Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2023

To require the Secretary of the Interior to partner and collaborate with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address Rapid Ohia Death, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2023 2. Findings Congress finds that— (1) the fungus Ceratocystis, known as Rapid Ohia Death (2) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service and the Administrator of the Agricultural Research Service, has provided funding and staff— (A) to identify and detect Rapid Ohia Death; (B) to prevent the spread of Rapid Ohia Death; (C) to identify Ohia trees that are resistant to Rapid Ohia Death; and (D) to propagate trees that are resistant to Rapid Ohia Death in order to restore the native forests of the State. 3. Definitions In this Act: (1) Rapid Ohia Death The term Rapid Ohia Death (2) State The term State 4. Collaboration The Secretary of the Interior shall partner and collaborate with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State to address Rapid Ohia Death. 5. Sustained efforts (a) Transmission The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Geological Survey, shall continue to conduct research on Rapid Ohia Death vectors and transmission. (b) Ungulate management The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, shall continue to partner with the State and with local stakeholders to manage ungulates in Rapid Ohia Death control areas on Federal, State, and private land. (c) Restoration and research The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall continue to provide— (1) financial assistance, including to the Secretary of the Interior— (A) to prevent the spread of Rapid Ohia Death; and (B) to restore the native forests of the State; and (2) staff and necessary infrastructure funding to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry to conduct research on Rapid Ohia Death. 6. Authorization of appropriations For each of fiscal years 2024 through 2034, there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 to carry out this Act, including for activities carried out by the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, or both.

Summary: Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2023 This bill establishes requirements to research and control the fungus Ceratocystis, known as Rapid Ohia Death, which has killed more than a million native trees in Hawaii. Specifically, the Department of the Interior must partner with the Department of Agriculture and Hawaii to control and address the fungus. In addition, the U.S. Geological Survey must continue to research Rapid Ohia Death vectors and transmission. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must continue to partner with Hawaii and local stakeholders to manage ungulates (e.g., certain mammals such as deer) in Rapid Ohia Death control areas on federal, state, and private land. Finally, the Forest Service must continue to provide (1) financial assistance to prevent the spread of the fungus and to restore the native forests of Hawaii, and (2) staff and necessary infrastructure funding to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry to research the fungus.