‘‘(4) CONDITIONS FOR ELIGIBLE PRIVATE FOR-
EST LAND.—Private forest land identified for con-
servation using the criteria established under para-
graph (2)(A) shall be land that— 
‘‘(A) is located in a State in which less 
than 25 percent of the land is owned by the 
United States; and 
‘‘(B) as determined by the State forester, 
in consultation with the Committee and subject 
to the approval of the Secretary— 
‘‘(i) is located in an area that is af-
fected, or threatened to be affected, by sig-
nificant suburban sprawl, taking into ac-
count housing needs in the area; and 
‘‘(ii) is threatened by present or fu-
ture conversion to nonforest use. 
‘‘(d) GRANT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) GRANTS
FOR
ELIGIBLE
PROJECTS.—In 
carrying out the program, the Secretary shall award 
competitive grants to eligible entities to carry out el-
igible projects. 
‘‘(2) PUBLIC ACCESS.—Eligible entities are en-
couraged to provide public access to land on which 
an eligible project is carried out, consistent with 
State law and preexisting access agreements.
‘‘(e) APPLICATION AND STEWARDSHIP PLAN.— 
‘‘(1) SUBMISSION.—An eligible entity that seeks 
to receive a grant under the program shall submit 
to the State forester— 
‘‘(A) at such time and in such form as the 
Secretary shall prescribe, an application for the 
grant (including a description of any private 
forest land to be conserved using funds from 
the grant and a description of the extent of the 
threat of conversion to nonforest use); and 
‘‘(B) a stewardship plan that describes— 
‘‘(i) the manner in which any private 
forest land to be conserved using funds 
from the grant will be managed in accord-
ance with this section; 
‘‘(ii) the manner in which the stew-
ardship plan will be implemented; and 
‘‘(iii) the public benefits, including 
economic and noneconomic benefits, to be 
achieved from implementation of the stew-
ardship plan. 
‘‘(2) ASSESSMENT OF NEED.—With respect to 
an application submitted under paragraph (1)(A), 
the State forester shall—
‘‘(A) assess the need for preserving work-
ing suburban forest land and open space and 
containing suburban sprawl in the State, taking 
into account the housing needs of the area in 
which the eligible project is to be carried out; 
and 
‘‘(B) submit the application and the as-
sessment of need to the Secretary. 
‘‘(f) REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—As soon as practicable 
after the date on which the Secretary receives an ap-
plication under subsection (e), or a resubmission of 
an application under subparagraph (B), the Sec-
retary shall review the application and— 
‘‘(A) award a grant to the applicant; or 
‘‘(B) disapprove the application and pro-
vide the applicant with a statement that de-
scribes the reasons why the application was dis-
approved and specifies a deadline by which the 
applicant may resubmit the application under 
this subsection. 
‘‘(2) CONSIDERATIONS; PRIORITY.—In award-
ing grants under the program, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) consider the need for the eligible 
project based on the assessment of need sub-
mitted under subsection (e)(2) and subject to 
the criteria established under subsection (c); 
and 
‘‘(B) give priority to applicants that pro-
pose to fund eligible projects that promote— 
‘‘(i) the preservation of suburban for-
est land and open space; 
‘‘(ii) the containment of suburban 
sprawl; 
‘‘(iii) the sustainable management of 
private forest land; 
‘‘(iv) community involvement in deter-
mining the objectives for eligible projects 
that are funded under this section; 
‘‘(v) primary and secondary value- 
added forest products industries and em-
ployment; 
‘‘(vi) the protection of water, wildlife, 
scenic and recreational resources; and 
‘‘(vii) the protection of forestlands 
recognized as conservation priorities within 
Federal, regional, State, or local water-
shed, open space, or other resource protec-
tion plans. 
‘‘(g) COST SHARING.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The amount of a grant 
awarded under the program to carry out an eligible 
project shall not exceed 50 percent of the total cost 
of the eligible project. 
‘‘(2) ASSURANCES.—As a condition of receipt of 
a grant under the program, an eligible entity shall 
provide to the Secretary such assurances as the Sec-
retary determines are sufficient to demonstrate that 
the share of the cost of each eligible project that is 
not funded by the grant awarded under this section 
has been secured. 
‘‘(3) FORM.—The share of the cost of carrying 
out any eligible project that is not funded by a grant 
awarded under the program may be provided in cash 
or in kind (including a donation of land). 
‘‘(h) USE OF GRANT FUNDS FOR PURCHASES OF 
LAND OR EASEMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) PURCHASES.— 
‘‘(A) 
PURCHASE
AT
FAIR
MARKET 
VALUE.—Except as provided in subparagraph 
(B), funds made available, and grants awarded, 
under the program may be used to purchase 
private forest land or interests in private forest 
land (including conservation easements) only 
from willing sellers at fair market value.