Good Neighbor Forestry Act

To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with State foresters authorizing State foresters to provide certain forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration and protection services. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Good Neighbor Forestry Act 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Eligible state The term eligible State (2) Secretary The term Secretary (A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to National Forest System land; or (B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to Bureau of Land Management land. (3) State forester The term State forester 3. Cooperative agreements and contracts (a) In general The Secretary may enter into a cooperative agreement or contract (including a sole source contract) with a State forester to authorize the State forester to provide the forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration, management, and protection services described in subsection (b) on National Forest System land or Bureau of Land Management land, as applicable, in the eligible State. (b) Authorized services The forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration, management, and protection services referred to in this section include the conduct of— (1) activities to treat insect-infected forests; (2) activities to reduce hazardous fuels; (3) activities involving commercial harvesting or other mechanical vegetation treatments; or (4) any other activities to restore or improve forest, rangeland, and watershed health, including fish and wildlife habitat (c) State as agent Except as provided in subsection (f), a cooperative agreement or contract entered into under subsection (a) may authorize the State forester to serve as the agent for the Secretary in providing the restoration, management, and protection services authorized under subsection (a). (d) Subcontracts In accordance with applicable contract procedures for the eligible State, a State forester may enter into subcontracts to provide the restoration, management, and protection services authorized under a cooperative agreement or contract entered into under subsection (a). (e) Timber sales Subsections (d) and (g) of section 14 of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 ( 16 U.S.C. 472a (f) Retention of NEPA responsibilities Any decision required to be made under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. (g) Applicable law The restoration, management, and protection services to be provided under this Act shall be carried out on a project-to-project basis under existing authorities of the Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management, as applicable.

Summary: Good Neighbor Forestry Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), with respect to National Forest System land, and the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, to enter into cooperative agreements and contracts with state foresters to provide forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration, management, and protection services that include: (1) activities to treat insect infected forests; (2) activities to reduce hazardous fuels; (3) activities involving commercial harvesting or other mechanical vegetation treatments; or (4) any other activities to restore or improve forest, rangeland, and watershed health, including fish and wildlife habitat. Permits state foresters to enter into subcontracts to provide such restoration, management, and protection services.