,,ii #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #didd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #bb1 #bjbb,mr4 ,burr 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,manchin1 and ,mr4 ,tillis7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to provide for the operation and establishment of1 and procurement of supplies for1 firewood banks1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,firewood ,banks ,act of #bjbb4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,cooperating party ,the term cooperating party means a ,state1 local1 or ,tribal government1 a nonprofit organization1 or a cooperative4 7#b7 ,federal land ,the term ,federal ,land means-- 7,a7 public lands 7as defined in section #ajc of the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agjb772 7,b7 trust land 7as defined in section #cgfe of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code72 and 7,c7 ,national ,forest ,system land4 7#c7 ,firewood bank ,the term firewood bank means a site-- 7,a7 at which firewood is collected1 processed1 or stored2 and 7,b7 that is used by a cooperating party to distribute firewood to low-income or disabled individuals for personal1 residential use4 7#d7 ,secretaries ,the term ,secretaries means-- 7,a7 the ,secretary of ,energy2 7,b7 the ,secretary of the ,interior2 and 7,c7 the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 acting through the ,chief of the ,forest ,service4 7#e7 ,secretary concerned ,the term ,secretary concerned means-- 7,a7 the ,secretary of the ,interior1 in the case of ,federal land administered by the ,secretary of the ,interior2 and 7,b7 the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 in the case of ,federal land administered by the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 acting through the ,chief of the ,forest ,service4 #c4 ,grants ,using funds made available under section #djhjc7;c77#ag77;,b7 of the ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feib7;c77#ag77;,b771 the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 acting through the ,chief of the ,forest ,service1 shall provide financial assistance to a cooperating party for the operation of firewood banks1 including for the procurement of-- 7#a7 personal protective equipment2 7#b7 liability insurance policies2 7#c7 processing equipment2 and 7#d7 supplies and materials procured on a regular basis4 #d4 ,firewood banks pilot program 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,energy1 in collaboration with the ,secretary of the ,interior and the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 acting through the ,chief of the ,forest ,service1 shall establish and carry out a pilot program 7referred to in this section as the pilot program7 to provide heat energy for residences of low-income and disabled individuals with wood-burning stoves4 7b7 ,firewood banks on ,federal land 7#a7 ,in general ,under the pilot program1 the ,secretary concerned may authorize #a or more firewood banks to be established and operated on ,federal land4 7#b7 ,requirements ,a firewood bank described in paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 shall occupy an area of not less than #a_/b acre and not more than #f acres2 7,b7 shall be able to store not fewer than #bj cords of firewood2 and 7,c7 may have privately or publicly owned equipment on site to process logs into firewood4 7#c7 ,cooperating parties ,the ,secretary concerned may authorize or consult with cooperating parties-- 7,a7 to maintain the ,federal land on which a firewood bank is established under this subsection2 and 7,b7 to operate the firewood bank4 7#d7 ,use of ,federal land ,the ,secretary concerned1 or a cooperating party1 as applicable1 shall use the ,federal land on which a firewood bank is established under this subsection exclusively as a firewood bank4 7#e7 ,permits ,the ,secretary concerned may require a cooperating party to apply for and obtain a special use permit to establish and operate a firewood bank on ,federal land under this subsection4 7#f7 ,liability ,the ,secretary concerned shall not-- 7,a7 be liable for any action taken by the ,secretary concerned or a cooperating party in establishing or operating a firewood bank on ,federal land under this subsection2 or 7,b7 require a cooperating party to maintain a general liability insurance policy to establish and operate a firewood bank on ,federal land under this subsection4 7c7 ,securing supplies of firewood for firewood banks 7#a7 ,in general ,under the pilot program1 the ,secretary concerned shall-- 7,a7 designate trees for cutting and removal on ,federal land by marking2 and 7,b7 make those trees available to firewood banks1 consistent with this subsection4 7#b7 ,designation ,the ,secretary concerned shall designate trees under paragraph 7#a77;,a7-- 7,a7 in an area located within #aj miles of each firewood bank established under subsection 7b72 and 7,b7 in other areas that the ,secretary concerned determines to be appropriate4 7#c7 ,requirement ,the ,secretary concerned shall designate trees under paragraph 7#a77;,a7 in a sufficient quantity to provide not less than #ajj cords of firewood continuously to each firewood bank established under subsection 7b74 7#d7 ,no fee required 7,a7 ,in general ,any ,federal employee or party designated by a cooperating party may cut1 remove1 and transport to a firewood bank a tree designated under paragraph 7#a77;,a7 without the cooperating party incurring any fee4 7,b7 ,limitations 7i7 ,permits ,the ,secretary concerned may require a cooperating party to apply for and obtain a permit for the cutting and removal of a tree designated under paragraph 7#a77;,a74 7ii7 ,no significant damage to resources ,a ,federal employee or a cooperating party shall not be permitted to significantly damage any resource while cutting or removing a tree designated under paragraph 7#a77;,a74 7#e7 ,closed entry ,the ,secretary concerned may close to entry an area with trees designated under paragraph 7#a77;,a71 or make that entry subject to such conditions as the ,secretary concerned determines are necessary-- 7,a7 for periods of not longer than #fj consecutive calendar days2 and 7,b7 for not longer than #aej calendar days during any #a calendar year4 7d7 ,duration ,the authority to carry out the pilot program terminates on the date that is #aj years after the date of enactment of this ,act4 #e4 ,report 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #e years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 and #e years thereafter1 the ,secretaries shall prepare a report describing the implementation of this ,act4 7b7 ,submission ,on completion of each report described in subsection 7a71 the ,secretaries shall submit the report 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