,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dhhg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #bd1 #bjbf,mr4 ,kelly 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,curtis1 ,mr4 ,lujn1 ,mrs4 ,hyde-,smith1 and ,mr4 ,schiff7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,secretary of ,agriculture to establish a program to provide hazardous fuels transportation grants1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,hazardous ,fuels ,transportation ,assistance ,act of #bjbf4 #b4 ,hazardous ,fuels ,transportation ,assistance ,program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,eligible recipient ,the term eligible recipient means-- 7,a7 a for-profit entity2 7,b7 a nonprofit organization2 7,c7 a ,state2 7,d7 a unit of local government2 7,e7 an ,indian ,tribe2 and 7,f7 an institution of higher education4 7#b7 ,fireshed ,the term fireshed means a landscape-scale area1 as delineated using methods developed through research conducted by the ,forest ,service1 that represents similar source levels of community exposure to wildfire4 7#c7 ,hazardous fuels management activity ,the term hazardous fuels management activity means a vegetation management activity conducted on ,national ,forest ,system land that reduces the risk of wildfire1 including mechanical thinning1 mastication1 timber harvest1 grazing1 the removal of downed or damaged timber resulting from a tornado1 hurricane1 ice storm1 windthrow event1 or other natural disaster that the ,secretary determines increases the risk of wildfire1 and any combination of those activities4 7#d7 ,indian ,tribe ,the term ,indian ,tribe has the meaning given the term in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 7#e7 ,national ,forest ,system ,the term ,national ,forest ,system has the meaning given the term in section #aa7;a7 of the ,forest and ,rangeland ,renewable ,resources ,planning ,act of #aigd 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #afji7;a774 7#f7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture4 7#g7 ,state ,the term ,state means-- 7,a7 each of the several ,states2 7,b7 the ,district of ,columbia2 and 7,c7 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico4 7b7 ,hazardous fuels transportation grants 7#a7 ,establishment and purpose ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall establish a program to provide grants on a competitive basis to eligible recipients for the purpose of incentivizing the removal of material from a hazardous fuels management activity conducted under a contract or agreement entered into with the ,secretary1 acting through the ,chief of the ,forest ,service1 as of the date of the application submitted under paragraph 7#b74 7#b7 ,application ,to be eligible to receive a grant under paragraph 7#a71 an eligible recipient shall submit to the ,secretary an application that includes1 at a minimum1 a description of-- 7,a7 the project to be carried out using the grant1 including the estimated cost of the project and how the grant would be used for the project2 and 7,b7 how the project would meet the purpose described in paragraph 7#a71 including one or more reasons the material from the hazardous fuels management activity would not be utilized without the grant4 7c7 ,eligible uses ,an eligible recipient that receives a grant under subsection 7b7 shall use the grant for one or more of the following3 7#a7 ,transportation of byproducts from the hazardous fuels management activity1 including roundwood1 chips1 biomass1 and other byproducts1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7#b7 ,costs associated with woodyards1 loading facilities1 scales1 and custom chipping4 7#c7 ,purchasing1 modifying1 or leasing equipment that shall be used primarily to facilitate the efficient transport of material from a hazardous fuels management activity1 which may include equipment to process such material into a form more conducive to such transport4 7#d7 ,maintenance of equipment directly related to the transportation of hazardous fuels from a hazardous fuels management activity4 7#e7 ,workforce development for training and certifications necessary for projects carried out under this section1 including in partnership with ,indian ,tribes4 7#f7 ,any other expenses determined necessary and appropriate by the ,secretary for the transport of hazardous fuels4 7d7 ,ineligible uses ,an eligible recipient that receives a grant under subsection 7b7 shall not use the grant for-- 7#a7 construction or capital improvements1 including processing facilities2 7#b7 stumpage or timber purchases2 or 7#c7 any other expenses the ,secretary determines ineligible4 7e7 ,prioritization ,in awarding grants under subsection 7b71 the ,secretary shall give priority to proposals that would-- 7#a7 treat hazardous fuels in high-risk firesheds1 as determined by the ,secretary2 7#b7 maximize the number of acres treated for hazardous fuels2 7#c7 maximize the volume of hazardous fuels to be transported2 7#d7 maximize the retention of existing forest products infrastructure2 7#e7 develop new or expand existing wood processing facilities2 7#f7 maximize the potential to increase the utilization of forest products long-term2 7#g7 utilize material from a hazardous fuels management activity as part of a project under-- 7,a7 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 or 7,b7 the ,joint ,chiefs ,landscape ,restoration ,partnership program established under section #djhjh of the ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feib;d72 and 7#h7 remove material from a hazardous fuels management activity using one or more of-- 7,a7 a good neighbor agreement under section #hbjf of the ,agricultural ,act of #bjad 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #baac;a72 7,b7 a stewardship contracting project entered into under section #fjd of the ,healthy ,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feia;c72 7,c7 a self-determination contract or self-governance compact agreement entered into under the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecja et seq472 and 7,d7 an agreement or contract entered into under the ,tribal ,forest ,protection ,act of #bjjd 7,public ,law #ajh-bgh2 #aah ,stat4 #hfh74 7f7 ,funding 7#a7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #be1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbg through #bjca4 7#b7 ,limitations 7,a7 ,grant amount ,the ,secretary shall not expend more than #c1jjj1jjj for any one grant under this section in any one fiscal year4 7,b7 ,purchasing equipment ,an eligible recipient shall not use more than #bej1jjj of the amount of a grant under this section in any one fiscal year for purchasing equipment under subsection 7c77#c74 7#c7 ,cost-share 7,a7 ,in general ,except as provided in subparagraph 7,b71 an eligible recipient may receive a grant under this section in an amount equal to not more than #ge percent of the cost of carrying out the project under this section4 7,b7 ,indian ,tribes ,an ,indian ,tribe may receive a grant under this section in an amount equal to not more than #ij percent of the cost of carrying out the project under this section4