,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #caeb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,november #f1 #bjbe ,mr4 ,lujn 7for himself and ,mr4 ,daines7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,healthy ,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc to authorize the ,secretary of ,agriculture to give preference to local contractors in awarding contracts to carry out certain hazardous fuel reduction projects on ,federal land4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,local ,employment ,access for our ,forests ,act of #bjbe or the ,,leaf ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,contract preference for local contractors for certain hazardous fuel reduction projects 7a7 ,in general ,title ,i of the ,healthy ,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating sections #ajg and #ajh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feag1 #feah7 as sections #ajh and #aji1 respectively2 and 7#b7 by inserting after section #ajf 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feaf7 the following3 #ajg4 ,contract preference for local contractors for certain hazardous fuel reduction projects 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,appropriate local contractor ,the term appropriate local contractor means an entity that carries out1 pursuant to a contract or agreement1 #a or more authorized projects located-- 7,a7 in a ,state in which-- 7i7 the entity has its principal place of business1 as certified by the entity or an individual representing the entity2 and 7ii7 not fewer than #bf percent of the total workforce assigned to the applicable contract or agreement 7including subcontractors at any tier7 will reside1 as certified by the entity or an individual representing the entity2 or 7,b7 within a #fj-mile radius of the ,state in which the entity is registered as a business or has its principal place of business1 as certified by the entity or an individual representing the entity4 7#b7 ,authorized project ,the term authorized project includes any of the following activities1 as authorized under this ,act3 7,a7 ,a vegetation management activity1 including mechanical thinning1 mastication1 prescribed burning1 cultural burning 7as determined by an applicable ,indian tribe71 timber harvesting1 and grazing1 carried out-- 7i7 to control vegetation growth1 composition1 health1 or quality of ,federal land2 or 7ii7 otherwise to reduce the risk of wildfires on ,federal land4 7,b7 ,creating a fuel break or fire break4 7,c7 ,removing hazard trees1 dead trees1 or dying trees1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7,d7 ,developing1 approving1 or conducting routine maintenance under a vegetation management1 facility inspection1 and operation and maintenance plan under section #eab7;c7 of the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #aggb7;c774 7,e7 ,removing trees to address overstocking or crowding in a forest stand1 consistent with achieving the appropriate basal area of the forest stand1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7,f7 ,using treatments to address insects or disease or to control vegetation competition or invasive species4 7,g7 ,a wet-meadow1 floodplain1 or riparian restoration activity that increases wildfire resistance4 7,h7 ,a forest stand improvement activity necessary to protect life and property from catastrophic wildfire1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7,i7 ,any combination of activities described in this paragraph4 7#c7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 acting through the ,chief of the ,forest ,service4 7b7 ,contract preference ,effective beginning on the date of enactment of the ,,leaf ,act of #bjbe1 the ,secretary shall give preference in awarding a contract to carry out an authorized project in a ,state to an appropriate local contractor1 to the maximum extent practicable4 7c7 ,report ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of the ,,leaf ,act of #bjbe1 and not less frequently than annually thereafter1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report that includes-- 7#a7 a quantitative analysis of the number and percentage of contracts awarded to appropriate local contractors1 the total dollar value of those contracts1 and an assessment of the economic impact of the contract preference under subsection 7b7 on local employment and contractor capacity2 7#b7 a description of the reasons for awarding a contract to carry out an authorized project in a ,state to an individual or entity that is not an appropriate local contractor2 and 7#c7 a description of the implementation by the ,secretary of this section4 7d7 ,monitoring and evaluation 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish a monitoring and evaluation process-- 7,a7 to assess compliance with the requirements of this section1 including the contract preference under subsection 7b72 and 7,b7 to support the reports required under subsection 7c74 7#b7 ,participants ,the process described in paragraph 7#a7 may include participation by-- 7,a7 any cooperating governmental agencies1 including ,tribal governments2 and 7,b7 any other interested groups or individuals4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents contained in section #a7;b7 of the ,healthy ,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc 7,public ,law #ajh-adh2 #aag ,stat4 #ahhg7 is amended by striking the items relating to sections #ajg and #ajh and inserting the following3 ,sec4 #ajg4 ,contract preference for local contractors for certain hazardous fuel reduction projects4 ,sec4 #ajh4 ,effect of title4 ,sec4 #aji4 ,authorization of appropriations4 4