I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3211 
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a Joint Chiefs Landscape 
Restoration Partnership program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 13, 2021 
Mr. NEGUSE (for himself, Mr. ARMSTRONG, and Ms. SPANBERGER) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agri-
culture, 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a Joint 
Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership program, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Joint Chiefs Land-
scape Restoration Partnership Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. JOINT CHIEFS LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PART-
NERSHIP PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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(1) CHIEFS.—The term ‘‘Chiefs’’ means the 
Chief of the Forest Service and the Chief of the 
Natural Resources Conservation Service. 
(2) ELIGIBLE
ACTIVITY.—The term ‘‘eligible 
activity’’ means an activity— 
(A) to reduce the risk of wildfire; 
(B) to protect water quality and supply; or 
(C) to improve wildlife habitat for at-risk 
species. 
(3) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means 
the Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership 
program established under subsection (b)(1). 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(5) WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE.—The term 
‘‘wildland-urban interface’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 101 of the Healthy Forests Res-
toration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511). 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
a Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership 
program to improve the health and resilience of for-
est landscapes across National Forest System land 
and State, Tribal, and private land. 
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(2) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall ad-
minister the program by coordinating eligible activi-
ties conducted on National Forest System land and 
State, Tribal, or private land across a forest land-
scape to improve the health and resilience of the for-
est landscape by— 
(A) assisting producers and landowners in 
implementing eligible activities on eligible pri-
vate or Tribal land using the applicable pro-
grams and authorities administered by the 
Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation 
Service under title XII of the Food Security Act 
of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801 et seq.), not including 
the conservation reserve program established 
under subchapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle D 
of that title (16 U.S.C. 3831 et seq.); and 
(B) conducting eligible activities on Na-
tional Forest System land or assisting land-
owners in implementing eligible activities on 
State, Tribal, or private land using the applica-
ble programs and authorities administered by 
the Chief of the Forest Service. 
(c) SELECTION OF ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—The ap-
propriate Regional Forester and State Conservationist 
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shall jointly submit to the Chiefs on an annual basis pro-
posals for eligible activities under the program. 
(d) EVALUATION CRITERIA.—In evaluating and se-
lecting proposals submitted under subsection (c), the 
Chiefs shall consider— 
(1) criteria including whether the proposal— 
(A) reduces wildfire risk in a municipal 
watershed or the wildland-urban interface; 
(B) was developed through a collaborative 
process with participation from diverse stake-
holders; 
(C) increases forest workforce capacity or 
forest business infrastructure and development; 
(D) leverages existing authorities and non- 
Federal funding; 
(E) provides measurable outcomes; or 
(F) supports established State and re-
gional priorities; and 
(2) such other criteria relating to the merits of 
the proposals as the Chiefs determine to be appro-
priate. 
(e) OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall provide— 
(1) public notice on the websites of the Forest 
Service and the Natural Resources Conservation 
Service describing— 
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(A) the solicitation of proposals under sub-
section (c); and 
(B) the criteria for selecting proposals in 
accordance with subsection (d); and 
(2) information relating to the program and ac-
tivities funded under the program to States, Indian 
Tribes, units of local government, and private land-
owners. 
(f) EXCLUSIONS.—An eligible activity may not be 
carried out under the program— 
(1) in a wilderness area or designated wilder-
ness study area; 
(2) in an inventoried roadless area; 
(3) on any Federal land on which, by Act of 
Congress or Presidential proclamation, the removal 
of vegetation is restricted or prohibited; or 
(4) in an area in which the eligible activity 
would be inconsistent with the applicable land and 
resource management plan. 
(g) ACCOUNTABILITY.— 
(1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to Congress a report providing 
recommendations to Congress relating to the pro-
gram, including a review of— 
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(A) funding mechanisms for the program; 
(B) staff capacity to carry out the pro-
gram; 
(C) privacy laws applicable to the program; 
(D) data collection under the program; 
(E) monitoring and outcomes under the 
program; and 
(F) such other matters as the Secretary 
considers to be appropriate. 
(2) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The Chiefs shall annu-
ally submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutri-
tion, and Forestry and the Committee on Appropria-
tions of the Senate and the Committee on Agri-
culture and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives a report describing 
projects for which funding is provided under the pro-
gram, including the status and outcomes of those 
projects. 
(h) FUNDING.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In 
addition to amounts otherwise available to the Sec-
retary to carry out the program, there is authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the 
program $90,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 
through 2030. 
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(2) DURATION OF AVAILABILITY.—Funds made 
available under paragraph (1) shall remain available 
until expended. 
(3) DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.—Of the funds 
made available under paragraph (1)— 
(A) not less than 40 percent shall be allo-
cated to carry out eligible activities through the 
Natural Resources Conservation Service; 
(B) not less than 40 percent shall be allo-
cated to carry out eligible activities through the 
Forest Service; and 
(C) the remaining funds shall be allocated 
by the Chiefs to the Natural Resources Con-
servation Service or the Forest Service— 
(i) to carry out eligible activities; or 
(ii) for other purposes, such as tech-
nical assistance, project development, or 
local capacity building. 
Æ 
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