cable land management agency prior to conducting 
an analysis under the National Environmental Policy 
Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) to address hazardous 
fuels in 1 or more giant sequoia groves. 
(8) PROTECTION PROJECT.—The term ‘‘Protec-
tion Project’’ means a Giant Sequoia Protection 
Project carried out under section 6. 
(9) REFORESTATION.—The term ‘‘reforestation’’ 
means the act of renewing tree cover, taking into con-
sideration species composition and resilience, by es-
tablishing young trees through natural regeneration, 
artificial or natural regeneration with site prepara-
tion, planting or direct seeding, or vegetation com-
petition control following artificial or natural regen-
eration. 
(10) REHABILITATION.—The term ‘‘rehabilita-
tion’’ means any action taken during the 5-year pe-
riod beginning on the last day of a wildland fire to 
repair or improve fire-impacted lands which are un-
likely to recover to management-approved conditions. 
(11) RELEVANT CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.— 
The 
term 
‘‘relevant 
Congressional 
Committees’’ 
means— 
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(A) the Committees on Natural Resources, 
Agriculture, and Appropriations of the House of 
Representatives; and 
(B) the Committees on Energy and Natural 
Resources, Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, 
and Appropriations of the Senate. 
(12) RESPONSIBLE
OFFICIAL.—The term ‘‘re-
sponsible official’’ means an employee of the Depart-
ment of the Interior or Forest Service who has the au-
thority to make and implement a decision on a pro-
posed action. 
(13) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(14) SECRETARY CONCERNED.—The term ‘‘Sec-
retary concerned’’ means— 
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with re-
spect to covered National Forest System lands, or 
their designee; and 
(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with re-
spect to covered public lands, or their designee. 
(15) STRATEGY.—The term ‘‘Strategy’’ means 
the Giant Sequoia Reforestation and Rehabilitation 
Strategy established under section 7. 
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(16) STRIKE TEAM.—The term ‘‘Strike Team’’ 
means a Giant Sequoia Strike Team established 
under section 8. 
(17) TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Tribe’’ means the Tule 
River Indian Tribe of the Tule River Reservation, 
California. 
SEC. 3. SHARED STEWARDSHIP AGREEMENT FOR GIANT SE-
QUOIAS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after receiv-
ing a request from the Governor of the State of California 
or the Tribe, the Secretary shall enter into or expand an 
existing shared stewardship agreement or enter into a simi-
lar agreement with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Gov-
ernor of the State of California, and the Tribe to jointly 
carry out the short-term and long-term management and 
conservation of giant sequoias. 
(b) PARTICIPATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary has not re-
ceived a request from the Governor of the State of 
California or the Tribe under subsection (a) before the 
date that is 90 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall enter into the agreement 
under subsection (a) and jointly implement such 
agreement with the Secretary of Agriculture. 
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(2) FUTURE
PARTICIPATION.—If the Secretary 
receives a request from the Governor of the State of 
California or the Tribe any time after entering into 
the agreement with the Secretary of Agriculture under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall accept the Gov-
ernor of the State of California or the Tribe as a 
party to such agreement. 
SEC. 4. GIANT SEQUOIA LANDS COALITION. 
(a) CODIFICATION.—The Coalition is the entity estab-
lished under the charter titled ‘‘Giant Sequoia Lands Coali-
tion Charter’’ (or successor charter) signed during the pe-
riod beginning June 2, 2022 and ending August 2, 2022 
by each of the following: 
(1) The National Park Service, representing Se-
quoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. 
(2) The National Park Service, representing Yo-
semite National Park. 
(3) The Forest Service, representing Sequoia Na-
tional Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument. 
(4) The Forest Service, representing Sierra Na-
tional Forest. 
(5) The Forest Service, representing Tahoe Na-
tional Forest. 
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(6) The Bureau of Land Management, rep-
resenting Case Mountain Extensive Recreation Man-
agement Area. 
(7) The Tribe, representing the Tule River In-
dian Reservation. 
(8) 
The 
State 
of 
California, 
representing 
Calaveras Big Trees State Park. 
(9) The State of California, representing Moun-
tain Home Demonstration State Forest. 
(10) The University of California, Berkeley, rep-
resenting Whitaker’s Research Forest. 
(11) The County of Tulare, California, rep-
resenting Balch Park. 
(b) DUTIES.—In addition to the duties specified in the 
charter referenced in subsection (a), the Coalition shall— 
(1) produce the Assessment under section 5; 
(2) observe implementation, and provide policy 
recommendations to the Secretary concerned, with re-
spect to— 
(A) Protection Projects carried out under 
section 6; and 
(B) the Strategy established under section 7; 
(3) facilitate collaboration and coordination on 
Protection Projects, particularly projects that cross 
jurisdictional boundaries; 
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(4) facilitate information sharing, including best 
available science as described in section 5(c) and 
mapping resources; and 
(5) support the development and dissemination 
of educational materials and programs that inform 
the public about the threats to the health and resil-
iency of giant sequoia groves and actions being taken 
to reduce the risk to such groves from high-severity 
wildfire, insects, and drought. 
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, TECHNICAL SERVICES, 
AND STAFF SUPPORT.—The Secretary shall make personnel 
of the Department of the Interior available to the Coalition 
for administrative support, technical services, development 
and dissemination of educational materials, and staff sup-
port that the Secretary determines necessary to carry out 
this section. 
SEC. 5. GIANT SEQUOIA HEALTH AND RESILIENCY ASSESS-
MENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Coalition shall submit 
to the relevant Congressional Committees a Giant Sequoia 
Health and Resiliency Assessment that, based on the best 
available science— 
(1) identifies— 
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ried out under section 6, giving priority to projects 
located on lands identified under subparagraphs (B) 
and (C) of subsection (a)(1); 
(4) examines how historical, Tribal, or current 
approaches to wildland fire suppression and forest 
management activities across various jurisdictions 
have impacted the health and resiliency of giant se-
quoia groves with respect to— 
(A) high-severity wildfires; 
(B) insects, including beetle kill; and 
(C) drought; and 
(5) includes program and policy recommenda-
tions that address— 
(A) Federal and State policies that impede 
activities to improve the health and resiliency of 
giant sequoias and proposed policy changes to 
address such impediments; 
(B) new Federal and State policies nec-
essary to increase the pace and scale of treat-
ments that improve the health and resiliency of 
giant sequoias; 
(C) options to enhance communication, co-
ordination, and collaboration, particularly for 
cross-boundary projects, to improve the health 
and resiliency of giant sequoias; and 
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(D) research gaps that should be addressed 
to improve the best available science on the giant 
sequoias. 
(b) ANNUAL UPDATES.—Not later than 1 year after 
the submission of the Assessment under subsection (a), and 
annually thereafter, the Coalition shall submit an updated 
Assessment to the relevant Congressional Committees that— 
(1) includes any new data, information, or best 
available science that has changed or become available 
since the previous Assessment was submitted; 
(2) with respect to Protection Projects— 
(A) includes information on the number of 
Protection Projects initiated the previous year 
and the estimated timeline for completing those 
projects; 
(B) includes information on the number of 
Protection Projects planned in the upcoming 
year and the estimated timeline for completing 
those projects; 
(C) provides status updates and long-term 
monitoring reports on giant sequoia groves after 
the completion of Protection Projects; 
(D) if the Secretary concerned failed to re-
duce hazardous fuels in at least 3 giant sequoia 
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groves in the previous year, a written expla-
nation that includes— 
(i) a detailed explanation of what im-
pediments resulted in failing to reduce haz-
ardous fuels in at least 3 giant sequoia 
groves; 
(ii) a detailed explanation of what ac-
tions the Secretary concerned is taking to 
ensure that hazardous fuels are reduced in 
at least 3 giant sequoia groves the following 
year; and 
(iii) recommendations to Congress on 
any policies that need to be changed to as-
sist the Secretary concerned in reducing 
hazardous fuels in giant sequoia groves; and 
(3) with respect to reforestation and rehabilita-
tion of giant sequoias— 
(A) contains updates on the implementation 
of the Strategy under section 7, including grove- 
level data on reforestation and rehabilitation ac-
tivities; and 
(B) provides status updates and monitoring 
reports on giant sequoia groves that have experi-
enced natural or artificial regeneration as part 
of the Strategy under section 7. 
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(c) DASHBOARD.— 
(1) REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN.—The Coalition 
shall create and maintain a website that— 
(A) publishes the Assessment, annual up-
dates to the Assessment, and other educational 
materials developed by the Coalition; 
(B) contains searchable information about 
individual giant sequoia groves, including the— 
(i) resiliency of such groves to threats 
described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of sub-
section (a); 
(ii) Protection Projects that have been 
proposed, initiated, or completed in such 
groves; and 
(iii) reforestation and rehabilitation 
activities that have been proposed, initiated, 
or completed in such groves; and 
(C) maintains a searchable database to 
track— 
(i) the status of Federal environmental 
reviews and authorizations for specific Pro-
tection Projects and reforestation and reha-
bilitation activities; and 
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(ii) the projected cost of Protection 
Projects and reforestation and rehabilita-
tion activities. 
(2) SEARCHABLE
DATABASE.—The Coalition 
shall include information on the status of Protection 
Projects in the searchable database created under 
paragraph (1)(C), including— 
(A) a comprehensive permitting timetable; 
(B) the status of the compliance of each lead 
agency, cooperating agency, and participating 
agency with the permitting timetable; 
(C) any modifications of the permitting 
timetable required under subparagraph (A), in-
cluding an explanation as to why the permitting 
timetable was modified; and 
(D) information about project-related public 
meetings, public hearings, and public comment 
periods, which shall be presented in English and 
the predominant language of the community or 
communities most affected by the project, as that 
information becomes available. 
(d) BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE.—In utilizing the best 
available science for the Assessment, the Coalition shall in-
clude— 
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(1) data and peer-reviewed research from aca-
demic institutions with a demonstrated history of 
studying giant sequoias and with experience ana-
lyzing distinct management strategies to improve 
giant sequoia resiliency; 
(2) traditional ecological knowledge from the 
Tribe related to improving the health and resiliency 
of giant sequoia groves; and 
(3) data from Federal, State, Tribal, and local 
governments or agencies. 
(e) TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS.—In carrying out 
this section, the Secretary may enter into memorandums 
of understanding or agreements with other Federal agencies 
or departments, State or local governments, Tribal govern-
ments, private entities, or academic institutions to improve, 
with respect to the Assessment, the use and integration of— 
(1) advanced remote sensing and geospatial tech-
nologies; 
(2) statistical modeling and analysis; or 
(3) any other technology the Secretary deter-
mines will benefit the quality of information used in 
the Assessment. 
(f) PLANNING.—The Coalition shall make information 
from this Assessment available to the Secretary concerned 
and State of California to integrate into the— 
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(1) State of California’s Wildfire and Forest Re-
silience Action Plan; 
(2) Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis 
Strategy (or successor plan); and 
(3) Department of the Interior’s Wildfire Risk 
Five-Year Monitoring, Maintenance, and Treatment 
Plan (or successor plan). 
(g) RELATION
TO
THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL 
POLICY ACT OF 1969.—The development and submission of 
the Assessment under subsection (a) shall not be subject to 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.). 
SEC. 6. GIANT SEQUOIA EMERGENCY RESPONSE. 
(a) EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO PROTECT GIANT SE-
QUOIAS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
(A) EMERGENCY
DETERMINATION.—Con-
gress determines that— 
(i) an emergency exists on covered pub-
lic lands and covered National Forest Sys-
tem lands that makes it necessary to carry 
out Protection Projects that take needed ac-
tions to respond to the threat of wildfires, 
insects, and drought to giant sequoias; and 
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(ii) Protection Projects are necessary to 
control the immediate impacts of the emer-
gency described in clause (i) and are needed 
to mitigate harm to life, property, or im-
portant natural or cultural resources on 
covered public lands and covered National 
Forest System lands. 
(B) APPLICATION.—The emergency deter-
mination established under subparagraph (A) 
shall apply to all covered public lands and cov-
ered National Forest System lands. 
(C) EXPIRATION.—The emergency deter-
mination established under subparagraph (A) 
shall expire on the date that is 7 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) IMPLEMENTATION.—While the emergency de-
termination established under subsection (a) is in ef-
fect, the following shall apply: 
(A) The following shall have the force and 
effect of law: 
(i) Section 220.4(b) of title 36, Code of 
Federal Regulations (as in effect July 21, 
2022), with respect to covered National For-
est System lands. 
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(ii) Section 46.150 of title 43, Code of 
Federal Regulations (as in effect October 12, 
2022), with respect to covered public lands. 
(iii) Section 402.05 of title 50, Code of 
Federal Regulations (as in effect July 21, 
2022), with respect to covered National For-
est System lands and covered public lands. 
(iv) Section 800.12 of title 36, Code of 
Federal Regulations (as in effect July 21, 
2022), with respect to covered National For-
est System lands and covered public lands. 
(B) A responsible official may carry out a 
Protection Project described by paragraph (4) be-
fore initiating— 
(i) an analysis under section 102 of 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332); 
(ii) consultation under section 7 of the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 
1536); and 
(iii) consultation under section 106 of 
the National Historic Preservation Act (16 
U.S.C. 470(f)). 
(C) The rules established under subsections 
(d) and (e) section 40807 of the Infrastructure 
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Investment and Jobs Act (16 U.S.C. 6592c(d) 
and (e)) shall apply with respect to Protection 
Projects by substituting ‘‘Protection Projects’’ for 
‘‘authorized emergency action under this section’’ 
each place it appears in such subsections. 
(D) Protection Projects shall be subject to 
the requirements of section 106 of title I of the 
Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 
U.S.C. 6511 et seq.). 
(3) PROTECTION PROJECTS.—The responsible of-
ficial shall carry out the following forest management 
activities, consistent with applicable grove-specific 
hazardous fuels reduction plans or activities rec-
ommend by the Assessment under section 5, as Protec-
tion Projects under the emergency determination 
under this section: 
(A) Conducting hazardous fuels manage-
ment, including mechanical thinning, mastica-
tion, and prescribed burning. 
(B) Removing hazard trees, dead trees, 
dying trees, or trees at risk of dying, as deter-
mined by the responsible official. 
(C) Removing trees to address overstocking 
or crowding in a forest stand, consistent with the 
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appropriate basal area of the forest stand as de-
termined by the responsible official. 
(D) Activities included in the applicable 
grove-specific hazardous fuels reduction plan. 
(E) Using chemical treatments to address 
insects and disease and control vegetation com-
petition. 
(F) Any combination of activities described 
in this paragraph. 
(4) REQUIREMENTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Protection Projects car-
ried out under paragraph (3) and reforestation 
and rehabilitation activities carried out under 
this Act that are described by subparagraph (D) 
are a category of actions hereby designated as 
being categorically excluded from the prepara-
tion of an environmental assessment or an envi-
ronmental impact statement under section 102 of 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4332). 
(B) AVAILABILITY.—The Secretary con-
cerned shall use the categorical exclusion estab-
lished under subparagraph (A) in accordance 
with this section. 
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(C) INTERAGENCY COOPERATION.—Congress 
finds that Protection Projects carried out under 
this section are consistent with improving the 
health and resiliency of critical habitat for 
threatened and endangered species, including the 
Pacific fisher and California spotted owl. 
(D) REQUIREMENTS.—A Protection Project 
or reforestation or rehabilitation activity is de-
scribed by this subparagraph if such Protection 
Project or reforestation or rehabilitation activ-
ity— 
(i) covers an area of no more than— 
(I) 2,000 acres within giant se-
quoia groves where a grove-specific 
hazardous fuels reduction plan has 
been developed by the relevant land 
management agency or on lands iden-
tified under section 5(a)(1)(B); and 
(II) 3,000 acres on lands identi-
fied under section 5(a)(1)(C); and 
(ii) was— 
(I) proposed by the Assessment 
under section 5(a)(3); 
(II) developed through a collabo-
rative process; or 
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