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[Senate Report 109-152]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                       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 rehabilitation of natural cultural, historic, 
archaeological, recreational, or scenic resources'' on public, 
Indian, or Hawaiian home lands. 16 U.S.C. Sec. 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.

                      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 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 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.
    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.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                      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.
          [(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.
          [(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.
          [(10)] (11) Resource assistant.--The term ``resource 
        assistant'' means a resource assistant selected under 
        section 206.
          (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.
          [(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 [Secretary 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 [Secretaries] 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 [Secretaries] 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.--[The 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.--[The 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. [Appropriate 
        conservation]
          (2) Projects on indian lands.--Appropriate 
        conservation projects may also be carried out under 
        this title on Indian 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. [The 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 [Secretary 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.

[SEC. 205. CONSERVATION CENTERS.]

SEC. 205. CONSERVATION CENTERS AND PROGRAM SUPPORT.

    [(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.
          (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 [Secretary 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 [Secretary 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 [Secretary 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 [such 
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 [Secretaries] Secretary may select 
resource assistants without regard to the civil service and 
classification laws, rules, or regulations of the United 
States. The [Secretaries] 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 [Secretary of the Interior or Secretary of 
Agriculture]  the Secretary, appropriate recruitment and 
placement services to fulfill the requirements of this section, 
the Secretary may implement 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.

    [(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 [Secretary 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 [Secretary 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 Public 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 [Secretary 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.

                                  
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