Outdoor Restoration Force Act of 2020

Outdoor Restoration Force Act of 2020

This bill establishes an Outdoor Restoration Fund to carry out restoration and resilience projects.

The bill establishes the Restoration Fund Advisory Council. The council shall (1) disburse amounts for the restoration and resilience project grant program established by this bill; and (2) gather public input and provide recommendations to the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the use of the fund for the restoration and resilience partnership established by this bill.

The council shall coordinate with at least one existing regional entity, or a regional entity established by the council, in a specific geographic region to assist with the grant program.

Amounts in the fund shall be made available to Interior, USDA, and the EPA to supplement their existing budgets for efforts that (1) enhance forest and watershed health through fuel reduction, forest restoration, fire mitigation, and road and trail maintenance; (2) support state, private, and Tribal forestry; (3) remediate or reclaim abandoned oil and gas wells, coal mines, and hardrock mines; (4) mitigate, or eradicate, invasive species on public, private, and Tribal land; or (5) enhance carbon sequestration, water resources, and improve wildlife habitats.

Until FY2026, the council shall annually perform outreach efforts and solicit public comments on the use of the fund by Interior, USDA, and the EPA for the restoration and resilience partnership.