16 USC 6591 - Wildfire resilience projects

Collapse to view only § 6591d. Wildfire resilience projects

§ 6591. Forest stands inventory and monitoring program to improve detection of and response to environmental threats
§ 6591a. Designation of treatment areas
§ 6591b. Administrative review
§ 6591c. Stewardship end result contracting projects
§ 6591d. Wildfire resilience projects
§ 6591e. Categorical exclusion for greater sage-grouse and mule deer habitat
§ 6592. Wildfire risk reduction
§ 6592a. Ecosystem restoration
§ 6592b. Establishment of fuel breaks in forests and other wildland vegetation
§ 6592c. Emergency actions
§ 6592d. Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership program

§ 6591. Forest stands inventory and monitoring program to improve detection of and response to environmental threats

(a) In general

The Secretary of Agriculture shall carry out a comprehensive program to inventory, monitor, characterize, assess, and identify forest stands (with emphasis on hardwood forest stands) and potential forest stands—

(1) in units of the National Forest System (other than those units created from the public domain); and

(2) on private forest land, with the consent of the owner of the land.

(b) Issues to be addressed

In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall address issues including—

(1) early detection, identification, and assessment of environmental threats (including insect, disease, invasive species, fire, and weather-related risks and other episodic events);

(2) loss or degradation of forests;

(3) degradation of the quality forest stands caused by inadequate forest regeneration practices;

(4) quantification of carbon uptake rates; and

(5) management practices that focus on preventing further forest degradation.

In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall develop a comprehensive early warning system for potential catastrophic environmental threats to forests to increase the likelihood that forest managers will be able to—

(1) isolate and treat a threat before the threat gets out of control; and

(2) prevent epidemics, such as the American chestnut blight in the first half of the twentieth century, that could be environmentally and economically devastating to forests.

(d) Authorization of appropriations

(Pub. L. 108–148, title VI, § 601, Dec. 3, 2003, 117 Stat. 1914.)

§ 6591a. Designation of treatment areas

(a) Definition of declining forest health

In this section, the term “declining forest health” means a forest that is experiencing—

(1) substantially increased tree mortality due to insect or disease infestation; or

(2) dieback due to infestation or defoliation by insects or disease.

(b) Designation of treatment areas

(1) Initial areas

(2) Additional areas

To be designated a landscape-scale area under subsection (b), the area shall be—

(1) experiencing declining forest health, based on annual forest health surveys conducted by the Secretary;

(2) at risk of experiencing substantially increased tree mortality over the next 15 years due to insect or disease infestation, based on the most recent National Insect and Disease Risk Map published by the Forest Service; or

(3) in an area in which the risk of hazard trees poses an imminent risk to public infrastructure, health, or safety.

(d) Treatment of areas

(1) In general

(A) to reduce the risk or extent of, or increase the resilience to, insect or disease infestation; or

(B) to reduce hazardous fuels.

(2) Authority

(3) Effect

(4) Report

(A) In general

In accordance with the schedule described in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall issue 2 reports on actions taken to carry out this subsection, including—

(i) an evaluation of the progress towards project goals; and

(ii) recommendations for modifications to the projects and management treatments.

(B) Schedule

The Secretary shall—

(i) not earlier than September 30, 2018, issue the initial report under subparagraph (A); and

(ii) not earlier than September 30, 2024, issue the second report under that subparagraph.

(e) Tree retention

(Pub. L. 108–148, title VI, § 602, as added Pub. L. 113–79, title VIII, § 8204, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 915; amended Pub. L. 115–334, title VIII, §§ 8407(b), 8408, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4846, 4847.)

§ 6591b. Administrative review

(a) In generalExcept as provided in subsection (d), a project described in subsection (b) that is conducted in accordance with section 6591a(d) of this title may be—

(1) considered an action categorically excluded from the requirements of Public Law 91–190 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and

(2) exempt from the special administrative review process under section 6515 of this title.

(b) Collaborative restoration project

(1) In generalA project referred to in subsection (a) is a project to carry out forest restoration treatments that—

(A) maximizes the retention of old-growth and large trees, as appropriate for the forest type, to the extent that the trees promote stands that are resilient to insects and disease;

(B) considers the best available scientific information to maintain or restore the ecological integrity, including maintaining or restoring structure, function, composition, and connectivity; and

(i) includes multiple interested persons representing diverse interests; and

(ii)(I) is transparent and nonexclusive; or(II) meets the requirements for a resource advisory committee under subsections (c) through (f) of section 7125 of this title.

(2) Inclusion

(1) Project size

(2) LocationA project under this section shall be limited to areas—

(A) in the wildland-urban interface; or

(B) Condition Classes 2 or 3 in Fire Regime Groups I, II, or III, outside the wildland-urban interface.

(3) Roads

(A) Permanent roads

(i) Prohibition on establishment

(ii) Existing roads

(B) Temporary roads

(d) ExclusionsThis section does not apply to—

(1) a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System;

(2) any Federal land on which, by Act of Congress or Presidential proclamation, the removal of vegetation is restricted or prohibited;

(3) a congressionally designated wilderness study area; or

(4) an area in which activities under subsection (a) would be inconsistent with the applicable land and resource management plan.

(e) Forest management plans

(f) Public notice and scoping

(g) Accountability

(1) In general

(2) SubmissionNot later than 1 year after February 7, 2014, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit the reports required under paragraph (1) to—

(A) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate;

(B) the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate;

(D) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives; and

(E) the Government Accountability Office.

(Pub. L. 108–148, title VI, § 603, as added Pub. L. 113–79, title VIII, § 8204, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 916.)

§ 6591c. Stewardship end result contracting projects

(a) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Chief

(2) Director

(b) Projects

(1) Road and trail maintenance or obliteration to restore or maintain water quality.

(2) Soil productivity, habitat for wildlife and fisheries, or other resource values.

(3) Setting of prescribed fires to improve the composition, structure, condition, and health of stands or to improve wildlife habitat.

(4) Removing vegetation or other activities to promote healthy forest stands, reduce fire hazards, or achieve other land management objectives.

(5) Watershed restoration and maintenance.

(6) Restoration and maintenance of wildlife and fish.

(7) Control of noxious and exotic weeds and reestablishing native plant species.

(d) Agreements or contracts

(1) Procurement procedure

(2) Contract for sale of property

(3) Term

(A) In general

(B) Maximum

(4) Offsets

(A) In general

(B) Methods of appraisalThe value of timber or other forest products used as an offset under subparagraph (A)—

(i) shall be determined using appropriate methods of appraisal commensurate with the quantity of products to be removed; and

(ii) may—(I) be determined using a unit of measure appropriate to the contracts; and(II) may include valuing products on a per-acre basis.

(5) Relation to other laws

(6) Contracting officer

(7) Fire liability provisionsNot later than 90 days after February 7, 2014, the Chief shall issue for use in all contracts and agreements under this section fire liability provisions that are in substantially the same form as the fire liability provisions contained in—

(A) integrated resource timber contracts, as described in the Forest Service contract numbered 2400–13, part H, section H.4; and

(B) timber sale contracts conducted pursuant to section 472a of this title.

(e) Receipts

(1) In general

(2) UseMonies from an agreement or contract under subsection (b)—

(A) may be retained by the Chief and the Director; and

(B) shall be available for expenditure without further appropriation at the project site from which the monies are collected or at another project site.

(3) Relation to other laws

(A) In general

(B) Knutson-Vanderberg 2

2 So in original. Probably should be “Knutson-Vandenberg”.

Act

(f) Costs of removalNotwithstanding the fact that a contractor did not harvest the timber, the Chief may collect deposits from a contractor covering the costs of removal of timber or other forest products under—

(1)section 490 of this title; and

(2)section 498 of this title.

(g) Performance and payment guarantees

(1) In general

(2) Excess offset valueIf the offset value of the forest products exceeds the value of the resource improvement treatments, the Chief and the Director may—

(A) use the excess to satisfy any outstanding liabilities for cancelled agreements or contracts; or

(B) if there are no outstanding liabilities described in subparagraph (A), apply the excess to other authorized stewardship projects.

(h) Cancellation ceilings

(1) In general

(2) Advance notice to Congress of cancellation ceiling in excess of $25,000,000Not later than 30 days before entering into a multiyear agreement or contract under subsection (b) that includes a cancellation ceiling in excess of $25,000,000, but does not include proposed funding for the costs of cancelling the agreement or contract up to that cancellation ceiling, the Chief or the Director, as applicable, shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives a written notice that includes—

(A) a description of the cancellation ceiling amounts proposed for each program year in the agreement or contract;

(B) the reasons why the cancellation ceiling amounts described under subparagraph (A) were selected;

(C) a description of the extent to which the costs of contract cancellation are not included in the budget for the agreement or contract; and

(D) an assessment of the financial risk of not including budgeting for the costs of agreement or contract cancellation.

(3) Transmittal of notice to OMB

(i) Monitoring and evaluation

(1) In general

(2) ParticipantsOther than the Chief and Director, participants in the process described in paragraph (1) may include—

(A) any cooperating governmental agencies, including tribal governments; and

(B) any other interested groups or individuals.

(j) ReportingNot later than 1 year after February 7, 2014, and annually thereafter, the Chief and the Director shall submit to the congressional committees described in subsection (h)(2) a report on—

(1) the status of development, execution, and administration of agreements or contracts under subsection (b);

(2) the specific accomplishments that have resulted; and

(3) the role of local communities in the development of agreements or contract plans.

(Pub. L. 108–148, title VI, § 604, as added Pub. L. 113–79, title VIII, § 8205(a), Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 918; amended Pub. L. 115–31, div. G, title IV, § 422, May 5, 2017, 131 Stat. 499; Pub. L. 115–141, div. O, title II, §§ 204–206, Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1064, 1065.)

§ 6591d. Wildfire resilience projects

(a) In generalHazardous fuels reduction projects, as defined in section 6511(2) of this title may be—

(1) carried out in accordance with subsections (b), (c), and (d) of section 6512 of this title and sections 6514 and 6515 of this title;

(2) considered an action categorically excluded from the requirements of Public Law 91–190 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and

(3) exempt from the special administrative review process under section 6515 of this title.

(b) Collaborative restoration project

(1) In generalA project referred to in subsection (a) is a project to carry out forest restoration treatments that—

(A) maximizes the retention of old-growth and large trees, as appropriate for the forest type, to the extent that the trees promote stands that are resilient to insects and disease, and reduce the risk or extent of, or increase the resilience to, wildfires;

(B) considers the best available scientific information to maintain or restore the ecological integrity, including maintaining or restoring structure, function, composition, and connectivity; and

(i) includes multiple interested persons representing diverse interests; and

(ii)(I) is transparent and nonexclusive; or(II) meets the requirements for a resource advisory committee under subsections (c) through (f) of section 7125 of this title.

(2) Inclusion

(1) Project size

(2) LocationA project under this section shall be—

(A) Prioritized within the wildland-urban interface;

(B) If located outside the wildland-urban interface, limited to areas within Condition Classes 2 or 3 in Fire Regime Groups I, II, or III that contain very high wildfire hazard potential; and

(3) Roads

(A) Permanent roads

(i) Prohibition on establishment

(ii) Existing roads

(B) Temporary roads

(4) Extraordinary circumstances

(d) ExclusionsThis section does not apply to—

(1) a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System;

(2) any Federal land on which, by Act of Congress or Presidential proclamation, the removal of vegetation is restricted or prohibited;

(3) a congressionally designated wilderness study area; or

(4) an area in which activities under subsection (a) would be inconsistent with the applicable land and resource management plan.

(e) Forest management plans

(f) Public notice and scoping

(g) Accountability

(1) In general

(2) SubmissionNot later than 1 year after March 23, 2018, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit the reports required under paragraph (1) to—

(A) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate;

(B) the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate;

(D) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives; and

(E) the Government Accountability Office.

(Pub. L. 108–148, title VI, § 605, as added Pub. L. 115–141, div. O, title II, § 202, Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1062.)

§ 6591e. Categorical exclusion for greater sage-grouse and mule deer habitat

(a) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Covered vegetation management activity

(A) In generalThe term “covered vegetation management activity” means any activity described in subparagraph (B) that—

(i)(I) is carried out on National Forest System land administered by the Forest Service; or(II) is carried out on public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management;

(ii) with respect to public land, meets the objectives of the order of the Secretary of the Interior numbered 3336 and dated January 5, 2015;

(iii) conforms to an applicable forest plan or land use plan;

(iv) protects, restores, or improves greater sage-grouse or mule deer habitat in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem as described in—(I) Circular 1416 of the United States Geological Survey entitled “Restoration Handbook for Sagebrush Steppe Ecosystems with Emphasis on Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat—Part 1. Concepts for Understanding and Applying Restoration” (2015); or(II) the habitat guidelines for mule deer published by the Mule Deer Working Group of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies;

(v) will not permanently impair—(I) the natural state of the treated area;(II) outstanding opportunities for solitude;(III) outstanding opportunities for primitive, unconfined recreation;(IV) economic opportunities consistent with multiple-use management; or(V) the identified values of a unit of the National Landscape Conservation System;

(vi)(I) restores native vegetation following a natural disturbance;(II) prevents the expansion into greater sage-grouse or mule deer habitat of—(aa) juniper, pinyon pine, or other associated conifers; or(bb) nonnative or invasive vegetation;(III) reduces the risk of loss of greater sage-grouse or mule deer habitat from wildfire or any other natural disturbance; or(IV) provides emergency stabilization of soil resources after a natural disturbance; and

(vii) provides for the conduct of restoration treatments that—(I) maximize the retention of old-growth and large trees, as appropriate for the forest type;(II) consider the best available scientific information to maintain or restore the ecological integrity, including maintaining or restoring structure, function, composition, and connectivity;(III) are developed and implemented through a collaborative process that—(aa) includes multiple interested persons representing diverse interests; and(bb)(AA) is transparent and nonexclusive; or(BB) meets the requirements for a resource advisory committee under subsections (c) through (f) of section 7125 of this title; and(IV) may include the implementation of a proposal that complies with the eligibility requirements of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program under section 7303(b) of this title.

(B) Description of activitiesAn activity referred to in subparagraph (A) is—

(i) manual cutting and removal of juniper trees, pinyon pine trees, other associated conifers, or other nonnative or invasive vegetation;

(ii) mechanical mastication, cutting, or mowing, mechanical piling and burning, chaining, broadcast burning, or yarding;

(iii) removal of cheat grass, medusa head rye, or other nonnative, invasive vegetation;

(iv) collection and seeding or planting of native vegetation using a manual, mechanical, or aerial method;

(v) seeding of nonnative, noninvasive, ruderal vegetation only for the purpose of emergency stabilization;

(vi) targeted use of an herbicide, subject to the condition that the use shall be in accordance with applicable legal requirements, Federal agency procedures, and land use plans;

(vii) targeted livestock grazing to mitigate hazardous fuels and control noxious and invasive weeds;

(viii) temporary removal of wild horses or burros in the area in which the activity is being carried out to ensure treatment objectives are met;

(ix) in coordination with the affected permit holder, modification or adjustment of permissible usage under an annual plan of use of a grazing permit issued by the Secretary concerned to achieve restoration treatment objectives;

(x) installation of new, or modification of existing, fencing or water sources intended to control use or improve wildlife habitat; or

(xi) necessary maintenance of, repairs to, rehabilitation of, or reconstruction of an existing permanent road or construction of temporary roads to accomplish the activities described in this subparagraph.

(i) any activity conducted in a wilderness area or wilderness study area;

(ii) any activity for the construction of a permanent road or permanent trail;

(iii) any activity conducted on Federal land on which, by Act of Congress or Presidential proclamation, the removal of vegetation is restricted or prohibited;

(iv) any activity conducted in an area in which activities under subparagraph (B) would be inconsistent with the applicable land and resource management plan; or

(v) any activity conducted in an inventoried roadless area.

(2) Secretary concernedThe term “Secretary concerned” means—

(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to National Forest System land; and

(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to public land.

(3) Temporary roadThe term “temporary road” means a road that is—

(A) authorized—

(i) by a contract, permit, lease, other written authorization; or

(ii) pursuant to an emergency operation;

(B) not intended to be part of the permanent transportation system of a Federal department or agency;

(D) designed in accordance with standards appropriate for the intended use of the road, taking into consideration—

(i) safety;

(ii) the cost of transportation; and

(iii) impacts to land and resources; and

(E) managed to minimize—

(i) erosion; and

(ii) the introduction or spread of invasive species.

(b) Categorical exclusion

(1) In general

(2) AdministrationIn developing and administering the categorical exclusion under paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall—

(A) comply with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.);

(B) with respect to National Forest System land, apply the extraordinary circumstances procedures under section 220.6 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), in determining whether to use the categorical exclusion;

(C) with respect to public land, apply the extraordinary circumstances procedures under section 46.215 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), in determining whether to use the categorical exclusion; and

(D) consider—

(i) the relative efficacy of landscape-scale habitat projects;

(ii) the likelihood of continued declines in the populations of greater sage-grouse and mule deer in the absence of landscape-scale vegetation management; and

(iii) the need for habitat restoration activities after wildfire or other natural disturbances.

(d) Long-term monitoring and maintenance

(e) Disposal of vegetative materialSubject to applicable local restrictions, any vegetative material resulting from a covered vegetation management activity that is covered by the categorical exclusion under subsection (b) may be—

(1) used for—

(A) fuel wood; or

(B) other products; or

(2) piled or burned, or both.

(f) Treatment for temporary roads

(1) In generalNotwithstanding subsection (a)(1)(B)(xi), any temporary road constructed in carrying out a covered vegetation management activity that is covered by the categorical exclusion under subsection (b)—

(A) shall be used by the Secretary concerned for the covered vegetation management activity for not more than 2 years; and

(B) shall be decommissioned by the Secretary concerned not later than 3 years after the earlier of the date on which—

(i) the temporary road is no longer needed; and

(ii) the project is completed.

(2) RequirementA treatment under paragraph (1) shall include reestablishing native vegetative cover—

(A) as soon as practicable; but

(B) not later than 10 years after the date of completion of the applicable covered vegetation management activity.

(g) Limitations

(1) Project size

(2) Location

(Pub. L. 108–148, title VI, § 606, as added Pub. L. 115–334, title VIII, § 8611, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4848.)

§ 6592. Wildfire risk reduction

(a) Authorization of appropriations

(b) TreatmentOf the Federal land or Indian forest land or rangeland that has been identified as having a very high wildfire hazard potential, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall, by not later than September 30, 2027, conduct restoration treatments and improve the Fire Regime Condition Class of 10,000,000 acres that are located in—

(1) the wildland-urban interface; or

(2) a public drinking water source area.

(1) $20,000,000 shall be made available for entering into an agreement with the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish and operate a program that makes use of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Program to rapidly detect and report wildfire starts in all areas in which the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture has financial responsibility for wildland fire protection and prevention, of which—

(A) $10,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior; and

(B) $10,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture;

(2) $600,000,000 shall be made available for the salaries and expenses of Federal wildland firefighters in accordance with subsection (d), of which—

(A) $120,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior; and

(B) $480,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture;

(3) $10,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior to acquire technology and infrastructure for each Type I and Type II incident management team to maintain interoperability with respect to the radio frequencies used by any responding agency;

(4) $30,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture to provide financial assistance to States, Indian Tribes, and units of local government to establish and operate Reverse-911 telecommunication systems;

(5) $50,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior to establish and implement a pilot program to provide to local governments financial assistance for the acquisition of slip-on tanker units to establish fleets of vehicles that can be quickly converted to be operated as fire engines;

(6) $1,200,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, to develop and publish, not later than 180 days after November 15, 2021, and every 5 years thereafter, a map depicting at-risk communities (as defined in section 6511 of this title), including Tribal at-risk communities;

(7) $100,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture—

(A) for—

(i) preplanning fire response workshops that develop—(I) potential operational delineations; and(II) select potential control locations; and

(ii) workforce training for staff, non-Federal firefighters, and Native village fire crews for—(I) wildland firefighting; and(II) increasing the pace and scale of vegetation treatments, including training on how to prepare and implement large landscape treatments; and

(B) of which—

(i) $50,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior; and

(ii) $50,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture;

(8) $20,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into an agreement with a Southwest Ecological Restoration Institute established under the Southwest Forest Health and Wildfire Prevention Act of 2004 (16 U.S.C. 6701 et seq.)—

(A) to compile and display existing data, including geographic data, for hazardous fuel reduction or wildfire prevention treatments undertaken by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, including treatments undertaken with funding provided under this title;

(B) to compile and display existing data, including geographic data, for large wildfires, as defined by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, that occur in the United States;

(C) to facilitate coordination and use of existing and future interagency fuel treatment data, including geographic data, for the purposes of—

(i) assessing and planning cross-boundary fuel treatments; and

(ii) monitoring the effects of treatments on wildfire outcomes and ecosystem restoration services, using the data compiled under subparagraphs (A) and (B);

(D) to publish a report every 5 years showing the extent to which treatments described in subparagraph (A) and previous wildfires affect the boundaries of wildfires, categorized by—

(i) Federal land management agency;

(ii) region of the United States; and

(iii) treatment type; and

(E) to carry out other related activities of a Southwest Ecological Restoration Institute, as authorized by the Southwest Forest Health and Wildfire Prevention Act of 2004 (16 U.S.C. 6701 et seq.);

(9) $20,000,000 shall be available for activities conducted under the Joint Fire Science Program, of which—

(A) $10,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior; and

(B) $10,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture;

(10) $100,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture for collaboration and collaboration-based activities, including facilitation, certification of collaboratives, and planning and implementing projects under the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program established under section 7303 of this title in accordance with subsection (e);

(11) $500,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture—

(A) for—

(i) conducting mechanical thinning and timber harvesting in an ecologically appropriate manner that maximizes the retention of large trees, as appropriate for the forest type, to the extent that the trees promote fire-resilient stands; or

(ii) precommercial thinning in young growth stands for wildlife habitat benefits to provide subsistence resources; and

(B) of which—

(i) $100,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior; and

(ii) $400,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture;

(12) $500,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture, in cooperation with States, to award community wildfire defense grants to at-risk communities in accordance with subsection (f);

(13) $500,000,000 shall be made available for planning and conducting prescribed fires and related activities, of which—

(A) $250,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior; and

(B) $250,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture;

(14) $500,000,000 shall be made available for developing or improving potential control locations, in accordance with paragraph (7)(A)(i)(II), including installing fuelbreaks (including fuelbreaks studied under subsection (i)), with a focus on shaded fuelbreaks when ecologically appropriate, of which—

(A) $250,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior; and

(B) $250,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture;

(15) $200,000,000 shall be made available for contracting or employing crews of laborers to modify and remove flammable vegetation on Federal land and for using materials from treatments, to the extent practicable, to produce biochar and other innovative wood products, including through the use of existing locally based organizations that engage young adults, Native youth, and veterans in service projects, such as youth and conservation corps, of which—

(A) $100,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior; and

(B) $100,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture;

(16) $200,000,000 shall be made available for post-fire restoration activities that are implemented not later than 3 years after the date that a wildland fire is contained, of which—

(A) $100,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior; and

(B) $100,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture;

(17) $8,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture—

(A) to provide feedstock to firewood banks; and

(B) to provide financial assistance for the operation of firewood banks; and

(18) $10,000,000 shall be available to the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture for the procurement and placement of wildfire detection and real-time monitoring equipment, such as sensors, cameras, and other relevant equipment, in areas at risk of wildfire or post-burned areas.

(d) Wildland firefighters

(1) In general

(2) Omitted

(3) Current employeesAny individual employed as a wildland firefighter on the date on which the occupational series established under paragraph (1) takes effect may elect—

(A) to remain in the occupational series in which the individual is employed; or

(B) to be included in the “wildland firefighter” occupational series established under that paragraph.

(4) Permanent employees; increase in salaryUsing the amounts made available under subsection (c)(2), beginning October 1, 2021, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall—

(A) seek to convert not fewer than 1,000 seasonal wildland firefighters to wildland firefighters that—

(i) are full-time, permanent, year-round Federal employees; and

(ii) reduce hazardous fuels on Federal land not fewer than 800 hours per year; and

(B) increase the base salary of a Federal wildland firefighter by the lesser of an amount that is commensurate with an increase of $20,000 per year or an amount equal to 50 percent of the base salary, if the Secretary concerned, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, makes a written determination that the position of the Federal wildland firefighter is located within a specified geographic area in which it is difficult to recruit or retain a Federal wildland firefighter.

(5) National wildfire coordinating groupUsing the amounts made available under subsection (c)(2), not later than October 1, 2022, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall—

(A) develop and adhere to recommendations for mitigation strategies for wildland firefighters to minimize exposure due to line-of-duty environmental hazards; and

(B) establish programs for permanent, temporary, seasonal, and year-round wildland firefighters to recognize and address mental health needs, including post-traumatic stress disorder care.

(e) Collaborative forest landscape restoration programSubject to the availability of appropriations, not later than 180 days after November 15, 2021, the Secretary of Agriculture shall, using the amounts made available under subsection (c)(10)—

(1) solicit new project proposals under the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program established under section 7303 of this title (referred to in this subsection as the “Program”);

(2) provide up to 5 years of additional funding of any proposal originally selected for funding under the Program prior to September 30, 2018—

(A) that has been approved for an extension of funding by the Secretary of Agriculture prior to November 15, 2021; or

(B) that has been recommended for an extension of funding by the advisory panel established under section 7303(e) of this title prior to November 15, 2021, that the Secretary of Agriculture subsequently approves; and

(3) select project proposals for funding under the Program in a manner that—

(A) gives priority to a project proposal that will treat acres that—

(i) have been identified as having very high wildfire hazard potential; and

(ii) are located in—(I) the wildland-urban interface; or(II) a public drinking water source area;

(B) takes into consideration—

(i) the cost per acre of Federal land or Indian forest land or rangeland acres described in subparagraph (A) to be treated; and

(ii) the number of acres described in subparagraph (A) to be treated;

(C) gives priority to a project proposal that is proposed by a collaborative that has successfully accomplished treatments consistent with a written plan that included a proposed schedule of completing those treatments, which is not limited to an earlier proposal funded under the Program; and

(D) discontinues funding for a project that fails to achieve the results included in a project proposal submitted under paragraph (1) for more than 2 consecutive years.

(f) Community wildfire defense grant program

(1) EstablishmentSubject to the availability of appropriations, not later than 180 days after November 15, 2021, the Secretary of Agriculture shall, using amounts made available under subsection (c)(12), establish a program, which shall be separate from the program established under section 5133 of title 42, under which the Secretary of Agriculture, in cooperation with the States, shall award grants to at-risk communities, including Indian Tribes—

(A) to develop or revise a community wildfire protection plan; and

(B) to carry out projects described in a community wildfire protection plan that is not more than 10 years old.

(2) PriorityIn awarding grants under the program described in paragraph (1), the Secretary of Agriculture shall give priority to an at-risk community that is—

(A) in an area identified by the Secretary of Agriculture as having high or very high wildfire hazard potential;

(B) a low-income community; or

(3) Community wildfire defense grants

(A) Grant amountsA grant—

(i) awarded under paragraph (1)(A) shall be for not more than $250,000; and

(ii) awarded under paragraph (1)(B) shall be for not more than $10,000,000.

(B) Cost sharing requirement

(i) In generalExcept as provided in clause (ii), the non-Federal cost (including the administrative cost) of carrying out a project using funds from a grant awarded under the program described in paragraph (1) shall be—(I) not less than 10 percent for a grant awarded under paragraph (1)(A); and(II) not less than 25 percent for a grant awarded under paragraph (1)(B).

(ii) Waiver

(C) EligibilityThe Secretary of Agriculture shall not award a grant under paragraph (1) to an at-risk community that is located in a county or community that—

(i) is located in the continental United States; and

(ii) has not adopted an ordinance or regulation that requires the construction of new roofs on buildings to adhere to standards that are similar to, or more stringent than—(I) the roof construction standards established by the National Fire Protection Association; or(II) an applicable model building code established by the International Code Council.

(g) PrioritiesIn carrying out projects using amounts made available under this section, the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, as applicable, shall prioritize funding for projects—

(1) for which any applicable processes under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) have been completed on November 15, 2021;

(2) that reduce the likelihood of experiencing uncharacteristically severe effects from a potential wildfire by focusing on areas strategically important for reducing the risks associated with wildfires;

(3) that maximize the retention of large trees, as appropriate for the forest type, to the extent that the trees promote fire-resilient stands;

(4) that do not include the establishment of permanent roads;

(5) for which funding would be committed to decommission all temporary roads constructed to carry out the project; and

(6) that fully maintain or contribute toward the restoration of the structure and composition of old growth stands consistent with the characteristics of that forest type, taking into account the contribution of the old growth stand to landscape fire adaption and watershed health, unless the old growth stand is part of a science-based ecological restoration project authorized by the Secretary concerned that meets applicable protection and old growth enhancement objectives, as determined by the Secretary concerned.

(h) Reports

(i) Wildfire prevention study

(1) In general

(2) ReviewThe study under paragraph (1) shall review—

(A) a full suite of manual, chemical, and mechanical treatments; and

(B) the effectiveness of the system described in that paragraph in reducing wildfire risk and protecting communities.

(3) Determination

(j) Monitoring, maintenance, and treatment plan and strategy

(1) In generalNot later than 120 days after November 15, 2021, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall establish a 5-year monitoring, maintenance, and treatment plan that—

(A) describes activities under subsection (c) that the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior will take to reduce the risk of wildfire by conducting restoration treatments and improving the Fire Regime Condition Class of 10,000,000 acres of Federal land or Tribal Forest land or rangeland that is identified as having very high wildfire hazard potential, not including annual treatments otherwise scheduled;

(B) establishes a process for prioritizing treatments in areas and communities at the highest risk of catastrophic wildfires;

(i) to leverage public-private partnerships and resources, shared stewardship agreements, good neighbor agreements, and similar contracting authorities;

(ii) to prioritize projects for which any applicable processes under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) have been completed as of November 15, 2021;

(iii) to streamline subsequent projects based on existing statutory or regulatory authorities; and

(iv) to develop interagency teams to increase coordination and efficiency under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321) [42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.]; and

(D) establishes a process for coordinating prioritization and treatment with State and local entities and affected stakeholders.

(2) StrategyNot later than 5 years after November 15, 2021, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with State and local governments, shall publish a long-term, outcome-based monitoring, maintenance, and treatment strategy—

(A) to maintain forest health improvements and wildfire risk reduction accomplished under this section;

(B) to continue treatment at levels necessary to address the 20,000,000 acres needing priority treatment over the 10-year period beginning on the date of publication of the strategy; and

(C) to proactively conduct treatment at a level necessary to minimize the risk of wildfire to surrounding at-risk communities.

(k) Authorized hazardous fuels projects

(Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title VIII, § 40803, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1097.)

§ 6592a. Ecosystem restoration

(a) Authorization of appropriations

(b) ActivitiesOf the amounts made available under subsection (a) for the period of fiscal years 2022 through 2026—

(1) $300,000,000 shall be made available, in accordance with subsection (c), to the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture—

(A) for—

(i) entering into contracts, including stewardship contracts or agreements, the purpose of each of which shall be to restore ecological health on not fewer than 10,000 acres of Federal land, including Indian forest land or rangeland, and for salaries and expenses associated with preparing and executing those contracts; and

(ii) establishing a Working Capital Fund that may be accessed by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture to fund requirements of contracts described in clause (i), including cancellation and termination costs, consistent with section 6591c(h) of this title, and periodic payments over the span of the contract period; and

(B) of which—

(i) $50,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior to enter into contracts described in subparagraph (A)(i);

(ii) $150,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into contracts described in subparagraph (A)(i); and

(iii) $100,000,000 shall be made available until expended to the Secretary of the Interior, notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, to establish the Working Capital Fund described in subparagraph (A)(ii);

(2) $200,000,000 shall be made available to provide to States and Indian Tribes for implementing restoration projects on Federal land pursuant to good neighbor agreements entered into under section 2113a of this title or agreements entered into under section 3115a(b) of title 25, of which—

(A) $40,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior; and

(B) $160,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture;

(3) $400,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture to provide financial assistance to facilities that purchase and process byproducts from ecosystem restoration projects in accordance with subsection (d);

(4) $400,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior to provide grants to States, territories of the United States, and Indian Tribes for implementing voluntary ecosystem restoration projects on private or public land, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, that—

(A) prioritizes funding cross-boundary projects; and

(B) requires matching funding from the State, territory of the United States, or Indian Tribe to be eligible to receive the funding;

(5) $50,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture to award grants to States and Indian Tribes to establish rental programs for portable skidder bridges, bridge mats, or other temporary water crossing structures, to minimize stream bed disturbance on non-Federal land and Federal land;

(6) $200,000,000 shall be made available for invasive species detection, prevention, and eradication, including conducting research and providing resources to facilitate detection of invasive species at points of entry and awarding grants for eradication of invasive species on non-Federal land and on Federal land, of which—

(A) $100,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior; and

(B) $100,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture;

(7) $100,000,000 shall be made available to restore, prepare, or adapt recreation sites on Federal land, including Indian forest land or rangeland, in accordance with subsection (e);

(8) $200,000,000 shall be made available to restore native vegetation and mitigate environmental hazards on mined land on Federal and non-Federal land, of which—

(A) $100,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior; and

(B) $100,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture;

(9) $200,000,000 shall be made available to establish and implement a national revegetation effort on Federal and non-Federal land, including to implement the National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration, of which—

(A) $70,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior; and

(B) $130,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture; and

(10) $80,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, to establish a collaborative-based, landscape-scale restoration program to restore water quality or fish passage on Federal land, including Indian forest land or rangeland, in accordance with subsection (f).

(1) Submission of list of projects to congressUntil the date on which all of the amounts made available to carry out subsection (b)(1)(A)(i) are expended, not later than 90 days before the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a list of projects to be funded under that subsection in the subsequent fiscal year, including—

(A) a detailed description of each project; and

(B) an estimate of the cost, including salaries and expenses, for the project.

(2) Alternate allocation

(3) Lack of alternate allocations

(d) Wood products infrastructureThe Secretary of Agriculture, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, shall—

(1) develop a ranking system that categorizes units of Federal land, including Indian forest land or rangeland, with regard to treating areas at risk of unnaturally severe wildfire or insect or disease infestation, as being—

(A) very low priority for ecological restoration involving vegetation removal;

(B) low priority for ecological restoration involving vegetation removal;

(D) high priority for ecological restoration involving vegetation removal; or

(E) very high priority for ecological restoration involving vegetation removal;

(2) determine, for a unit identified under paragraph (1) as being high or very high priority for ecological restoration involving vegetation removal, if—

(A) a sawmill or other wood-processing facility exists in close proximity to, or a forest worker is seeking to conduct restoration treatment work on or in close proximity to, the unit; and

(B) the presence of a sawmill or other wood-processing facility would substantially decrease or does substantially decrease the cost of conducting ecological restoration projects involving vegetation removal;

(3) in accordance with any conditions the Secretary of Agriculture determines to be necessary, using the amounts made available under subsection (b)(3), provide financial assistance, including a low-interest loan or a loan guarantee, to an entity seeking to establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve a sawmill or other wood-processing facility in close proximity to a unit of Federal land that has been identified under paragraph (1) as high or very high priority for ecological restoration, if the presence of a sawmill or other wood-processing facility would substantially decrease or does substantially decrease the cost of conducting ecological restoration projects involving vegetation removal on the unit of Federal land, including Indian forest land or rangeland, as determined under paragraph (2)(B); and

(4) to the extent practicable, when allocating funding to units of Federal land for ecological restoration projects involving vegetation removal, give priority to a unit of Federal land that—

(A) has been identified under paragraph (1) as being high or very high priority for ecological restoration involving vegetation removal; and

(B) has a sawmill or other wood-processing facility—

(i) that, as determined under paragraph (2)—(I) exists in close proximity to the unit; and(II) does substantially decrease the cost of conducting ecological restoration projects involving vegetation removal on the unit; or

(ii) that has received financial assistance under paragraph (3).

(e) Recreation sites

(1) Site restoration and improvements

(2) Public use recreation cabins

(A) In generalOf the amounts made available under subsection (b)(7), $20,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of Agriculture for—

(i) the operation, repair, reconstruction, and construction of public use recreation cabins on National Forest System land; and

(ii) to the extent necessary, the repair or reconstruction of historic buildings that are to be outleased under section 306121 of title 54.

(B) Inclusion

(C) AgreementsThe Secretary of Agriculture may enter into a lease or cooperative agreement with a State, Indian Tribe, local government, or private entity—

(i) to carry out the activities described in subparagraph (A); or

(ii) to manage the renting of a cabin or building described in subparagraph (A) to the public.

(3) ExclusionA project shall not be eligible for funding under this subsection if—

(A) funding for the project would be used for deferred maintenance, as defined by Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board; and

(B) the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture has identified the project for funding from the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund established by section 200402(a) of title 54.

(f) Collaborative-based, aquatic-focused, landscape-scale restoration programSubject to the availability of appropriations, not later than 180 days after November 15, 2021, the Secretary of Agriculture shall, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior and using the amounts made available under subsection (b)(10)—

(1) solicit collaboratively developed proposals that—

(A) are for 5-year projects to restore fish passage or water quality on Federal land and non-Federal land to the extent allowed under section 1011a(a) of this title, including Indian forest land or rangeland;

(B) contain proposed accomplishments and proposed non-Federal funding; and

(2) select project proposals for funding in a manner that—

(A) gives priority to a project proposal that would result in the most miles of streams being restored for the lowest amount of Federal funding; and

(B) discontinues funding for a project that fails to achieve the results included in a proposal submitted under paragraph (1) for more than 2 consecutive years; and

(3) publish a list of—

(A) all of the priority watersheds on National Forest System land;

(B) the condition of each priority watershed on November 15, 2021; and

(Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title VIII, § 40804, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1105.)

§ 6592b. Establishment of fuel breaks in forests and other wildland vegetation

(a) Definition of Secretary concernedIn this section, the term “Secretary concerned” means—

(1) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to National Forest System land; and

(2) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to public lands (as defined in section 1702 of title 43) administered by the Bureau of Land Management.

(b) Categorical exclusion established

(1) In generalThe category of forest management activities designated under subsection (b) for a categorical exclusion are forest management activities described in paragraph (2) that are carried out by the Secretary concerned on public lands (as defined in section 1702 of title 43) administered by the Bureau of Land Management or National Forest System land the primary purpose of which is to establish and maintain linear fuel breaks that are—

(A) up to 1,000 feet in width contiguous with or incorporating existing linear features, such as roads, water infrastructure, transmission and distribution lines, and pipelines of any length on Federal land; and

(B) intended to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire on Federal land or catastrophic wildfire for an adjacent at-risk community.

(2) ActivitiesSubject to paragraph (3), the forest management activities that may be carried out pursuant to the categorical exclusion established under subsection (b) are—

(A) mowing or masticating;

(B) thinning by manual and mechanical cutting;

(D) selling of vegetation products, including timber, firewood, biomass, slash, and fenceposts;

(E) targeted grazing;

(F) application of—

(i) pesticide;

(ii) biopesticide; or

(iii) herbicide;

(G) seeding of native species;

(H) controlled burns and broadcast burning; and

(I) burning of piles, including jackpot piles.

(3) Excluded activitiesA forest management activity described in paragraph (2) may not be carried out pursuant to the categorical exclusion established under subsection (b) if the activity is conducted—

(A) in a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System;

(B) on Federal land on which the removal of vegetation is prohibited or restricted by Act of Congress, Presidential proclamation (including the applicable implementation plan), or regulation;

(D) in an area in which carrying out the activity would be inconsistent with the applicable land management plan or resource management plan.

(4) Extraordinary circumstances

(d) Acreage and location limitationsTreatments of vegetation in linear fuel breaks covered by the categorical exclusion established under subsection (b)—

(1) may not contain treatment units in excess of 3,000 acres;

(2) shall be located primarily in—

(A) the wildland-urban interface or a public drinking water source area;

(B) if located outside the wildland-urban interface or a public drinking water source area, an area within Condition Class 2 or 3 in Fire Regime Group I, II, or III that contains very high wildfire hazard potential; or

(3) shall consider the best available scientific information.

(e) Roads

(1) Permanent roads

(2) Existing roads

(3) Temporary roads

(f) Public collaborationTo encourage meaningful public participation during the preparation of a project under this section, the Secretary concerned shall facilitate, during the preparation of each project—

(1) collaboration among State and local governments and Indian Tribes; and

(2) participation of interested persons.

(Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title VIII, § 40806, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1110.)

§ 6592c. Emergency actions

(a) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Authorized emergency action

(2) Emergency situation

The term “emergency situation” means a situation on National Forest System land for which immediate implementation of 1 or more authorized emergency actions is necessary to achieve 1 or more of the following results:

(A) Relief from hazards threatening human health and safety.

(B) Mitigation of threats to natural resources on National Forest System land or adjacent land.

(3) Emergency situation determination

(4) Land and resource management plan

(5) National Forest System land

(6) Secretary

(b) Authorized emergency actions to respond to emergency situations

(1) Determination

(A) In general

(B) Review

(2) Authorized emergency actions

After making an emergency situation determination with respect to National Forest System land, the Secretary may carry out authorized emergency actions on that National Forest System land in order to achieve reliefs from hazards threatening human health and safety or mitigation of threats to natural resources on National Forest System land or adjacent land, including through—

(A) the salvage of dead or dying trees;

(B) the harvest of trees damaged by wind or ice;

(C) the commercial and noncommercial sanitation harvest of trees to control insects or disease, including trees already infested with insects or disease;

(D) the reforestation or replanting of fire-impacted areas through planting, control of competing vegetation, or other activities that enhance natural regeneration and restore forest species;

(E) the removal of hazardous trees in close proximity to roads and trails;

(F) the removal of hazardous fuels;

(G) the restoration of water sources or infrastructure;

(H) the reconstruction of existing utility lines; and

(I) the replacement of underground cables.

(3) Relation to land and resource management plans

(1) Environmental assessment or environmental impact statement

If the Secretary determines that an authorized emergency action requires an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement pursuant to section 4332(2) of title 42, the Secretary shall study, develop, and describe—

(A) the proposed agency action, taking into account the probable environmental consequences of the authorized emergency action and mitigating foreseeable adverse environmental effects, to the extent practicable; and

(B) the alternative of no action.

(2) Public notice

(3) Public comment

(4) Savings clause

Nothing in this subsection prohibits the Secretary from—

(A) making an emergency situation determination, including a determination that an emergency exists pursuant to section 218.21(a) of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations); or

(B) taking an emergency action under section 220.4(b) of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).

(d) Administrative review of authorized emergency actions

(e) Judicial review of emergency actions

(f) Notification and guidance

(Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title VIII, § 40807, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1112.)

§ 6592d. Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership program

(a) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Chiefs

(2) Eligible activityThe term “eligible activity” means an activity—

(A) to reduce the risk of wildfire;

(B) to protect water quality and supply; or

(3) Program

(4) Secretary

(5) Wildland-urban interface

(b) Establishment

(1) In general

(2) AdministrationThe Secretary shall administer the Program by coordinating eligible activities conducted on National Forest System land and State, Tribal, or private land across a forest landscape to improve the health and resilience of the forest landscape by—

(A) assisting producers and landowners in implementing eligible activities on eligible private or Tribal land using the applicable programs and authorities administered by the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service under title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801 et seq.), not including the conservation reserve program established under subchapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle D of that title (16 U.S.C. 3831 et seq.); and

(B) conducting eligible activities on National Forest System land or assisting landowners in implementing eligible activities on State, Tribal, or private land using the applicable programs and authorities administered by the Chief of the Forest Service.

(d) Evaluation criteriaIn evaluating and selecting proposals submitted under subsection (c), the Chiefs shall consider—

(1) criteria including whether the proposal—

(A) reduces wildfire risk in a municipal watershed or the wildland-urban interface;

(B) was developed through a collaborative process with participation from diverse stakeholders;

(D) leverages existing authorities and non-Federal funding;

(E) provides measurable outcomes; or

(F) supports established State and regional priorities; and

(2) such other criteria relating to the merits of the proposals as the Chiefs determine to be appropriate.

(e) OutreachThe Secretary shall provide—

(1) public notice on the websites of the Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service describing—

(A) the solicitation of proposals under subsection (c); and

(B) the criteria for selecting proposals in accordance with subsection (d); and

(2) information relating to the Program and activities funded under the Program to States, Indian Tribes, units of local government, and private landowners.

(f) ExclusionsAn eligible activity may not be carried out under the Program—

(1) in a wilderness area or designated wilderness study area;

(2) in an inventoried roadless area;

(3) on any Federal land on which, by Act of Congress or Presidential proclamation, the removal of vegetation is restricted or prohibited; or

(4) in an area in which the eligible activity would be inconsistent with the applicable land and resource management plan.

(g) Accountability

(1) Initial reportNot later than 1 year after November 15, 2021, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report providing recommendations to Congress relating to the Program, including a review of—

(A) funding mechanisms for the Program;

(B) staff capacity to carry out the Program;

(D) data collection under the Program;

(E) monitoring and outcomes under the Program; and

(F) such other matters as the Secretary considers to be appropriate.

(2) Additional reports

(h) Funding

(1) Authorization of appropriations

(2) Additional funds

(3) Duration of availability

(4) Distribution of fundsOf the funds made available under paragraph (1)—

(A) not less than 40 percent shall be allocated to carry out eligible activities through the Natural Resources Conservation Service;

(B) not less than 40 percent shall be allocated to carry out eligible activities through the Forest Service; and

(C) the remaining funds shall be allocated by the Chiefs to the Natural Resources Conservation Service or the Forest Service—

(i) to carry out eligible activities; or

(ii) for other purposes, such as technical assistance, project development, or local capacity building.

(Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title VIII, § 40808, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1114.)