliency.
(b) Eligible Entity.--The Secretary may award grants under
this section to any nonprofit organization, Tribal
Government, local government, academic institution, or
private organization to help advance, facilitate, or improve
giant sequoia health and resiliency.
(c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that--
(1) primarily, are likely to have the greatest impact on
giant sequoia health and resiliency; and
(2) secondarily--
(A) are small businesses or Tribal entities, particularly
in rural areas; and
(B) create or support jobs, particularly in rural areas.
(d) Use of Grant Funds.--Funds from grants awarded under
this section shall be used to--
(1) create, expand, or develop markets for hazardous fuels
removed under section 1094E, including markets for biomass
and biochar;
(2) facilitate hazardous fuel removal under section 1094E,
including by reducing the cost of transporting hazardous
fuels removed as part of a Protection Project;
(3) expand, enhance, develop, or create facilities or land
that can store or process hazardous fuels removed under
section 1094E;
(4) establish, develop, expand, enhance, or improve nursery
capacity or infrastructure necessary to facilitate the
Strategy established under section 1094F; or
(5) support Tribal management and conservation of giant
sequoias, including funding for Tribal historic preservation
officers.
SEC. 1094I. GIANT SEQUOIA INSECT MONITORING AND TECHNOLOGY.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall--
(1) develop and implement a strategy for monitoring insects
in giant sequoia groves with a high-risk or previous history
of insect infestations; and
(2) seek to enter into public-private partnerships to
deploy technology to assist in the short-term and long-term
monitoring of giant sequoia groves with current or potential
insect infestations.
(b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall submit a
report to the relevant Congressional Committees that
contains--
(1) the strategy required under subsection (a)(1);
(2) an update on the effectiveness of the monitoring
program in preventing or addressing insect infestations in
giant sequoia groves; and
(3) program and policy recommendations to further address--
(A) research gaps regarding giant sequoia resiliency to
insects; and
(B) opportunities to improve the resiliency of giant
sequoias to insects.
SEC. 1094J. STEWARDSHIP CONTRACTING FOR GIANT SEQUOIAS.
(a) National Park Service.--Section 604 of the Healthy
Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6591c) is
amended--
(1) by amending subsection (a)(2) to read as follows:
``(2) Director.--The term `Director' means the Director of
the Bureau of Land Management with respect to Bureau of Land
Management lands and the Director of the National Park
Service with respect to lands within Kings Canyon National
Park, Sequoia National Park, and Yosemite National Park.'';
and
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ``national forests and
the public lands'' and inserting ``national forests, public
lands, and lands within Kings Canyon National Park, Sequoia
National Park, and Yosemite National Park''.
(b) Giant Sequoia Stewardship Contracts.--Section 604(c) of
the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C.
6591c(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(8) Promoting the health and resiliency of giant
sequoias.''.
(c) Stewardship Contracting in Certain National Parks.--
Stewardship contracting projects occurring in Kings Canyon
National Park, Sequoia National Park, and Yosemite National
Park shall be carried out in accordance with the laws
(including regulations) applicable to the National Park
Service, including section 100753 of title 54, United States
Code.
SEC. 1094K. GIANT SEQUOIA EMERGENCY PROTECTION PROGRAM AND
FUND.
(a) In General.--Chapter 1011 of title 54, United States
Code, is amended by inserting at the end the following:
``Sec. 101123. Giant Sequoia Emergency Protection Program and
Fund
``(a) Giant Sequoia Emergency Protection Program.--The
National Park Foundation, in coordination with the National
Forest Foundation and the Foundation for America's Public
Lands, shall design and implement a comprehensive program to
assist and promote philanthropic programs of support that
benefit--
``(1) primarily, the management and conservation of giant
sequoias on covered public lands and covered National Forest
System lands to promote resiliency to wildfires, insects, and
drought; and
``(2) secondarily, the reforestation of giant sequoias on
covered public lands and covered National Forest System lands
impacted by wildfire.
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``(b) Giant Sequoia Emergency Protection Fund.--
``(1) In general.--The National Park Foundation, in
coordination with the National Forest Foundation and the
Foundation for America's Public Lands, shall establish a
joint special account to be known as the Giant Sequoia
Emergency Protection Fund (referred to in this section as the
`Fund'), to be administered in support of the program
established under subsection (a).
``(2) Funds for giant sequoia emergency protection.--The
Fund shall consist of any gifts, devises, or bequests that
are provided to the National Park Foundation, National Forest
Foundation, or Foundation for America's Public Lands for the
purpose described in paragraph (1).
``(3) Use of funds.--Funds shall be available to the
National Park Foundation, National Forest Foundation, and
Foundation for America's Public Lands without further
appropriation, subject to the provisions in paragraph (4),
for projects and activities approved by the Director of the
National Park Service, Chief of the Forest Service, or
Director of the Bureau of Land Management, as appropriate, or
their designees, to--
``(A) primarily, support the management and conservation of
giant sequoias on covered public lands and covered National
Forest System lands to promote resiliency to wildfires,
insects, and drought; and
``(B) secondarily, support the reforestation of giant
sequoias on covered public lands and covered National Forest
System lands impacted by wildfire.
``(4) Tribal support.--Of the funds provided to the
National Park Foundation, National Forest Foundation, and
Foundation for America's Public Lands under paragraph (3),
not less than 15 percent of such funds shall be used to
support Tribal management and conservation of giant sequoias,
including funding for Tribal historic preservation officers.
``(c) Summary.--Beginning 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this section, the National Park Foundation,
National Forest Foundation, and Foundation for America's
Public Lands shall include with their annual reports a
summary of the status of the program and Fund created under
this section that includes--
``(1) a statement of the amounts deposited in the Fund
during the fiscal year;
``(2) the amount of the balance remaining in the Fund at
the end of the fiscal year; and
``(3) a description of the program and projects funded
during the fiscal year.
``(d) Definitions.--In this section, the terms `covered
public lands' and `covered National Forest System lands' have
the meaning given such terms in section 1094A of the Save Our
Sequoias Act.
``(e) Termination of Effectiveness.--The authority provided
by this section shall terminate 7 years after the date of
enactment of the Save Our Sequoias Act.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for
chapter 1011 of title 54, United States Code, is amended by
inserting at the end the following:
``101123. Giant Sequoia Emergency Protection Program and Fund.''.
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