**FORESTRY**

**Subtitle A-Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978**

Sec.8001.Community forests working land program.

Sec.8002.Comprehensive statewide forest planning.

Sec.8003.Landscape scale forestry competitive grant program.

**Subtitle B-Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003**

Sec.8101.Wood-to-energy program.

**Subtitle C-Amendments to Other Laws**

Sec.8201.Renewable resources extension activities.

Sec.8202.Office of international forestry.

Sec.8203.Rural revitalization technologies.

**FORESTRY**

**Subtitle A-Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978**

**SEC. 8001. COMMUNITY FORESTS WORKING LAND PROGRAM**.

Section 7 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C.
2103c) is amended-

\(1\) by redesignating subsection (m) as subsection (n); and

\(2\) by inserting a new subsection (m) that reads as follows:

"(m) [community forests working lands program.-]{.smallcaps}

> "(1) [definition]{.smallcaps}.-In this section-
>
> "(A) [community forest land]{.smallcaps}.-The term 'community forest
> land' means a parcel of land that is-
>
> "(i) forested; and
>
> "(ii) located, as determined by the Secretary, within, or in close
> proximity to,
>
> CONGRESSDOC
>
> a population center.
>
> "(B) [unit of local government]{.smallcaps}.-The term "unit of local
> government"

means a-

> "(i) town or city; or
>
> "(ii) other unit of local government.
>
> "(2) [purposes.]{.smallcaps}-The purposes of the community forests
> working land program are to-
>
> "(A) help protect environmentally important forest lands near
> population centers, as determined by the Secretary;
>
> "(B) facilitate land use planning by units of local government; and
>
> "(C) facilitate the donations, acceptance, and enforcement of
> conservation easements on community forest land.
>
> "(3) [Establishment]{.smallcaps}.-The Secretary shall, working with
> the States, offer financial and technical assistance to units of local
> government by providing, in priority areas, as defined by the
> Secretary-
>
> "(A) financial assistance to purchase conservation easements on,
> facilitate the donation, acceptance, and enforcement of conservation
> easements on, or otherwise acquire, community forest lands; and
>
> "(B) technical assistance to facilitate-
>
> "(i) conservation of community forests;

"(ii) management of community forests;

"(iii) training related to forest management and forest conservation;
and

"(iv) other forest conservation activities, as determined by the
Secretary.

"(4) [authorization of appropriations]{.smallcaps}.-There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this subsection \$65,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2008 through 2012.".

**SEC. 8002. COMPREHENSIVE STATEWIDE FOREST PLANNING**.

The Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.)
is amended-

\(1\) by redesignating section 20 (16 U.S.C. 2114) as section 22; and

\(2\) by inserting after section 19 (16 U.S.C. 2113) the following:

**"SEC. 20. COMPREHENSIVE STATEWIDE FOREST PLANNING**.-

"(a) [establishment.]{.smallcaps}-The Secretary shall provide financial
and technical assistance to State Foresters (or equivalent State
officials) to develop and implement statewide forest resource
assessments and plans which will provide a strategic, inclusive,
integrated strategy for addressing pressing resource management concerns
in critical forest landscape areas.

"(b) [statewide forest resource assessment and plan]{.smallcaps}.-The
Secretary may provide assistance to States to develop statewide forest
resource assessments and plans that-

> "(1) identify critical forest landscapes of the State that may be
> affected by factors such as-

"(A) wildland fire;

"(B) development pressures;

"(C) threats to forest health such as insects and disease;

"(D) ecosystem challenges, such as limited clean water or biodiversity;
and

"(E) forest lands near population centers under section 7(m).

"(2) to the extent practicable-

> "(A) incorporate existing forest management plans of the State;
>
> "(B) address-
>
> "(i) regional forest management issues, without regard to the borders
> of States in the region; and
>
> "(ii) national priorities regarding forest management; and
>
> "(C) provide a comprehensive framework for-
>
> "(i) managing forest landscapes;
>
> "(ii) ensuring public participation regarding management of forest
> landscapes;
>
> "(iii) monitoring progress in achieving strategic forest management
> objectives; and
>
> "(iv) administering any State, Federal, or private grants awarded to
> the State under this section or under other provisions of law.

"(c) [review by forest service]{.smallcaps}.-Each forest resource
assessment and plan developed by a State shall be submitted to the
Secretary.

"(d) [authorization of appropriations]{.smallcaps}.-There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section up to \$65,000,000 for the
period fiscal years 2008 through 2012.".

**SEC. 8003. LANDSCAPE SCALE FORESTRY COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM**.

The Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.)
is amended by inserting after section 20 (as added by section 8003) the
following:

**"SEC. 21. LANDSCAPE SCALE FORESTRY COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM**.

> "(a) [definition]{.smallcaps}.-In this section, the term 'eligible
> entity' means-
>
> "(1) a State (or a political subdivision of the State);
>
> "(2) a tribal government;
>
> "(3) a conservation or environmental organization or association;
>
> "(4) an owner of private, non-industrial forest land; or
>
> "(5) an academic institution.

"(b) [establishment]{.smallcaps}.-The Secretary shall competitively
award grants, including financial and technical assistance, to eligible
entities to-

> "(1) support-
>
> "(A) a comprehensive and coordinated approach to forest management
> encompassing forest lands that are owned by more than one owner; and
>
> "(B) collaboration between eligible entities and other public and
> private persons in the management of critical forest landscapes,
> particularly critical forest landscapes identified in section 20;
>
> "(2) protect critical forest landscapes; and
>
> "(3) provide incentives for private sector investments that generate
> income and employment through-
>
> "(A) the development of specialized forest product markets;

"(B) the creation of value-added forest product industries; or

"(C) the development of local, nontraditional forest product markets.

"(c) [active enrollment.-]{.smallcaps}In making grants under this
section, the Secretary shall actively enroll new and under served owners
of family forests, as determined by the Secretary.

"(d) [duration]{.smallcaps}.-A grant awarded under this section shall be
for not less than 3, nor more than 5, years in duration.

"(e) [authorization of appropriations]{.smallcaps}.-There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section up to \$30,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.".

**Subtitle B-Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003**

**SEC. 8101. FOREST WOOD TO ENERGY PROGRAM**.

\(a\) In General.-Title II of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of
2003 (16 U.S.C. 6531) is amended by adding at the end the following:

**"SEC. 204. FOREST WOOD-TO-ENERGY PROGRAM.**

"(a) [purpose]{.smallcaps}.-The purpose of the forest wood-to-energy
program is to improve the conversion of woody biomass to high value
products or to renewable energy in order to-

"(1) improve forest health in priority areas, as defined by the
Secretary;

"(2) encourage rural-based jobs in the private sector;

> "(3) provide incentives for investments by the private sector that
> will lead to value-added revenue; and

"(4) reduce dependence of the United States on non-renewable forms of
energy.

"(b) [establishment]{.smallcaps}.-The Secretary shall establish and
carry out a wood-to-energy program to-

"(1) accelerate practical commercial development of cellulosic ethanol
conversion from a diverse range of woody feedstocks;

> "(2) increase the use of the knowledge and technical capacity of the
> Forest Service to advance research and commercialization of woody
> biomass as transportation fuel;

"(3) develop-

> "(A) sustainable production, management, and harvest systems for woody
> feedstocks;

"(B) new or improved processes for wood-to-ethanol conversion;

"(C) small-scale wood-to-energy technology;

"(D) biobased products from low-valued woody biomass sources; and

"(E) technologies for separating high-value wood from low-value wood for

primary and secondary processing;

> "(4) apply new technologies (including nanotechnology and biorefining
> technologies) to the development of biobased products from woody
> feedstocks;
>
> "(5) accelerate development and use of new technologies to more
> productively utilize low-value woody biomass resources; or
>
> "(6) increase capacity in the private sector for the creation of
> value-added products.

"(c) [cooperation and consultation]{.smallcaps}.-The Secretary may
cooperate and consult with-

"(1) forest-based communities;

"(2) entrepreneurs;

"(3) small businesses;

"(4) private investors; and

"(5) colleges and universities.

"(d) [administration.]{.smallcaps}-

"(1[) in general]{.smallcaps}.-The Secretary may administer this program
by-

"(A) conducting research, technology development, and technology
transfer;

"(B) providing technical assistance; and

"(C) awarding competitive grants and contracts.

> "(2) [matching contributions]{.smallcaps}.-In administering the grant
> program as provided under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall require
> matching contributions from those persons or entities participating in
> the program.
>
> "(3) [coordination]{.smallcaps}.-In administering the program under
> this section, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable,
> coordinate with other Federal agencies and programs.

"(e) [funding]{.smallcaps}.-

> "(1) [commodity credit corporation]{.smallcaps}.-Subject to paragraph
> (2), the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, use
> \$15,000,000 of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation for each
> of fiscal years 2008 through 2012 to carry out the program under this
> section.
>
> "(2) [appropriated funds]{.smallcaps}.-The funds made available under
> paragraph (1) are in addition to amounts, if any, made available for
> similar biomass research under appropriations acts.".

\(b\) [conforming amendment]{.smallcaps}.-

> The table of contents of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003
> (16 U.S.C. 6501 note; 117 Stat. 1887) is amended by adding at the end
> of the items relating to title II the following:

**"SEC. 204.** **[wood-to-energy program]{.smallcaps}**".

**Subtitle C-Amendments to Other Laws**

**SEC. 8201. RENEWABLE RESOURCES EXTENSION ACTIVITIES.**

\(a\) Authorization of Appropriations.-Section 6 of the Renewable
Resources Extension Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1675) is amended in the first
sentence by striking "2007" and inserting "2012".

\(b\) [termination date]{.smallcaps}.-Section 8 of the Renewable
Resources Extension Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1671 note; Public Law
95--306) is amended by striking "2007" and inserting "2012".

**SEC. 8202. OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL FORESTRY**.

Section 2405(d) of the Global Climate Change Prevention Act of 1990 (7
U.S.C. 6704(d)) is amended by striking "2007" and inserting "2012".

**SEC. 8203. RURAL REVITALIZATION TECHNOLOGIES.**

Section 2371(d)(2) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act
of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6601(d)(2)) is amended by striking "2004 through 2008"
and inserting "2008 through 2012".