I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7045 

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on lands that 

could be included in a National Forest in Hawai’i, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 28, 2020 

Mr. CASE (for himself and Ms. GABBARD) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study 

on lands that could be included in a National Forest 

in Hawai’i, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. HAWAI’I NATIONAL FOREST STUDY. 

4 (a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to identify 

5 lands within the study area that would— 

6 (1) support the conservation of biodiversity not 

7 found elsewhere in the National Forest System; 

8 (2) support or expand the research mission of 

9 the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 7045 IH

1 (3) promote shared stewardship with local com2 munities, including indigenous populations, the State 

3 of Hawai’i, and non-profit groups; and 

4 (4) support or expand the international pro5 grams of the Forest Service related to conservation 

6 of forest ecosystems, sustainable forestry, protection 

7 of threatened, endangered, and migratory species, 

8 controlling the spread of invasive species, inter9 national reforestation, and other forest restoration 

10 efforts. 

11 (b) STUDY REQUIRED.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after 

13 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

14 shall conduct a study to identify available land with15 in the study area that could be included in a Na16 tional Forest in Hawai’i. 

17 (2) COORDINATION REQUIREMENT.—The Sec18 retary shall conduct the study under paragraph (1) 

19 in coordination the Hawai’i Department of Land 

20 and Natural Resources. 

21 (3) CONSULTATION REQUIREMENT.—In car22 rying out the study under paragraph (1), the Sec23 retary— 

24 (A) shall consult with— 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 7045 IH

1 (i) the Hawai’i Department of Land 

2 and Natural Resources; and 

3 (ii) the Hawai’i Department of Agri4 culture; and 

5 (B) may consult with such other govern6 mental or nonprofit entities as the Secretary 

7 determines appropriate. 

8 (4) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the 

9 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 

10 submit a report to the Committee on Energy and 

11 Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee 

12 on Natural Resources of the House of Representa13 tives that identifies— 

14 (A) available land within the study area 

15 that could be included in a National Forest in 

16 Hawai’i; 

17 (B) the ownership of the land within the 

18 study area; 

19 (C) any undeveloped land in the study area 

20 that may be at risk of development; and 

21 (D) any actions that could be carried out 

22 to preserve the open and undeveloped character 

23 of the land within the study area. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 7045 IH

1 (c) EFFECT.—Nothing in this section authorizes the 

2 Secretary to take any action that would affect the use of 

3 any land not owned by the United States. 

4 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

5 (1) AVAILABLE LAND.—The term ‘‘available 

6 land’’ means any land within the study areas that 

7 is— 

8 (A) Federally owned; 

9 (B) managed by a Federal land manage10 ment agency in partnership with a non-Federal 

11 entity; or 

12 (C) land not described in subparagraph 

13 (A) or (B) that fulfills the purpose of this sec14 tion, as determined by the Secretary. 

15 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

16 the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the 

17 Chief of the Forest Service. 

18 (3) STUDY AREA.—The term ‘‘study area’’ 

19 means the islands of Hawai’i, Maui, Moloka’i, 

20 La ̄na’i, O’ahu and Kaua’i in the State of Hawai’i. 

21 (4) UNDEVELOPED LAND.—The term ‘‘undevel22 oped land’’ means land— 

23 (A) that is located within the study area; 

24 (B) that is free or primarily free of struc25 tures; and 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 7045 IH

1 (C) the development of which is likely to 

2 affect adversely the scenic, research, wildlife, or 

3 recreational value of the study area. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS