49–010 

Calendar No. 244 

109TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 1st Session 109–152 

PUBLIC LANDS CORPS HEALTHY FORESTS RESTORATION 

OCTOBER 19, 2005.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. DOMENICI, from the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 1238] 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the bill (S. 1238) to amend the Public Lands Corps Act of 

1993 to provide the conduct of projects that protect forests, and for 

other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably 

thereon with amendments and recommends that the bill, as 

amended, be passed. 

The amendments are as follows: 

1. On page 8, between lines 13 and 14, insert the following: 

‘‘(b) DISASTER RELIEF OR PREVENTION PROJECTS—Notwithstanding subsection (a), any amounts made available 

under that subsection shall be available for disaster prevention or relief projects.’’ 

2. On page 8, line 14, strike ‘‘(b)’’ and insert ‘‘(c)’’. 

PURPOSE OF THE MEASURE

The purpose of S. 1238 is to amend the Public Lands Corps Act 

of 1993 to establish a priority for projects aimed at improving forest and watershed health, a preference for disadvantaged youth, a 

hiring preference for corps members, and a specific authorization 

of appropriations, and to make other technical and conforming 

amendments. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED

The Public Lands Corps were established in 1993 (Pub. L. 103– 

82) to carry out a wide range of projects on public lands, including 

‘‘any project for the conservation, restoration, construction or rehaVerDate Aug 31 2005 00:00 Oct 22, 2005 Jkt 049010 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR152.XXX SR152
2 

bilitation of natural cultural, historic, archaeological, recreational, 

or scenic resources’’ on public, Indian, or Hawaiian home lands. 16 

U.S.C. § 1722. With the exception of the National Park Service— 

which has used a portion of its fee-demonstration program revenues to support a wide-range of Public Lands Corps projects since 

1998—no other Federal public land management agency has used 

the Public Lands Corps program. Other agencies have supported 

the Public Lands Corps program in concept, but defended their failures to implement the program by contending that they have insufficient financial resources to support Public Lands Corps projects. 

With a focus on forest and watershed health and wildfire activity, there is interest in expanding the role that the Public Lands 

Corps play in public lands restoration particularly in the context of 

furthering the purposes of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 

2003 (16 U.S.C. 6501 note). Experience also has demonstrated a 

need to make a number of technical and conforming improvements 

to the 1993 law. S. 1238 provides for a focus on these types of 

projects and would include a number of technical and clarifying improvements to the Public Lands Corps Act. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

Senator Feinstein introduced S. 1238 for herself and Senators 

Domenici and Bingaman on June 14, 2005. The Subcommittee on 

Public Lands and Forests held a hearing on S. 1238 on July 20, 

2005. The Committee favorably reported S. 1238, with an amendment, by unanimous voice vote on September 28, 2005. 

A identical bill, H.R. 2875, was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Greg Walden on June 14, 2005. The 

Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held a hearing on H.R. 

2875 on July 14, 2005. The Committee on Resources favorably reported H.R. 2875, with an amendment, by unanimous consent on 

September 22, 2005. 

Similar bills were introduced in the 108th Congress by Senator 

Feinstein (S. 2253) and Representative Greg Walden (H.R. 4338). 

The Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests held a hearing on 

S. 2253 on July 21, 2004 (S. Hrg. 108–714). No further action was 

taken on the bill. The Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health 

held a hearing in the House on H.R. 4838 on July 22, 2004. The 

House Committee on Resources favorably reported H.R. 4838, with 

amendment, by unanimous consent on September 15, 2004. The 

House of Representatives passed H.R. 4838, as amended, under 

suspension of the rules on September 28, 2004. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open business session on September 28, 2005, by a voice vote of a quorum 

present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 1238, if amended as 

described herein. 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT

The Committee adopted an amendment to add authority for the 

Secretaries to use any funds appropriated under section 211(a) for 

disaster prevention and relief projects. 

3 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1 provides the short title of the Act. 

Section 2 amends the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 as follows: 

Subsection 2(a) adds definitions for the terms, ‘‘priority projects’’ 

and ‘‘Secretary’’. 

Subsection (b) sets forth the terms of a preference for youth or 

conservation corps with members who are economically, physically, 

or educationally disadvantaged. 

Subsection (c) expands the authority of the Public Lands Corps 

to carry out appropriate projects on Federal, State, local, or private 

lands as part of Federal disaster prevention or relief efforts. 

Subsection (d) expands the Secretaries’ authority to provide assistance that is appropriate in carrying out the Act, and makes a 

number of technical and clarifying changes. 

Subsection (e) expands the Secretaries’ discretion to provide each 

participant in the Public Lands Corps with a living allowance and 

authorizes the Secretaries to grant members of the Public Lands 

Corps credit for time served to be used toward future Federal hiring and noncompetitive hiring status for not more than 120 days 

after the date a member’s service in the Corps is complete. 

Subsection (f) authorizes the appropriations of up to $15 million 

per year to be used on authorized projects including disaster prevention and relief and clarifies that the authorization of appropriations does not limit the amount that may be expended on the Corps 

through other appropriations or programs. 

Subsection (g) sets forth a number of conforming amendments. 

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The following estimate of costs of this measure has been provided 

by the Congressional Budget Office. 

S. 1238—Public Lands Corps Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 

2005 

Summary: S. 1238 would authorize the appropriations of $15 million a year for implementing restoration, conservation, and fire-prevention projects in national parks. Under the bill, the Public Lands 

Corps would administer the projects, and youth conservation organization would carry out the projects. Assuming appropriation of 

the specified amounts, CBO estimates that implementing the bill 

would cost $5 million in 2006 and $60 million over the 2006–2010 

period. Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or revenues. 

S. 1238 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) 

and would impose no cost on state, local, or tribal governments. 

Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated budgetary impact of S. 1238 is shown in the following table. The costs 

of this legislation fall within budget function 300 (natural resources 

and environment). CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted in fiscal year 2006, that the specified amounts will be appropriated for 

each fiscal year, and that outlays will follow historical trends. CBO 

estimates that implementing the bill would cost $5 million in 2006 

and by $60 million over the 2006–2010 period for administering 

restoration, conservation, and fire-prevention projects in national 

4 

parks. Spending after 2010 would continue at the authorized level 

of $15 million a year. 

By fiscal year in million of dollars— 

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 

CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION 

Authorization Level 1 ...................................................................................... 15 15 15 15 15 

Estimated Outlays ......................................................................................... 5 10 15 15 15 

1 The bill would provide a permanent authorization of $15 million a year. 

Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 1238 contains no 

intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA 

and would impose no cost on state, local, or tribal governments. 

Previous CBO estimate: On October 18, 2005, CBO transmitted 

a cost estimate for H.R. 2875, the Public Lands Corps Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2005, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Resources on September 22, 2005. The two pieces of legislation are almost identical. However, H.R. 2875 would specify the 

authorization of appropriation for 2007 and 2011, while S. 1238 

would specify a permanent authorization of appropriation. The cost 

estimates reflect the difference. 

Estimated prepared by: Federal Costs: Megan Carroll and Melissa Z. Peterson. Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Government: 

Marjorie Miller. Impact of the Private Sector: Craig Cammarata. 

Estimated approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION

In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following evaluation 

of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in carrying out 

S. 1238. 

The bill is not a regulatory measure in the sense of imposing 

Government-established standards or significant economic responsibilities on private individuals and businesses. 

No personal information would be collected in administering the 

program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal privacy. 

Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the enactment of S. 1238. 

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

The views of the Administration were included in testimony received by the Committee at a hearing on the bill on July 20, 2005. 

STATEMENT OF JOEL HOLTROP, DEPUTY CHIEF, NATIONAL

FOREST SYSTEM, UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, thank 

you for giving me the opportunity to present the views of 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture on S. 1238, the Public 

Lands Corps Healthy Forest Restoration Act. 

The Department supports S. 1238. However, the Department would like to work with the committee and bill sponsors to ensure specific conservation corps would be covered 

5 

under S. 1238 since we work with several programs that 

service disadvantaged youths. 

S. 1238 would amend the Public Lands Corps Act of 

1993 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior, in carrying out priority projects in 

a specific area, to give preference, to the maximum extent 

practicable, to qualified youth or conservation corps located in that specific area that have a substantial portion 

of members who are economically, physically, or educationally disadvantaged. Priority projects are those that will: (1) 

reduce wildfire risk to communities, municipal water supplies, or other at risk Federal land; (2) protect a watershed 

or address a threat to forest and rangeland health, including catastrophic wildfire; (3) address the impact of insect 

or disease infestations or other damaging agents on forest 

and rangeland health; (4) protect, restore, or enhance forest ecosystem components to promote recovery of threatened and endangered species, to improve biological diversity, or to enhance productivity and carbon sequestration. 

It is important to recognize that implementation of some 

priority projects requires a certain amount of maturity, decision-making capability, perspective and attention to safety. It is both appropriate and necessary to provide the Secretaries the discretion in determining the types of priority 

projects suitable for the target corps. 

In many respects, the goals of S. 1238 are consistent 

with existing authorities that the Department has supported, including the Healthy Forests Restoration Act 

(HFRA) [P.L. 108–208], the original Public Lands Corps 

Act of 1993, P.L. 103–82 Title II, and the Youth Conservation Corps Act of 1970, P.L. 91–378. 

However, the Administration does have concerns about 

the Committee’s expectation regarding the authorization of 

specific appropriations contained in the bill given current 

and future budgetary constraints. 

This concludes my statement, I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have. 

STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD OF THE NATIONAL PARK

SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Thank you for the opportunity to present for the record 

the views of the Department of the Interior on S. 1238, a 

bill to amend the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 to provide for the conduct of projects that protect forests and for 

other purposes. 

The National Park Service (NPS) has successfully implemented the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993, to expand our 

youth service opportunities to carry out needed repairs and 

restoration projects within the National Park System. 

With the passage of the Recreation Fee Demonstration 

Program in 1996 (P.L. 104–134; U.S.C. 460l–6a), funding 

was available to implement the NPS Public Lands Corps 

program in 1997. 

6 

As required in the recreation fee demonstration legislation and in the recently passed Federal Lands Recreation 

Enhancement Act (P.L. 108–447), funds acquired through 

the recreation fee program may be used only for specific 

purposes. For that reason, NPS Public Lands Corps 

projects must focus on repair, maintenance and facility enhancement related directly to visitor enjoyment, education, 

access, services and health and safety or on habitat restoration related directly to wildlife dependent recreation. 

The NPS regards the Public Lands Corps Program as an 

important and successful example of civic engagement and 

conservation. The program is unique because nonprofit 

agencies such as the Student Conservation Association and 

the National Association for Service and Conservation 

Corps serve as the primary partners in administering the 

Public Lands Corps program. In addition, any nonprofit 

youth organization may participate such as the Boy and 

Girl Scouts, local high schools and job training youth organizations. Each year over 300 parks apply for work grants 

of up to $25,000. The nonprofit youth organizations assist 

the NPS in its efforts to attract diverse audiences to the 

parks by recruiting youth 16 to 25 years of age from all 

socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Since 

1997, the Public Lands Corps has funded more than 2,000 

work projects with more than 100 parks participating on 

an annual basis. 

S. 1238 would allow the National Park Service to expand 

the current work it accomplishes with the Public Lands 

Corps by creating an additional type of project to promote 

healthy forests and authorize appropriations for these 

projects. The legislation would not adversely affect the National Park Service’s ability to continue its practice of 

funding other Public Lands Corps projects through the use 

of proceeds from the recreation fee program. In addition, 

we would still be able to prioritize projects according to the 

needs of the parks. Therefore, the Department of the Interior has no objection to this legislation. However, funding 

for projects authorized by this legislation would be subject 

to current and future budgetary constraints and the Administration’s priority-setting process. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill S. 

1238, as ordered reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is 

printed in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is 

shown in roman): 

PUBLIC LAW 91–378, AS AMENDED

AN ACT To establish a pilot program in the Departments of the Interior and 

Agriculture designated as the Youth Conservation Corps, and for other purposes. 

* * * * * * * 

7 

TITLE II—PUBLIC LANDS CORPS 

SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE. 

This title may be cited as the ‘‘Public Lands Corps Act of 1993’’. 

* * * * * * * 

SEC. 203. DEFINITIONS. 

For purposes of this title: 

* * * * * * * 

(7) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ means an Indian 

tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Native village, Regional Corporation, or Village 

Corporation, as defined in subsection (c), (g), or (j), respectively, of section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act 

(43 U.S.C. 1602 (c), (g), or (j)), that is recognized as eligible for 

the special programs and services provided by the United 

States under Federal law to Indians because of their status as 

Indians. 

(8) PRIORITY PROJECT.—The term ‘‘priority project’’ means an 

appropriate conservation project conducted on eligible service 

lands to further 1 or more of the purposes of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.), as follows: 

(A) To reduce wildfire risk to a community, municipal 

water supply, or other at-risk Federal land. 

(B) To protect a watershed or address a threat to forest 

and rangeland health, including catastrophic wildfire. 

(C) To address the impact of insect or disease infestations 

or other damaging agents on forest and rangeland health. 

(D) To protect, restore, or enhance forest ecosystem components to— 

(i) promote the recovery of threatened or endangered 

species; 

(ii) improve biological diversity; or 

(iii) enhance productivity and carbon sequestration. 

ø(8)¿ (9) PUBLIC LANDS.—The term ‘‘public lands’’ means any 

lands or waters (or interest therein) owned or administered by 

the United States, except that such term does not include and 

Indian lands. 

ø(9)¿ (10) QUAILIFIED YOUTH OR CONSERVATION CORPS.—The 

term ‘‘qualified youth or conservation corps’’ means any program established by a State or local government, by the governing body of any Indian tribe, or by a nonprofit organization 

that— 

(A) is capable of offering meaningful, full-time, productive work for individuals between the ages of 16 and 25, 

inclusive, in a natural or cultural resource setting; 

(B) gives participants a mix of work experience, basic 

and life skills, education, training, and support services; 

and 

(C) provides participants with the opportunity to develop 

citizenship values and skills through service to their community and the United States. 

ø(10)¿ (11) RESOURCE ASSISTANT.—The term ‘‘resource assistant’’ means a resource assistant selected under section 206. 

8 

(12) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means— 

(A) with respect to National Forest System land, the Secretary of Agriculture; and 

(B) with respect to Indian lands, Hawaiian home lands, 

or land administered by the Department of the Interior, the 

Secretary of the Interior. 

ø(11)¿ (13) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means any State of the 

United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 

Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United States, 

American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 

Mariana Islands. 

SEC. 204. PUBLIC LANDS CORPS PROGRAM. 

(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC LANDS CORPS.—There is hereby 

established in the Department of the Interior and the Department 

of Agriculture a Public Lands Corps. 

(b) PARTICIPANTS.—The Corps shall consist of individuals between the ages of 16 and 25, inclusive, who are enrolled as participants in the corps by the øSecretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture¿ Secretary. To be eligible for enrollment in 

the Corps, an individual shall satisfy the criteria specified in section 137(b) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990. 

The øSecretaries¿ Secretary may enroll such individuals in the 

Corps without regard to the civil service and classification laws, 

rules, or regulations of the United States. The øSecretaries¿ Secretary may establish a preference for the enrollment in the Corps 

of individuals who are economically, physically, or educationally 

disadvantaged. 

(c) QUALIFIED YOUTH OR CONSERVATION CORPS.—øThe Secretary 

of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture are¿ 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized to enter into 

contracts and cooperative agreements with any qualified youth 

or conservation corps to perform appropriate conservation 

projects referred to in subsection (d). 

(2) PREFERENCE.— (2) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of entering into contracts and 

cooperative agreements under paragraph (1), the Secretary may 

give preference to qualified youth or conservation corps located 

in a specific area that have a substantial portion of members 

who are economically, physically, or educationally disadvantaged to carry out projects within the area. 

(B) PRIORITY PROJECTS.—In carrying out priority projects in 

a specific area, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent 

practicable, give preference to qualified youth or conservation 

corps located in that specific area that have a substantial portion of members who are economically, physically, or educationally disadvantaged. 

(d) PROJECTS TO BE CARRIED OUT.—øThe Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture may each¿ 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may utilize the Corps or any 

qualified youth or conservation corps to carry out appropriate 

conservation projects which such Secretary is authorized to 

carry out under other authority of law on public lands. øAppropriate conservation¿ 

(2) PROJECTS ON INDIAN LANDS.—Appropriate conservation 

projects may also be carried out under this title on Indian 

9 

lands with the approval of the Indian tribe involved and on 

Hawaiian home lands with the approval of the Department of 

Hawaiian Home Lands of the State of Hawaii. øThe Secretaries may also authorize appropriate conservation projects 

and other appropriate projects to be carried out on Federal, 

State, local, or private lands as part of disaster in response to 

an emergency or major prevention or relief efforts declared by 

the President under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 

Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).¿ 

(3) DISASTER PREVENTION OR RELIEF PROJECTS.—The Secretary may authorize appropriate conservation projects and 

other appropriate projects to be carried out on Federal, State, 

local, or private land as part of a Federal disaster prevention 

or relief effort. 

(e) PREFERENCE FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS.—In selecting appropriate conservation projects to be carried out under this title, the 

øSecretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture¿ Secretary shall give preference to those projects which— 

(1) will provide long-term benefits to the public; 

(2) will instill in the enrollee involved a work ethic and a 

sense of public service; 

(3) will be labor intensive; 

(4) can be planned and initiated promptly; and 

(5) will provide academic, experiential, or environmental 

education opportunities. 

(f) CONSISTENCY.—Each appropriate conservation project carried 

out under this title on eligible service lands shall be consistent 

with the provisions of law and policies relating to the management 

and administration of such lands, with all other applicable provisions of law, and with all management, operational, and other 

plans and documents which govern the administration of the area. 

øSEC. 205. CONSERVATION CENTERS.¿ 

SEC. 205. CONSERVATION CENTERS AND PROGRAM SUPPORT. 

ø(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND USE.—The Secretary of the Interior 

and the Secretary of Agriculture are each authorized to provide 

such quarters, board, medical care, transportation, and other services, facilities, supplies, and equipment as such Secretary deems 

necessary in connection with the Public Lands Corps and appropriate conservation projects carried out under this title and to establish and use conservation centers owned and operated by such 

Secretary for purposes of the Corps and such projects. The Secretaries shall establish basic standards of health, nutrition, sanitation, and safety for all conservation centers established under this 

section and shall assure that such standards are enforced. Where 

necessary or appropriate, the Secretaries may enter into contracts 

and other appropriate arrangements with State and local government agencies and private organizations for the management of 

such conservation centers.¿ 

(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND USE.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may establish and use conservation centers owned and operated by the Secretary for— 

(A) use by the Public Lands Corps; and 

(B) the conduct of appropriate conservation projects 

under this title. 

10 

(2) ASSISTANCE FOR CONSERVATION CENTERS.—The Secretary 

may provide to a conservation center established under paragraph (1) any services, facilities, equipment, and supplies that 

the Secretary determines to be necessary for the conservation 

center. 

(3) STANDARDS FOR CONSERVATION CENTERS.—The Secretary 

shall— 

(A) establish basic standards of health, nutrition, sanitation, and safety for all conservation centers established 

under paragraph (1); and 

(B) ensure that the standards established under subparagraph (A) are enforced. 

(4) MANAGEMENT.—As the Secretary determines to be appropriate, the Secretary may enter into a contract or other appropriate arrangement with a State or local government agency or 

private organization to provide for the management of a conservation center. 

(b) LOGISTICAL SUPPORT.—The øSecretary of the Interior and the 

Secretary of Agriculture¿ Secretary may make arrangements with 

the Secretary of Defense to have logistical support provided by the 

Armed Forces to the Corps and any conservation center established 

under this section, where feasible. Logistical support may include 

the provision of temporary tent shelters where needed, transportation, and residential supervision. 

(c) USE OF MILITARY INSTALLATIONS.—The øSecretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture¿ Secretary may make arrangements with the Secretary of Defense to identify military installations and other facilities of the Department of Defense and, 

in consultation with the adjutant generals of the State National 

Guards, National Guard facilities that may be used, in whole or in 

part, by the Corps for training or housing Corps participants. 

(d) ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may provide any services, facilities, equipment, supplies, technical assistance, oversight, monitoring, or evaluations that are appropriate to carry out this title. 

SEC. 206. RESOURCE ASSISTANTS. 

(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The øSecretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture are each¿ Secretary is authorized to provide 

individual placements of resource assistants with any Federal land 

managing agency under the jurisdiction of øsuch Secretary¿ the 

Secretary to carry out research or resource protection activities on 

behalf of the agency. To be eligible for selection as a resource assistant, an individual must be at least 17 years of age. The øSecretaries¿ Secretary may select resource assistants without regard to 

the civil service and classification laws, rules, or regulations of the 

United States. The øSecretaries¿ Secretary shall give a preference 

to the selection of individuals who are enrolled in an institution of 

higher education or are recent graduates from an institution of 

higher education, with particular attention given to ensure full representation of women and participants from historically black, Hispanic, and Native American schools. 

(b) USE OF EXISTING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.—Whenever one 

or more existing nonprofit organizations can provide, in the judgment of the øSecretary of the Interior or Secretary of Agriculture¿ 

the Secretary, appropriate recruitment and placement services to 

fulfill the requirements of this section, the Secretary may impleVerDate Aug 31 2005 00:00 Oct 22, 2005 Jkt 049010 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR152.XXX SR152
11 

ment this section through such existing organizations. Participating nonprofit organizations shall contribute to the expenses of 

providing and supporting the resource assistants, through private 

sources of funding, at a level equal to 25 percent of the total costs 

of each participant in the Resource Assistant program who has 

been recruited and placed through that organization. Any such participating nonprofit conservation service organization shall be required, by the respective land managing agency, to submit an annual report evaluating the scope, size, and quality of the program, 

including the value of work contributed by the Resource Assistants, 

to the mission of the agency. 

SEC. 207. LIVING ALLOWANCES AND TERMS OF SERVICE. 

ø(a) LIVING ALLOWANCES.—The Secretary of the Interior and the 

Secretary of Agriculture shall provide each participant in the Public Lands Corps and each resource assistant with a living allowance 

in an amount not to exceed the maximum living allowance authorized by section 140(a)(3) of the National and Community Service 

Act of 1990 for participants in a national service program assisted 

under subtitle C of title I of such Act.¿ 

(a) LIVING ALLOWANCES.—The Secretary shall provide each participant in the Public Lands Corps and each resource assistant with 

a living allowance in an amount established by the Secretary. 

(b) TERMS OF SERVICE.—Each participant in the Corps and each 

resource assistant shall agree to participate in the Corps or serve 

as a resource assistant, as the case may be, for such term of service 

as may be established by the Secretary enrolling or selecting the 

individual. 

(c) HIRING.—The Secretary may— 

(1) grant to a member of the Public Lands Corps credit for 

time served with the Public Lands Corps, which may be used 

toward future Federal hiring; and 

(2) provide to a former member of the Public Lands Corps 

noncompetitive hiring status for a period of not more than 120 

days after the date on which the member’s service with the Public Lands Corps is complete. 

* * * * * * * 

SEC. 210. FUNDING. 

(a) COST SHARING.— (1) PROJECTS BY QUALIFIED YOUTH OR CONSERVATION

CORPS.—The øSecretary of the Interior and the Secretary of 

Agriculture are each¿ Secretary is authorized to pay not more 

than 75 percent of the costs of any appropriate conservation 

project carried out pursuant to this title on public lands by a 

qualified youth or conservation corps. The remaining 25 percent of the costs of such a project may be provided from nonfederal sources in the form of funds, services, facilities, materials, equipment, or any combination of the foregoing. No cost 

sharing shall be required in the case of any appropriate conservation project carried out on Indian lands or Hawaiian 

home lands under this title. 

(2) PUBLIC LANDS CORPS PROJECTS.—The øSecretary of the 

Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture are each¿ Secretary 

is authorized to accept donations of funds, services, facilities, 

materials, or equipment for the purposes of operating the PubVerDate Aug 31 2005 00:00 Oct 22, 2005 Jkt 049010 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR152.XXX SR152
12 

lic Lands Corps and carrying out appropriate conservation 

projects by the Corps. However, nothing in this title shall be 

construed to require any cost sharing for any project carried 

out directly by the Corps. 

(b) FUNDS AVAILABLE UNDER NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

ACT.—In order to carry out the Public Lands Corps or to support 

resource assistants and qualified youth or conservation corps under 

this title, the øSecretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture¿ Secretary shall be eligible to apply for and receive assistance under section 121(b) of the National and Community Service 

Act of 1990. 

(c) OTHER FUNDS.—Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under section 211 are in addition to 

amounts allocated to the Public Lands Corps through other Federal 

programs or projects. 

SEC. 211. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 

out this title $15,000,000 for each fiscal year, of which $10,000,000 

is authorized to carry out priority projects. 

(b) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, amounts appropriated for any fiscal year to carry out 

this title shall remain available for obligation and expenditure until 

the end of the fiscal year following the fiscal year for which the 

amounts are appropriated. 

Æ