,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ifb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #bg1 #bjag,ms4 ,klobuchar 7for herself and ,mr4 ,daines7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to establish a grant program to support landscape-scale restoration and management1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,empowering ,state ,forestry to ,improve ,forest ,health ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,state and private forest landscape-scale restoration program 7a7 ,in general ,section #ac;,a of the ,cooperative ,forestry ,assistance ,act of #aigh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #baji;a7 is amended to read as follows3 #ac;,a4 ,state and private forest landscape-scale restoration program 7a7 ,purpose ,the purpose of this section is to establish a landscape-scale restoration program to support landscape-scale restoration and management that results in measurable improvements to public benefits derived from ,state and private forest land1 as identified in-- 7#a7 a ,state-wide assessment described in section #b;,a7a77#a72 and 7#b7 a long-term ,state-wide forest resource strategy described in section #b;,a7a77#b74 7b7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,private forest land ,the term private forest land means land that-- 7,a7 7i7 has existing tree cover2 or 7ii7 is suitable for growing trees2 and 7,b7 is owned by-- 7i7 an ,indian tribe 7as defined in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd772 or 7ii7 any private individual or entity4 7#b7 ,regional ,the term regional means of any region of the ,national ,association of ,state ,foresters4 7#c7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 acting through the ,chief of the ,forest ,service4 7#d7 ,state forest land ,the term ,state forest land means land that is owned by a ,state or unit of local government4 7#e7 ,state ,forester ,the term ,state ,forester means a ,state ,forester or equivalent ,state official4 7c7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary1 in consultation with ,state ,foresters or other appropriate ,state agencies1 shall establish a landscape-scale restoration program-- 7#a7 to provide financial and technical assistance for landscape-scale restoration projects on ,state forest land or private forest land2 and 7#b7 that maintains or improves benefits from trees and forests on that land4 7d7 ,requirements ,the landscape-scale restoration program established under subsection 7c7 shall-- 7#a7 measurably address the national private forest conservation priorities described in section #b7;c72 7#b7 enhance public benefits from trees and forests1 as identified in-- 7,a7 a ,state-wide assessment described in section #b;,a7a77#a72 and 7,b7 a long-term ,state-wide forest resource strategy described in section #b;,a7a77#b72 and 7#c7 in accordance with the purposes described in section #b7;b71 have one or more objectives including-- 7,a7 protecting or improving water quality or quantity2 7,b7 reducing wildfire risk1 including through hazardous fuels treatment2 7,c7 protecting or enhancing wildlife habitat1 consistent with wildlife objectives established by the applicable ,state fish and wildlife agency2 7,d7 improving forest health and forest ecosystems1 including addressing native1 nonnative1 and invasive pests2 or 7,e7 enhancing opportunities for new and existing markets in which the production and use of wood products strengthens local and regional economies4 7e7 ,measurement ,the ,secretary1 in consultation with ,state ,foresters1 shall establish a measurement system1 including measurement tools1 that-- 7#a7 consistently measures the results of landscape-scale restoration projects described in subsection 7c72 and 7#b7 is consistent with the measurement systems of other ,federal programs delivered by ,state ,foresters4 7f7 ,use of amounts 7#a7 ,allocation ,of amounts made available for the landscape-scale restoration program established under subsection 7c71 the ,secretary shall allocate-- 7,a7 #ej percent for the competitive process in accordance with subsection 7g72 and 7,b7 #ej percent proportionally to ,states1 in consultation with ,state ,foresters-- 7i7 to maximize the achievement of the objectives described in subsection 7d77#c72 and 7ii7 to address the highest national priorities1 as identified in-- 7,i7 ,state-wide assessments described in section #b;,a7a77#a72 and 7,,ii7 long-term ,state-wide forest resource strategies described in section #b;,a7a77#b74 7#b7 ,multiyear projects ,the ,secretary may provide amounts under this section for multiyear projects4 7g7 ,competitive process 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall distribute amounts described in subsection 7f77#a77;,a7 through a competitive process for landscape-scale restoration projects described in subsection 7c7 to maximize the achievement of the objectives described in subsection 7d77#c74 7#b7 ,eligibility ,to be eligible for funding through the competitive process described in paragraph 7#a71 a ,state ,forester1 or another entity on approval of the ,state ,forester1 shall submit to the ,secretary one or more landscape-scale restoration proposals that-- 7,a7 in accordance with paragraph 7#c77;,a71 include priorities identified in-- 7i7 ,state-wide assessments described in section #b;,a7a77#a72 and 7ii7 long-term ,state-wide forest resource strategies described in section #b;,a7a77#b72 7,b7 identify one or more measurable results to be achieved through the project2 7,c7 to the maximum extent practicable1 include activities on all land necessary to accomplish the measurable results in the applicable landscape2 7,d7 to the maximum extent practicable1 are developed in collaboration with other public and private sector organizations and local communities2 and 7,e7 derive not less than #ej percent of the funding for the project from non-,federal sources1 unless the ,secretary determines-- 7i7 the applicant is unable to derive not less than #ej percent of the funding for the project from non-,federal sources2 and 7ii7 the benefits of the project justify pursuing the project4 7#c7 ,prioritization ,the ,secretary-- 7,a7 shall give priority to projects that1 as determined by the ,secretary1 best carry out priorities identified in ,state-wide assessments described in section #b;,a7a77#a7 and long-term ,state-wide forest resource strategies described in section #b;,a7a77#b71 including-- 7i7 involvement of public and private partnerships2 7ii7 inclusion of cross-boundary activities on-- 7,i7 ,federal forest land2 7,,ii7 ,state forest land2 or 7,,iii7 private forest land2 7iii7 involvement of areas also identified for cost-share funding by the ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service or any other relevant ,federal agency2 7iv7 protection or improvement of water quality or quantity2 7v7 reduction of wildfire risk2 7vi7 protection or enhancement of wildlife habitat1 consistent with wildlife objectives established by the applicable ,state fish and wildlife agency2 7vii7 improvement of forest health1 including addressing native1 nonnative1 and invasive pests2 7viii7 enhancement of opportunities for new and existing markets in which the production and use of wood products strengthens local and regional economies2 and 7ix7 otherwise addressing the national private forest conservation priorities described in section #b7;c72 and 7,b7 may give priority to projects in proximity to other landscape-scale projects on other land under the jurisdiction of the ,secretary1 the ,secretary of the ,interior1 or a ,governor of a ,state1 including-- 7i7 ecological restoration treatments under the ,collaborative ,forest ,landscape ,restoration ,program established under section #djjc of the ,omnibus ,public ,land ,management ,act of #bjji 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #gcjc72 7ii7 projects on landscape-scale areas designated for insect and disease treatment under section #fjb of the ,healthy ,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feia;a72 7iii7 authorized restoration services under section #hbjf of the ,agricultural ,act of #bjad 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #baac;a72 7iv7 watershed restoration and protection services under section #cca of the ,department of the ,interior and ,related ,agencies ,appropriations ,act1 #bjja 7,public ,law #ajf-bia2 #af ,u4,s4,c4 #ajaa note72 7v7 stewardship end result contracting projects under section #fjd of the ,healthy ,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feia;c72 or 7vi7 projects under other relevant programs1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7#d7 ,proposal review 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish a process for the review of proposals submitted under paragraph 7#b7 that ranks each proposal based on-- 7i7 the extent to which the proposal would achieve the requirements described in subsection 7d72 and 7ii7 the priorities described in paragraph 7#c77;,a74 7,b7 ,regional review ,the ,secretary may carry out the process described in subparagraph 7,a7 at a regional level4 7h7 ,report ,not later than #c years after the date of enactment of the ,empowering ,state ,forestry to ,improve ,forest ,health ,act of #bjag1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,agriculture of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry of the ,senate a report describing-- 7#a7 the status of the development1 execution1 and administration of landscape-scale projects selected under the program under this section2 7#b7 an accounting of expenditures under the program under this section2 and 7#c7 specific accomplishments that have resulted from landscape-scale projects under the program under this section4 7i7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary for the landscape-scale restoration program established under subsection 7c7 #cj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjag through #bjba1 to remain available until expended4 4 #c4 ,promoting cross-boundary wildfire mitigation ,section #ajc of the ,healthy ,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feac7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7d71 by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 ,cross-boundary considerations ,for any fiscal year for which the amount appropriated for hazardous fuels reduction is in excess of #cjj1jjj1jjj1 the ,secretary-- 7,a7 is encouraged to use the excess amounts for projects that include cross-boundary consideration2 and 7,b7 of that excess amount1 may use1 through grants to ,state ,foresters1 to support hazardous fuel reduction projects on non-,federal land in accordance with subsection 7e7 an amount equal to the greater of-- 7i7 #bj percent2 and 7ii7 #bj1jjj1jjj4 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7e7 ,cross-,boundary fuels reduction projects 7#a7 ,in general ,to the maximum extent practicable1 the ,secretary shall use the funds described in subsection 7d77#c7 to support hazardous fuel reduction projects that incorporate treatments in landscapes across ownership boundaries on ,federal1 ,state1 county1 or tribal land1 private land1 and other non-,federal land1 particularly in areas identified as priorities in applicable ,state-wide forest resource assessments or strategies under section #b;,a7a7 of the ,cooperative ,forestry ,assistance ,act of #aigh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #baja;a7a771 as mutually agreed to by the ,state ,forester and the ,regional ,forester4 7#b7 ,land treatments ,to conduct and fund treatments for projects that include ,federal and non-,federal land1 the ,secretary may-- 7,a7 use the authorities of the ,secretary relating to cooperation and technical and financial assistance1 including the good neighbor authority under-- 7i7 section #hbjf of the ,agricultural ,act of #bjad 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #baac;a72 and 7ii7 section #cca of the ,department of the ,interior and ,related ,agencies ,appropriations ,act1 #bjja 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ajaa note2 ,public ,law #ajf-bia72 and 7,b7 allocate cross-boundary wildfire mitigation funds1 in accordance with subsection 7d77#c7 and paragraph 7#a71 for projects carried out pursuant to that section 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #baac;a74 7#c7 ,cooperation ,in carrying out this subsection1 the ,state ,forester1 in consultation with the ,secretary 7or a designee7-- 7,a7 shall consult with the owners of ,state1 county1 tribal1 and private land and other non-,federal land with respect to hazardous fuels reduction projects2 and 7,b7 shall not implement any project on non-,federal land without the consent of the owner of the non-,federal land4 7#d7 ,existing laws ,regardless of the individual or entity implementing a project on non-,federal land under this subsection1 only the laws and regulations that apply to non-,federal land shall be applicable with respect to the project4 4