,i #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cgae ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #h1 #bjag,mr4 ,walden 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 expedite salvage and reforestation projects in the ,columbia ,gorge ,national ,scenic ,area and other ,national ,scenic ,areas in response to certain catastrophic events1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,scenic ,columbia ,gorge ,restoration ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,expedited recovery activities in response to catastrophic events in ,national ,scenic ,areas 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,catastrophic event ,the term catastrophic event means any natural disaster 7such as hurricane1 tornado1 windstorm1 snow or ice storm1 rain storm1 high water1 wind-driven water1 tidal wave1 earthquake1 volcanic eruption1 landslide1 mudslide1 drought1 or insect or disease outbreak7 or any fire1 flood1 or explosion1 regardless of cause4 7#b7 ,conclusion ,the term conclusion1 with respect to a catastrophic event1 includes containment of the catastrophic event if occurring before the actual end of the catastrophic event4 7#c7 ,national scenic area ,the term ,national ,scenic ,area means an area of the ,national ,forest ,system federally designated as a ,national ,scenic ,area in recognition of the outstanding natural1 scenic1 and recreational values of the area4 7#d7 ,response activity ,the term response activity means any salvage operation or reforestation activity proposed to be conducted within a ,national ,scenic ,area adversely impacted by a catastrophic event to address conditions caused or exacerbated by the catastrophic event4 7#e7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 acting through the ,chief of the ,forest ,service4 7b7 ,prompt proposal of response activities ,within #cj days after the conclusion of a catastrophic event within a ,national ,scenic ,area1 the ,secretary shall begin proposing response activities for lands within the ,national ,scenic ,area adversely impacted by the catastrophic event4 7c7 ,public ,input and response process ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 the ,secretary shall allow #cj days for public scoping and comment regarding a ,national ,scenic ,area response activity1 #ae days for filing an objection to the response activity1 and #ae days for the agency response to the filing of an objection4 ,upon completion of this process and expiration of the period specified in subsection 7d77#a7 if applicable1 the ,secretary shall implement the response activity4 7d7 ,environmental review 7#a7 ,expedited environmental assessment ,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71 notwithstanding any other provision of law1 an environmental assessment prepared by the ,secretary concerned pursuant to section #ajb of the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dccb7 for a ,national ,scenic ,area response activity shall be completed within #fj days after the conclusion of the catastrophic event4 7#b7 ,categorical exclusion ,a categorical exclusion is available for any ,national ,scenic ,area response activity that-- 7,a7 does not exceed #aj1jjj acres within the ,national ,scenic ,area2 and 7,b7 includes lands that-- 7i7 are visible from key viewing areas1 as described in the management plan for the ,national ,scenic ,area2 7ii7 provide screening for human development2 7iii7 are part of a municipal watershed2 or 7iv7 contain utility or power transmission right-of-ways4 7e7 ,consultation under the ,endangered ,species ,act 7#a7 ,no ,consultation if response activity ,not ,likely ,to ,adversely ,affect a ,listed ,species or ,designated ,critical ,habitat ,consultation under section #g of the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecf7 shall not be required if the ,secretary determines that a response activity is not likely to adversely affect a listed species or designated critical habitat4 7#b7 ,expedited ,consultation 7,a7 ,in general ,with respect to a response activity that is not covered by paragraph 7#a71 consultation required under section #g of the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecf7 shall be concluded within the #ij-;day period beginning on the date on which such consultation was requested by the ,secretary4 7,b7 ,effect of no conclusion ,in the case of a consultation described in subparagraph 7,a7 that is not concluded within the #ij-;day period specified in such subparagraph1 the response activity for which such consultation was initiated-- 7i7 shall be deemed to have not violated section #g of the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecf7;a77#b772 and 7ii7 may be carried out4 7f7 ,prohibition on ,restraining ,orders1 preliminary injunctions1 and injunctions pending appeal ,no restraining order1 preliminary injunction1 or injunction pending appeal shall be issued by any court of the ,united ,states with respect to any decision to prepare or conduct a response activity4 ,section #gje of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 shall not apply to any challenge to the response activity4 7g7 ,funding source ,amounts in the special fund established pursuant to section #c of the ,act of ,june #i1 #aicj 7commonly known as the ,knutson-,vandenberg ,act2 #af ,u4,s4,c4 #egf;b71 shall be available to the ,secretary for response activities4 7h7 ,reforestation objective ,in the case of response activities conducted on ,national ,scenic ,area lands adversely impacted by a catastrophic event1 the ,secretary shall achieve reforestation of at least #ge percent of the impacted lands before the end of the two-year period following the conclusion of the catastrophic event4