New Mexico Forest Health and Fire Prevention of 1998 - Directs the District 3 Regional Forester of the State of New Mexico to commence a statewide program to restore and protect forest resources located on Federal forest lands within New Mexico through the performance of recovery projects in identified recovery areas.
Requires: (1) the initial project under such program to be the thinning of Monument Canyon Research Natural Area located near Jemez Springs, New Mexico, on the Santa Fe National Forest; and (2) the research scientists located at such Area to provide the initial project standards and guidelines.
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, for each fiscal year of the New Mexico program, to allocate amounts from the Forest Health and Fire Prevention Fund (to be established under this Act) to Region 3 of the Forest Service for the purpose of conducting five-year recovery projects in identified recovery areas. Requires the District 3 Regional Forester to: (1) identify recovery areas within which allocated amounts should be used to conduct such projects; (2) prioritize such areas for the purpose of their receiving allocated amounts; and (3) select, in accordance with specified requirements, projects to be carried out within each area. Prohibits the selection or implementation of a project in specified locations, including units of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
Credits to the Fund: (1) authorized and appropriated amounts; (2) unobligated amounts in, or that would otherwise be deposited in, the roads and trails fund; and (3) the Federal share of revenues generated by recovery projects undertaken pursuant to the Program.
Authorizes appropriations.
Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a specified audit of the program at the end of the fourth full fiscal year following the implementation date.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to House Agriculture
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to House Resources
Executive Comment Requested from USDA.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health.
Executive Comment Requested from USDA.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry, Resource Conservation and Research.
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