To require the Secretary of Agriculture to designate national forests or portions of national forests in western States as locations for demonstration projects to prevent or mitigate the effect of pine beetle infestations and conduct forest restoration activities, to authorize the emergency removal of dead and dying trees to address public safety risks in western States, to make permanent the stewardship contracting authorities available to the Forest Service, and for other purposes.
Forest Ecosystem Recovery and Protection Act - Directs the Secretaries of Agriculture (USDA) and of the Interior to designate 25 demonstration project forests in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
Requires the Secretaries to identify specific project sites within the project forests and to develop pine beetle prevention, mitigation, or forest restoration projects for those sites. Directs the Secretaries to enter into stewardship contracts that meet the needs of each project site.
Authorizes grants to support the forest products industry: (1) participation in pine beetle prevention and mitigation and forest restoration activities at the sites, as specified; or (2) use of forest materials derived from those activities.
Makes permanent the stewardship end result contracting authorities available to the Forest Service for the performance of services to achieve land management goals for the national forests that meet local and rural communities needs.
Authorizes on National Forest System or public land the: (1) designation of insect or disease emergency areas from which dead and dying trees may be removed in response to threats to human health and safety; (2) use of state foresters to provide forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration and protection services; and (3) removal of dead and dying trees from rights-of-way held by a state department of transportation, state or federal public utility commission, or private utility company.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to House Agriculture
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural 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 Natural Resources
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
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