,i #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dhhf ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #ah1 #bjad ,mrs4 ,lummis 7for herself and ,mr4 ,walz7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,secretary of ,agriculture to publish in the ,federal ,register a strategy to significantly increase the role of volunteers and partners in ,national ,forest ,system trail maintenance1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,national ,forest ,system ,trails ,stewardship ,act of #bjad4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds as follows3 7#a7 ,the ,national ,forest ,system features a world-class trail system with over #aeh1jjj miles of trails that provide world-class opportunities for hiking1 horseback riding1 hunting1 mountain bicycling1 motorized vehicles1 and other outdoor activities4 7#b7 ,according to the ,government ,accountability ,office1 the ,forest ,service is only able to maintain about one-quarter of ,national ,forest ,system trails to the agency standard1 and the agency faces a trail maintenance backlog of #cad1jjj1jjj1 and an additional backlog of #baj1jjj1jjj in annual maintenance1 capital improvements1 and operations4 7#c7 ,the lack of maintenance on ,national ,forest ,system trails threatens access to public lands1 and may cause increased environmental damage1 threaten public safety1 and increase future maintenance costs4 7#d7 ,federal budget limitations require solutions to ,national ,forest ,system trail maintenance issues that make more efficient use of existing resources4 7#e7 ,volunteers1 partners1 and outfitters and guides play an important role in maintaining ,national ,forest ,system trails1 and a comprehensive strategy is needed to ensure that volunteers and partners are used as effectively as possible4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,administrative unit ,the term ,administrative ,unit means a national forest or national grassland4 7#b7 ,outfitter or guide ,the term outfitter or guide means an individual1 organization1 or business who provides outfitting or guiding services1 as defined in section #bea4ea of title #cf1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations4 7#c7 ,partner ,the term partner means a non-,federal entity that engages in a partnership4 7#d7 ,partnership ,the term partnership means arrangements between the ,department of ,agriculture or the ,forest ,service and a non-,federal entity that are voluntary1 mutually beneficial1 and entered into for the purpose of mutually agreed upon objectives4 7#e7 ,priority area ,the term priority area means a well-defined region on ,national ,forest ,system land selected by the ,secretary under section #e7;a74 7#f7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture4 7#g7 ,strategy ,the term strategy means the ,national ,forest ,system ,trails ,volunteer and ,partnership ,strategy authorized by section #d7;a74 7#h7 ,trail maintenance ,the term trail maintenance means any activity to maintain the usability and sustainability of trails within the ,national ,forest ,system1 including-- 7,a7 ensuring trails are passable by the users for which they are managed2 7,b7 preventing environmental damage resulting from trail deterioration2 7,c7 protecting public safety2 and 7,d7 averting future deferred maintenance costs4 7#i7 ,volunteer ,the term ,volunteer has the same meaning given that term in section #eec4aja of title #bi1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations4 #d4 ,national forest system trails volunteer and partnership strategy 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall publish in the ,federal ,register a strategy to significantly increase the role of volunteers and partners in trail maintenance4 7b7 ,required elements ,the strategy required by subsection 7a7 shall-- 7#a7 augment and support the capabilities of ,federal employees to carry out or contribute to trail maintenance2 7#b7 provide meaningful opportunities for volunteers and partners to carry out trail maintenance in each region of the ,forest ,service2 7#c7 address the barriers to increased volunteerism and partnerships in trail maintenance identified by volunteers1 partners1 and others2 7#d7 prioritize increased volunteerism and partnerships in trail maintenance in those regions with the most severe trail maintenance needs1 and where trail maintenance backlogs are jeopardizing access to ,national ,forest lands2 and 7#e7 aim to increase trail maintenance by volunteers and partners by #ajj percent by the date that is #e years after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 7c7 ,additional requirement ,as a component of the strategy1 the ,secretary shall study opportunities to improve trail maintenance by addressing opportunities to use fire crews in trail maintenance activities in a manner that does not jeopardize firefighting capabilities1 public safety1 or resource protection4 ,upon a determination that trail maintenance would be advanced by use of fire crews in trail maintenance1 the ,secretary shall incorporate these proposals into the strategy1 subject to such terms and conditions as the ,secretary determines to be necessary4 7d7 ,volunteer liability 7#a7 ,in general ,section #c7;d7 of ,public ,law #ib-cjj 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #eeh;a 7note71 #eeh;a-#eeh;d2 #hf ,stat4 #adg7 is amended by adding 1 including a volunteer affiliated with a partner organization1 after title4 7#b7 ,additional requirement ,not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall adopt regulations implementing this section4 ,these regulations shall ensure that the financial risk from claims or liability associated with volunteers undertaking trail maintenance is shared by all administrative units4 7e7 ,consultation ,the ,secretary shall develop the strategy in consultation with volunteer and partner trail maintenance organizations1 a broad array of outdoor recreation stakeholders1 and other relevant stakeholders4 7f7 ,volunteer and partnership coordination ,the ,secretary shall require each administrative unit to develop a volunteer and partner coordination implementation plan for the strategy which clearly defines roles and responsibilities for the administrative unit and district staff1 and includes strategies to ensure sufficient coordination1 assistance1 and support for volunteers and partners to improve trail maintenance4 7g7 ,report 7#a7 ,contents ,the ,secretary shall prepare a report on-- 7,a7 the effectiveness of the strategy in addressing the trail maintenance backlog2 7,b7 the increase in volunteerism and partnership efforts on trail maintenance as a result of the strategy2 7,c7 the miles of ,national ,forest ,system trails maintained by volunteers and partners1 and the approximate value of the volunteer and partnership efforts2 7,d7 the status of the stewardship credits for outfitters and guides pilot program described in section #g that includes the number of participating sites1 total amount of the credits offered1 estimated value of trail maintenance performed1 and suggestions for revising the program2 and 7,e7 recommendations for further increasing volunteerism and partnerships in trail maintenance4 7#b7 ,submission ,not later than #c years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit the report required by paragraph 7#a7 to-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources of the ,senate2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives4 #e4 ,priority trail maintenance program 7a7 ,selection ,in accordance with subsections 7b7 and 7c71 not later than #f months after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,agriculture shall select no fewer than #i and no more than #ae priority areas for increased trail maintenance accomplishments4 7b7 ,criteria ,priority areas shall include a well-defined region on ,national ,forest ,system land where the lack of trail maintenance has-- 7#a7 reduced access to public land2 7#b7 led to an increase1 or risk of increase1 in harm to natural resources2 7#c7 jeopardized public safety2 7#d7 resulted in trails being impassible by the intended managed users2 or 7#e7 increased future deferred trail maintenance costs4 7c7 ,requirements ,in selecting priority areas1 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 consider any public input on priority areas received within #c months of the date of enactment of this ,act2 and 7#b7 select at least one priority area in each region of the ,united ,states ,forest ,service4 7d7 ,increased trail maintenance 7#a7 ,in general ,within #f months of the selection of priority areas under subsection 7a71 and in accordance with paragraph 7#b71 the ,secretary shall develop an approach to substantially increase trail maintenance accomplishments within each priority area4 7#b7 ,contents ,in developing the approach under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 consider any public input on trail maintenance priorities and needs within any priority area2 7,b7 consider the costs and benefits of increased trail maintenance within each priority area2 and 7,c7 incorporate partners and volunteers in the trail maintenance4 7#c7 ,required trail maintenance ,utilizing the approach developed under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall substantially increase trail maintenance within each priority area4 7e7 ,coordination ,the regional volunteer and partnership coordinators may be responsible for assisting partner organizations in developing and implementing volunteer and partnership projects to increase trail maintenance within priority areas4 7f7 ,revision ,the ,secretary shall periodically review the priority areas to determine whether revisions are necessary and may revise the priority areas1 including the selection of new priority areas or removal of existing priority areas1 at his sole discretion4 #f4 ,cooperative agreements 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary may enter into a cooperative agreement 7within the meaning of chapter #fc of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code7 with any ,state1 tribal1 local governmental1 and private entity to carry out this ,act4 7b7 ,contents ,cooperative agreements authorized under this section may-- 7#a7 improve trail maintenance in a priority area2 7#b7 implement the strategy2 or 7#c7 advance trail maintenance in a manner deemed appropriate by the ,secretary4 #g4 ,stewardship credits for outfitters and guides 7a7 ,pilot program ,within #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 in accordance with this section1 the ,secretary shall establish a pilot program on not less than #bj administrative units to offset all or part of the land use fee for an outfitting and guiding permit by the cost of the work performed by the permit holder to construct1 improve1 or maintain ,national ,forest ,system trails1 trailheads1 or developed sites that support public use under terms established by the ,secretary4 7b7 ,additional requirements ,in establishing the pilot program authorized by subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 select administrative units where the pilot program will improve trail maintenance2 and 7#b7 establish appropriate terms and conditions4