I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2316 

To generate dependable economic activity for counties and local governments 

containing National Forest System land by establishing a demonstration 

program for local, sustainable forest management, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 14, 2015 

Mr. LABRADOR (for himself, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mrs. LUMMIS, Mr. 

AMODEI, and Mr. GOSAR) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee 

on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To generate dependable economic activity for counties and 

local governments containing National Forest System 

land by establishing a demonstration program for local, 

sustainable forest management, 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. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Self-Sufficient Com5 munity Lands Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PURPOSE AND DEFINITIONS. 

2 (a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to generate 

3 dependable economic activity for counties and local gov4 ernments by establishing a demonstration program for 

5 local, sustainable forest management. 

6 (b) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 

7 (1) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—The term ‘‘Advi8 sory Committee’’ means the Advisory Committee ap9 pointed by the Governor of a State for the commu10 nity forest demonstration area established for the 

11 State. 

12 (2) COMMUNITY FOREST DEMONSTRATION

13 AREA.—The term ‘‘community forest demonstration 

14 area’’ means a community forest demonstration area 

15 established for a State under section 3. 

16 (3) NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM.—The term 

17 ‘‘National Forest System’’ has the meaning given 

18 that term in section 11(a) of the Forest and Range19 land Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 

20 U.S.C. 1609(a)), except that the term does not in21 clude the National Grasslands and land utilization 

22 projects designated as National Grasslands adminis23 tered pursuant to the Act of July 22, 1937 (7 

24 U.S.C. 1010–1012). 


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1 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

2 the Secretary of Agriculture or the designee of the 

3 Secretary of Agriculture. 

4 (5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ includes the 

5 Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 

6 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMUNITY FOREST DEM7 ONSTRATION AREAS. 

8 (a) ESTABLISHMENT REQUIRED; TIME FOR ESTAB9 LISHMENT.—Subject to subsection (c) and not later than 

10 one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

11 Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a community for12 est demonstration area at the request of the Advisory 

13 Committee appointed to manage community forest dem14 onstration area land in that State. 

15 (b) COVERED LAND.— 

16 (1) INCLUSION OF NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM

17 LAND.—The community forest demonstration areas 

18 of a State shall consist of the National Forest Sys19 tem land in the State identified for inclusion by the 

20 Advisory Committee of that State. 

21 (2) EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN LAND.—A commu22 nity forest demonstration area shall not include Na23 tional Forest System land— 

24 (A) that is a component of the National 

25 Wilderness Preservation System; 


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1 (B) on which the removal of vegetation is 

2 specifically prohibited by Federal statute; 

3 (C) National Monuments; or 

4 (D) over which administration jurisdiction 

5 was first assumed by the Forest Service under 

6 title III. 

7 (c) CONDITIONS ON ESTABLISHMENT.— 

8 (1) ACREAGE REQUIREMENT.—A community 

9 forest demonstration area must include at least 

10 200,000 acres of National Forest System land. If 

11 the unit of the National Forest System in which a 

12 community forest demonstration area is being estab13 lished contains more than 5,000,000 acres, the com14 munity forest demonstration area may include 

15 900,000 or more acres of National Forest System 

16 land. 

17 (2) MANAGEMENT LAW OR BEST MANAGEMENT

18 PRACTICES REQUIREMENT.—A community forest 

19 demonstration area may be established in a State 

20 only if the State— 

21 (A) has a forest practices law applicable to 

22 State or privately owned forest land in the 

23 State; or 

24 (B) has established silvicultural best man25 agement practices or other regulations for forVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:10 May 16, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2316.IH H2316

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1 est management practices related to clean 

2 water, soil quality, wildlife or forest health. 

3 (3) REVENUE SHARING REQUIREMENT.—As a 

4 condition of the inclusion in a community forest 

5 demonstration area of National Forest System land 

6 located in a particular county in a State, the county 

7 must enter into an agreement with the Governor of 

8 the State that requires that, in utilizing revenues re9 ceived by the county under section 7(b), the county 

10 shall continue to meet any obligations under applica11 ble State law as provided under title I of the Secure 

12 Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination 

13 Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7111 et seq.) or as provided 

14 in the sixth paragraph under the heading ‘‘FOREST 

15 SERVICE’’ in the Act of May 23, 1908 (16 U.S.C. 

16 500), and section 13 of the Act of March 1, 1911 

17 (16 U.S.C. 500). 

18 (d) TREATMENT UNDER CERTAIN OTHER LAWS.— 

19 National Forest System land included in a community for20 est demonstration area shall not be considered Federal 

21 land for purposes of— 

22 (1) making payments to counties under the 

23 sixth paragraph under the heading ‘‘FOREST 

24 SERVICE’’ in the Act of May 23, 1908 (16 U.S.C. 


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1 500), and section 13 of the Act of March 1, 1911 

2 (16 U.S.C. 500); or 

3 (2) title I. 

4 (e) ACREAGE LIMITATION.—Not more than a total 

5 of 4,000,000 acres of National Forest System land may 

6 be established as community forest demonstration areas. 

7 (f) RECOGNITION OF VALID AND EXISTING

8 RIGHTS.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit 

9 or restrict— 

10 (1) access to National Forest System land in11 cluded in a community forest demonstration area for 

12 hunting, fishing, and other related purposes; or 

13 (2) valid and existing rights regarding such Na14 tional Forest System land, including rights of any 

15 federally recognized Indian tribe. 

16 SEC. 4. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 

17 (a) APPOINTMENT.—A community forest demonstra18 tion area for a State shall be managed by an Advisory 

19 Committee appointed by the Governor of the State. 

20 (b) COMPOSITION.—The Advisory Committee for a 

21 community forest demonstration area in a State shall in22 clude, but is not limited to, the following members: 

23 (1) One member who holds county or local 

24 elected office, appointed from each county or local 


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1 governmental unit in the State containing commu2 nity forest demonstration area land. 

3 (2) One member who represents the commercial 

4 timber, wood products, or milling industry. 

5 (3) One member who represents persons hold6 ing Federal grazing or other land use permits. 

7 (4) One member who represents recreational 

8 users of National Forest System land. 

9 (c) TERMS.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except in the case of certain 

11 initial appointments required by paragraph (2), 

12 members of an Advisory Committee shall serve for 

13 a term of three years. 

14 (2) INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.—In making initial 

15 appointments to an Advisory Committee, the Gov16 ernor making the appointments shall stagger terms 

17 so that at least one-third of the members will be re18 placed every three years. 

19 (d) COMPENSATION.—Members of a Advisory Com20 mittee shall serve without pay, but may be reimbursed 

21 from the funds made available for the management of a 

22 community forest demonstration area for the actual and 

23 necessary travel and subsistence expenses incurred by 

24 members in the performance of their duties. 


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1 SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNITY FOREST DEM2 ONSTRATION AREAS. 

3 (a) ASSUMPTION OF MANAGEMENT.— 

4 (1) CONFIRMATION.—The Advisory Committee 

5 appointed for a community forest demonstration 

6 area shall assume all management authority with re7 gard to the community forest demonstration area as 

8 soon as the Secretary confirms that— 

9 (A) the National Forest System land to be 

10 included in the community forest demonstration 

11 area meets the requirements of subsections (b) 

12 and (c) of section 3; 

13 (B) the Advisory Committee has been duly 

14 appointed under section 4 and is able to con15 duct business; and 

16 (C) provision has been made for essential 

17 management services for the community forest 

18 demonstration area. 

19 (2) SCOPE AND TIME FOR CONFIRMATION.— 

20 The determination of the Secretary under paragraph 

21 (1) is limited to confirming whether the conditions 

22 specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of such 

23 paragraph have been satisfied. The Secretary shall 

24 make the determination not later than 60 days after 

25 the date of the appointment of the Advisory Com26 mittee. 


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1 (3) EFFECT OF FAILURE TO CONFIRM.—If the 

2 Secretary determines that either or both conditions 

3 specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph 

4 (1) are not satisfied for confirmation of an Advisory 

5 Committee, the Secretary shall— 

6 (A) promptly notify the Governor of the af7 fected State and the Advisory Committee of the 

8 reasons preventing confirmation; and 

9 (B) make a new determination under para10 graph (2) within 60 days after receiving a new 

11 request from the Advisory Committee that ad12 dresses the reasons that previously prevented 

13 confirmation. 

14 (b) MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES.—Upon as15 sumption of management of a community forest dem16 onstration area, the Advisory Committee for the commu17 nity forest demonstration area shall manage the land and 

18 resources of the community forest demonstration area and 

19 the occupancy and use thereof in conformity with this Act, 

20 and to the extent not in conflict with this Act, the laws 

21 and regulations applicable to management of State or pri22 vately owned forest lands in the State in which the com23 munity forest demonstration area is located. 

24 (c) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER FEDERAL LAWS.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The administration and 

2 management of a community forest demonstration 

3 area, including implementing actions, shall not be 

4 considered Federal action and shall be subject to the 

5 following only to the extent that such laws apply to 

6 the State or private administration and management 

7 of forest lands in the State in which the community 

8 forest demonstration area is located: 

9 (A) The Federal Water Pollution Control 

10 Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 note). 

11 (B) The Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et 

12 seq.). 

13 (C) The Endangered Species Act of 1973 

14 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). 

15 (D) Federal laws and regulations gov16 erning procurement by Federal agencies. 

17 (E) Except as provided in paragraph (2), 

18 other Federal laws. 

19 (2) APPLICABILITY OF NATIVE AMERICAN

20 GRAVES PROTECTION AND REPATRIATION ACT.— 

21 Notwithstanding the assumption by an Advisory 

22 Committee of management of a community forest 

23 demonstration area, the Native American Graves 

24 Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3001 et 

25 seq.) shall continue to apply to the National Forest 


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1 System land included in the community forest dem2 onstration area. 

3 (d) CONSULTATION.— 

4 (1) WITH INDIAN TRIBES.—The Advisory Com5 mittee for a community forest demonstration area 

6 shall cooperate and consult with Indian tribes on 

7 management policies and practices for the commu8 nity forest demonstration area that may affect the 

9 Indian tribes. The Advisory Committee shall take 

10 into consideration the use of lands within the com11 munity forest demonstration area for religious and 

12 cultural uses by Native Americans. 

13 (2) WITH COLLABORATIVE GROUPS.—The Advi14 sory Committee for a community forest demonstra15 tion area shall consult with any applicable forest col16 laborative group. 

17 (e) RECREATION.—Nothing in this section shall af18 fect public use and recreation within a community forest 

19 demonstration area. 

20 (f) FIRE MANAGEMENT.—The Secretary shall pro21 vide fire presuppression, suppression, and rehabilitation 

22 services on and with respect to a community forest dem23 onstration area to the same extent generally authorized 

24 in other units of the National Forest System. 


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1 (g) PROHIBITION ON EXPORT.—As a condition on 

2 the sale of timber or other forest products from a commu3 nity forest demonstration area, unprocessed timber har4 vested from a community forest demonstration area may 

5 not be exported in accordance with subpart F of part 223 

6 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations. 

7 SEC. 6. DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS FROM COMMUNITY FOR8 EST DEMONSTRATION AREA. 

9 (a) RETENTION OF FUNDS FOR MANAGEMENT.—The 

10 Advisory Committee appointed for a community forest 

11 demonstration area may retain such sums as the Advisory 

12 Committee considers to be necessary from amounts gen13 erated from that community forest demonstration area to 

14 fund the management, administration, restoration, oper15 ation and maintenance, improvement, repair, and related 

16 expenses incurred with respect to the community forest 

17 demonstration area. 

18 (b) FUNDS TO COUNTIES OR LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL

19 UNITS.—Subject to subsection (a) and section 8, the Advi20 sory Committee for a community forest demonstration 

21 area in a State shall distribute funds generated from that 

22 community forest demonstration area to each county or 

23 local governmental unit in the State in an amount propor24 tional to the funds received by the county or local govern25 mental unit under title I of the Secure Rural Schools and 


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1 Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 

2 7111 et seq.). 

3 SEC. 7. INITIAL FUNDING AUTHORITY. 

4 (a) FUNDING SOURCE.—Counties may use such sum 

5 as the counties consider to be necessary from the amounts 

6 made available to the counties under title I of the Secure 

7 Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 

8 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7111 et seq.) to provide initial funding 

9 for the management of community forest demonstration 

10 areas. 

11 (b) NO RESTRICTION ON USE OF NON-FEDERAL

12 FUNDS.—Nothing in this Act restricts the Advisory Com13 mittee of a community forest demonstration area from 

14 seeking non-Federal loans or other non-Federal funds for 

15 management of the community forest demonstration area. 

16 SEC. 8. PAYMENTS TO UNITED STATES TREASURY. 

17 (a) PAYMENT REQUIREMENT.—As soon as prac18 ticable after the end of the fiscal year in which a commu19 nity forest demonstration area is established and as soon 

20 as practicable after the end of each subsequent fiscal year, 

21 the Advisory Committee for a community forest dem22 onstration area shall make a payment to the United States 

23 Treasury. 

24 (b) PAYMENT AMOUNT.—The payment for a fiscal 

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1 est demonstration area shall be equal to 75 percent of the 

2 quotient obtained by dividing— 

3 (1) the number obtained by multiplying the 

4 number of acres of land in the community forest 

5 demonstration area by the average annual receipts 

6 generated over the preceding 10-fiscal year period 

7 from the unit or units of the National Forest Sys8 tem containing that community forest demonstration 

9 area; by 

10 (2) the total acres of National Forest System 

11 land in that unit or units of the National Forest 

12 System. 

13 SEC. 9. TERMINATION OF COMMUNITY FOREST DEM14 ONSTRATION AREA. 

15 (a) TERMINATION AUTHORITY.—Subject to approval 

16 by the Governor of the State, the Advisory Committee for 

17 a community forest demonstration area may terminate the 

18 community forest demonstration area by a unanimous 

19 vote. 

20 (b) EFFECT OF TERMINATION.—Upon termination of 

21 a community forest demonstration area, the Secretary 

22 shall immediately resume management of the National 

23 Forest System land that had been included in the commu24 nity forest demonstration area, and the Advisory Com25 mittee shall be dissolved. 


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1 (c) TREATMENT OF UNDISTRIBUTED FUNDS.—Any 

2 revenues from the terminated area that remain undistrib3 uted under section 6 more than 30 days after the date 

4 of termination shall be deposited in the general fund of 

5 the Treasury for use by the Forest Service in such 

6 amounts as may be provided in advance in appropriation 

7 Acts. 

Æ 


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