H.R. 2401 — Introduced in House

I 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2401 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 17, 2013 Mr. Cotton introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with State foresters authorizing State foresters to provide certain forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration and protection services. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Good Neighbor Forestry Act. 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Eligible state The term eligible State means a State that contains National Forest System land or Bureau of Land Management land. (2) Secretary The term Secretary means— (A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to National Forest System land; or (B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to Bureau of Land Management land. (3) State forester The term State forester means the head of a State agency with jurisdiction over State forestry programs in an eligible State. 3. Cooperative agreements and contracts (a) In general The Secretary may enter into a cooperative agreement or contract (including a sole source contract) with a State forester to authorize the State forester to provide the forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration, management, and protection services described in subsection (b) on National Forest System land or Bureau of Land Management land, as applicable, in the eligible State. (b) Authorized services The forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration, management, and protection services referred to in this section include the conduct of— (1) activities to treat insect-infected forests; (2) activities to reduce hazardous fuels; (3) activities involving commercial harvesting or other mechanical vegetation treatments; or (4) any other activities to restore or improve forest, rangeland, and watershed health, including fish and wildlife habitat (c) State as agent Except as provided in subsection (f), a cooperative agreement or contract entered into under subsection (a) may authorize the State forester to serve as the agent for the Secretary in providing the restoration, management, and protection services authorized under subsection (a). (d) Subcontracts In accordance with applicable contract procedures for the eligible State, a State forester may enter into subcontracts to provide the restoration, management, and protection services authorized under a cooperative agreement or contract entered into under subsection (a). (e) Timber sales Subsections (d) and (g) of section 14 of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 472a) shall not apply to services performed under a cooperative agreement or contract entered into under subsection (a). (f) Retention of NEPA responsibilities Any decision required to be made under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) with respect to any restoration, management, and protection services to be provided under this Act by a State forester on National Forest System land or Bureau of Land Management land, as applicable, shall not be delegated to a State forester or any other officer or employee of the eligible State. (g) Applicable law The restoration, management, and protection services to be provided under this Act shall be carried out on a project-to-project basis under existing authorities of the Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management, as applicable.