(1) RESPONSIBILITY OF SECRETARY.—The Sec-
retary concerned shall be responsible for carrying
out projects approved by the Secretary under this
section. The Secretary concerned shall carry out the
projects in compliance with all Federal laws (includ-
ing the Act of March 3, 1931, commonly known as
the Davis-Bacon Act) and all Federal rules, regula-
tions, and policies and in the same manner as
projects of the same kind that originate with the
Secretary.
(2) COOPERATION.—The Secretary concerned
may enter into contracts and cooperative agreements
with States and local governments, private and non-
profit entities, and landowners and other persons to
assist the Secretary in carrying out an approved
project.
(3) 
BEST
VALUE
STEWARDSHIP
CON-
TRACTING.—Subject to paragraph (1), to enter into
a contract authorized by paragraph (2), the Sec-
retary concerned may use a contracting method that
secures, for the best price, the best quality service,
as determined by the Secretary based upon the fol-
lowing:
(A) The technical demands and complexity
of the work to be done.
(B) The ecological sensitivity of the re-
sources being treated.
(C) The past experience by the contractor
with the type of work being done, using the
type of equipment proposed for the project, and
meeting or exceeding desired ecological condi-
tions.
(D) The use by the contractor of low value
species and byproducts.
(E) The commitment of the contractor to
hiring highly qualified workers and local resi-
dents.
(g) TIME FOR COMMENCEMENT.—
(1) 
PROJECTS
FUNDED
USING
PROJECT
FUNDS.—If an approved project is to be funded in
whole or in part using project funds to be provided
by a participating county or counties, the Secretary
concerned shall commence the project as soon as
practicable after the receipt of the project funds pur-
suant to section 206 from the county.
(2) PROJECTS
FUNDED
USING
SPECIAL
AC-
COUNTS.—If an approved project is to be funded
using amounts from a special account in lieu of any
project funds, the Secretary concerned shall com-
mence the project as soon as practicable after the
approval decision is made.
SEC. 205. LOCAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE OF LOCAL ADVI-
SORY COMMITTEES.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Except as provided in
paragraph (2), the Secretary concerned shall estab-
lish and maintain, for each unit of Federal lands, a
local advisory committee to review projects proposed
by participating counties and to recommend projects
to participating counties.
(2) COMBINATION OR DIVISION OF UNITS.—The
Secretary concerned may, at the Secretary’s sole dis-
cretion, combine or divide units of Federal lands for
the purpose of establishing local advisory commit-
tees.
(b) APPOINTMENT BY THE SECRETARY.—
(1) APPOINTMENT AND TERM.—The Secretary
concerned shall appoint the members of local advi-
sory committees for a term of 2 years beginning on
the date of appointment. The Secretary concerned
may reappoint members to subsequent 2-year terms.
(2) BASIC
REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary
concerned shall ensure that each local advisory com-
mittee established by the Secretary meets the re-
quirements of subsection (c).
(3) INITIAL
APPOINTMENT.—The Secretary
concerned shall make initial appointments to the
local advisory committees not later than 120 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(4) VACANCIES.—The Secretary concerned shall
make appointments to fill vacancies on any local ad-
visory committee as soon as practicable after the va-
cancy has occurred.
(5) COMPENSATION.—Members of the local ad-
visory committees shall not receive any compensa-
tion.
(c) COMPOSITION OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—
(1) NUMBER.—Each local advisory committee
shall be comprised of 15 members.
(2) COMMUNITY INTERESTS REPRESENTED.—
Each local advisory committee shall have at least
one member representing each of the following:
(A) Local resource users.
(B) Environmental interests.
(C) Forest workers.
(D) Organized labor representatives.
(E) Elected county officials.
(F) School officials or teachers.
(3) GEOGRAPHIC
DISTRIBUTION.—To the ex-
tent practicable, the members of a local advisory
committee shall be drawn from throughout the area
covered by the committee.
(4) CHAIRPERSON.—A majority on each local
advisory committee shall select the chairperson of
the committee.
(d) APPROVAL PROCEDURES.—
(1) ISSUANCE.—Not later than 90 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secre-
taries concerned shall jointly issue the approval pro-
cedures that each local advisory committee must use
in order to ensure that a local advisory committee
only approves projects that are broadly supported by
the committee. The Secretaries shall publish the pro-
cedures in the Federal Register.
(2) 
TREATMENT
OF
PROCEDURES.—The
issuance and content of the procedures issued under
paragraph (1) shall not be subject to administrative
appeal or judicial review. Nothing in this paragraph
shall affect the responsibility of local advisory com-
mittees to comply with the procedures.
(e) OTHER COMMITTEE AUTHORITIES
AND RE-
QUIREMENTS.—
(1) STAFF ASSISTANCE.—A local advisory com-
mittee may submit to the Secretary concerned a re-
quest for staff assistance from Federal employees
under the jurisdiction of the Secretary.
(2) MEETINGS.—All meetings of a local advi-
sory committee shall be announced at least one week
in advance in a local newspaper of record and shall
be open to the public.
(3) RECORDS.—A local advisory committee
shall maintain records of the meetings of the com-
mittee and make the records available for public in-
spection.
(f) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT EXEMP-
TION.—The local advisory committees shall be exempt
from the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee
Act (5 U.S.C. App.).
SEC. 206. USE OF PROJECT FUNDS.
(a) AGREEMENT REGARDING SCHEDULE AND COST
OF PROJECT.—
(1) AGREEMENT BETWEEN PARTIES.—As soon
as practicable after the approval of a project by the
Secretary concerned under section 204, the Sec-
retary concerned and the chief administrative official
of the participating county (or one such official rep-
resenting a group of participating counties) shall
enter into an agreement addressing, at a minimum,
the following with respect to the project:
(A) The schedule for completing the
project.
(B) The total cost of the project, including
the level of agency overhead to be assessed
against the project.
(C) For a multi-year project, the estimated
cost of the project for each of the fiscal years
in which it will be carried out.
(D) The remedies for the participating
county or counties for the failure of the Sec-
retary concerned to comply with the terms of
the agreement.
(2) LIMITED USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS.—The
Secretary concerned may decide, at the Secretary’s
sole discretion, to cover the costs of a portion of an
approved project using Federal funds appropriated
or otherwise available to the Secretary for the same
purposes as the project.
(b) TRANSFER OF PROJECT FUNDS.—
(1) INITIAL TRANSFER REQUIRED.—As soon as
practicable after the agreement is reached under
subsection (a) with regard to a project to be funded
in whole or in part using project funds, the partici-
pating county or counties that are parties to the
agreement shall transfer to the Secretary concerned
an amount of project funds equal to—
(A) in the case of a project to be completed
in a single fiscal year, the total amount speci-
fied in the agreement to be paid by the county
or counties; or
(B) in the case of a multi-year project, the
amount specified in the agreement to be paid by
the county or counties for the first fiscal year.
(2) 
CONDITION
ON
PROJECT
COMMENCE-
MENT.—The Secretary concerned shall not com-
mence a project pursuant to section 204(g)(1) until
the project funds required to be transferred under
paragraph (1) for the project have been received by
the Secretary.
(3) SUBSEQUENT TRANSFERS FOR MULTI-YEAR
PROJECTS.—For the second and subsequent fiscal
years of a multi-year project to be funded in whole
or in part using project funds, the participating
county or counties shall transfer to the Secretary
concerned the amount of project funds required to
continue the project in that fiscal year according to
the agreement entered into under subsection (a).
The Secretary concerned shall suspend work on the
project if the county fails to transfer the required
amounts as required by the agreement.
(4) 
SPECIAL
RULE
FOR
WORK
CAMP
PROJECTS.—In the case of a project described in
section 203(d)(3) and approved under section 204,
the agreement required by subsection (a) shall speci-
fy the manner in which a participating county that
is a party to the agreement may retain project funds
to cover the costs of the project.
(c) AVAILABILITY
OF
TRANSFERRED
FUNDS.—
Project funds transferred to the Secretary concerned
under this section shall remain available until the project
is completed.
SEC. 207. DURATION OF AVAILABILITY OF A COUNTY’S
PROJECT FUNDS.
(a) SUBMISSION OF PROPOSED PROJECTS TO OBLI-
GATE FUNDS.—By the end of each of the fiscal years
2003 through 2009, a participating county shall submit
to the Secretary concerned pursuant to section 203(a)(1)
a sufficient number of project proposals that, if approved,
would result in the obligation of at least the full amount
of the project funds the county received under title I in
the second preceding fiscal year.
(b) TRANSFER OF UNOBLIGATED FUNDS.—If a par-
ticipating county fails to comply with subsection (a) for
a fiscal year, any project funds that the county received
in the second preceding fiscal year and remaining unobli-
gated shall be returned to the Secretary of the Treasury
for disposition as provided in subsection (c).
(c) DISPOSITION OF RETURNED FUNDS.—
(1) DEPOSIT IN SPECIAL ACCOUNTS.—In the
case of project funds returned under subsection (b)
in fiscal year 2004, 2005, or 2006, the Secretary of
the Treasury shall deposit the funds in the appro-
priate special account.
(2) DEPOSIT IN GENERAL FUND.—After fiscal
year 2006, the Secretary of the Treasury shall de-
posit returned project funds in the general fund of
the Treasury.
(d) EFFECT OF REJECTION OF PROJECTS.—Not-
withstanding subsection (b), any project funds of a partici-
pating county that are unobligated at the end of a fiscal
year because the Secretary concerned has rejected one or
more proposed projects shall be available for the county
to expend in the same manner as the funds reserved by
the county under section 102(d)(1)(A) or 103(d)(1),
whichever applies to the funds involved. The project funds
covered by this subsection shall remain available until ex-
pended.
(e) EFFECT OF COURT ORDERS.—
(1) 
PROJECTS
FUNDED
USING
PROJECT
FUNDS.—If an approved project is enjoined or pro-
hibited by a Federal court after funds for the project
are transferred to the Secretary concerned under
section 206, the Secretary concerned shall return
any unobligated project funds related to that project
to the participating county or counties that trans-
ferred the funds. The returned funds shall be avail-
able for the county to expend in the same manner
as the funds reserved by the county under section
102(d)(1)(A) or 103(d)(1), whichever applies to the
funds involved. The funds shall remain available
until expended and shall be exempt from the require-
ments of subsection (b).
(2) PROJECTS
FUNDED
USING
SPECIAL
AC-
COUNTS.—If an approved project is enjoined or pro-
hibited by a Federal court after funds from a special
account have been reserved for the project under
section 208, the Secretary concerned shall treat the
funds in the same manner as revenues described in
section 208(a).
SEC. 208. TREATMENT OF FUNDS GENERATED BY LOCALLY
INITIATED PROJECTS.
(a) PAYMENT TO SECRETARY.—Any and all revenues
generated from a project carried out in whole or in part
using project funds or funds from a special account shall
be paid to the Secretary concerned.
(b) DEPOSIT.—Notwithstanding any other provision
of law, the Secretary concerned shall deposit the revenues
described in subsection (a) as follows:
(1) Through fiscal year 2006, the revenues
shall be deposited in the appropriate special account
as provided in subsection (c).
(2) After fiscal year 2006, the revenues shall be
deposited in the general fund of the Treasury.
(c) REGIONAL AND BLM SPECIAL ACCOUNTS.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in
the Treasury an account for each region of the For-
est Service and an account for the Bureau of Land
Management. The accounts shall consist of the fol-
lowing:
(A) Revenues described in subsection (a)
and deposited pursuant to subsection (b)(1).
(B) Project funds deposited pursuant to
section 207(c)(1).
(C) Interest earned on amounts in the spe-
cial accounts.
(2) REQUIRED
DEPOSIT
IN
FOREST
SERVICE
ACCOUNTS.—If the revenue-generating project was
carried out in whole or in part using project funds
that were reserved pursuant to section 102(d)(1)(B),
the revenues shall be deposited in the account estab-
lished under paragraph (1) for the Forest Service
region in which the project was conducted.
(3) REQUIRED DEPOSIT IN BLM ACCOUNT.—If
the revenue-generating project was carried out in
whole or in part using project funds that were re-
served pursuant to section 103(d)(2), the revenues
shall be deposited in the account established under
paragraph (1) for the Bureau of Land Management.
(4) PROJECTS CONDUCTED USING SPECIAL AC-
COUNT
FUNDS.—If the revenue-generating project
was carried out using amounts from a special ac-
count in lieu of any project funds, the revenues shall
be deposited in the special account from which the
amounts were derived.
(d) USE OF ACCOUNTS TO CONDUCT PROJECTS.—
(1) AUTHORITY TO USE ACCOUNTS.—The Sec-
retary concerned may use amounts in the special ac-
counts, without appropriation, to fund projects sub-
mitted by participating counties under section
203(a)(2) that have been approved by the Secretary
concerned under section 204.
(2) SOURCE OF FUNDS; PROJECT LOCATIONS.—
Funds in a special account established under sub-
section (c)(1) for a region of the Forest Service re-
gion may be expended only for projects approved
under section 204 to be conducted in that region.
Funds in the special account established under sub-
section (c)(1) for the Bureau of Land Management
may be expended only for projects approved under
section 204 to be conducted on Federal lands de-
scribed in section 3(1)(B).
(3) DURATION OF AUTHORITY.—No funds may
be obligated under this subsection after September
30, 2007. Unobligated amounts in the special ac-
counts after that date shall be promptly transferred
to the general fund of the Treasury.
TITLE III—FOREST COUNTIES
PAYMENTS COMMITTEE
SEC. 301. DEFINITIONS.
In this title:
(1) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—The term ‘‘Advi-
sory Committee’’ means the Forest Counties Pay-
ments Committee established by section 302.
(2) HOUSE COMMITTEES OF JURISDICTION.—
The term ‘‘House committees of jurisdiction’’ means
the Committee on Agriculture, the Committee on
Resources, and the Committee on Appropriations of
the House of Representatives.
(3) SENATE COMMITTEES OF JURISDICTION.—
The term ‘‘Senate committees of jurisdiction’’ means
the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and For-
estry, the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
Senate.
(4) SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY.—The term ‘‘sus-
tainable forestry’’ means principles of sustainable
forest management that equally consider ecological,
economic, and social factors in the management of
Federal lands.
SEC. 302. NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP
LONG-TERM METHODS TO MEET STATUTORY
OBLIGATION OF FEDERAL LANDS TO CON-
TRIBUTE TO PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OTHER
PUBLIC SERVICES.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF FOREST COUNTIES PAY-
MENTS COMMITTEE.—There is hereby established an advi-
sory committee, to be known as the Forest Counties Pay-
ments Committee, to develop recommendations, consistent
with sustainable forestry, regarding methods to ensure
that States and counties in which Federal lands are situ-
ated receive adequate Federal payments to be used for the
benefit of public education and other public purposes.
(b) MEMBERS.—The Advisory Committee shall be
composed of the following members:
(1) The Chief of the Forest Service, or a des-
ignee of the Chief who has significant expertise in
sustainable forestry.
(2) The Director of the Bureau of Land Man-
agement, or a designee of the Director who has sig-
nificant expertise in sustainable forestry
(3) The Director of the Office of Management
and Budget, or the Director’s designee.
(4) Two members who are elected members of
the governing branches of eligible counties; one such
member to be appointed by the President pro tem-
pore of the Senate (in consultation with the chair-
men and ranking members of the Senate committees
of jurisdiction) and one such member to be ap-
pointed by the Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives (in consultation with the chairmen and ranking
members of the House committees of jurisdiction)
within 60 days of the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(5) Two members who are elected members of
school boards for, superintendents from, or teachers
employed by, school districts in eligible counties; one
such member to be appointed by the President pro
tempore of the Senate (in consultation with the
chairmen and ranking members of the Senate com-
mittees of jurisdiction) and one such member to be
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives (in consultation with the chairmen and
ranking members of the House committees of juris-
diction) within 60 days of the date of the enactment
of this Act.
(c) GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION.—In making ap-
pointments under paragraphs (4) and (5) of subsection
(b), the President pro tempore of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives shall seek to en-
sure that the Advisory Committee members are selected
from geographically diverse locations.
(d) ORGANIZATION OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—
(1) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the
Advisory Committee shall be selected from among
the members appointed pursuant to paragraphs (4)
and (5) of subsection (b).
(2) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the member-
ship of the Advisory Committee shall be filled in the
same manner as required by subsection (b). A va-
cancy shall not impair the authority of the remain-
ing members to perform the functions of the Advi-
sory Committee under section 303.
(3) COMPENSATION.—The members of the Ad-
visory Committee who are not officers or employees
of the United States, while attending meetings or
other events held by the Advisory Committee or at
which the members serve as representatives of the
Advisory Committee or while otherwise serving at
the request of the Chairperson, shall each be entitled
to receive compensation at a rate not in excess of
the maximum rate of pay for grade GS–18, as pro-
vided in the General Schedule under section 5532 of
title 5, United States Code, including traveltime,
and while away from their homes or regular places
of business shall each be reimbursed for travel ex-
penses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence as
authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States
Code, for persons in Government service employed
intermittently.
(e) STAFF AND RULES.—
(1) 
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR.—The 
Advisory
Committee shall have an Executive Director, who
shall be appointed (without regard to the provisions
of title 5, United States Code, governing appoint-
ments in the competitive service) by the Advisory
Committee and serve at the pleasure of the Advisory
Committee. The Executive Director shall report to
the Advisory Committee and assume such duties as
the Advisory Committee may assign. The Executive
Director shall be paid at a rate not in excess of pay
for grade GS–18, as provided in the General Sched-
ule under 5332 of title 5, United States Code.
(2) OTHER STAFF.—In addition to authority to
appoint personnel subject to the provisions of title 5,
United States Code, governing appointments to the
competitive service, and to pay such personnel in ac-
cordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and sub-
chapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to
classification and General Schedule pay rates, the
Advisory Committee shall have authority to enter
into contracts with private or public organizations
which may furnish the Advisory Committee with
such administrative and technical personnel as may
be necessary to carry out the functions of the Advi-
sory Committee under section 303. To the extent
practicable, such administrative and technical per-
sonnel, and other necessary support services, shall
be provided for the Advisory Committee by the Chief
of the Forest Service and the Director of the Bureau
of Land Management.
(3) COMMITTEE RULES.—The Advisory Com-
mittee may establish such procedural and adminis-
trative rules as are necessary for the performance of
its functions under section 303.
(f) FEDERAL AGENCY COOPERATION.—The heads of
the departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the ex-
ecutive branch of the Federal Government shall cooperate
with the Advisory Committee in the performance of its
functions under subsection (c) and shall furnish to the Ad-
visory Committee information which the Advisory Com-
mittee deems necessary to carry out such functions.
SEC. 303. FUNCTIONS OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
(a) DEVELOPMENT OF RECOMMENDATIONS.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Advisory Committee
shall develop recommendations for policy or legisla-
tive initiatives (or both) regarding alternatives for,
or substitutes to, the short-term payments required
by title I in order to provide a long-term method to
generate annual payments to eligible States and eli-
gible counties at or above the full payment amount.
(2) REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS.—Not later
than 18 months after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Advisory Committee shall submit to the
Senate committees of jurisdiction and the House
committees of jurisdiction a final report containing
the recommendations developed under this sub-
section. The Advisory Committee shall submit semi-
annual progress reports on its activities and expendi-
tures to the Senate committees of jurisdiction and
the House committees of jurisdiction until the final
report has been submitted.
(b) GUIDANCE FOR COMMITTEE.—In developing the
recommendations required by subsection (a), the Advisory
Committee shall—
(1) evaluate the method by which payments are
made to eligible States and eligible counties under
title I and the use of such payments;
(2) evaluate the effectiveness of the local advi-
sory committees established pursuant to section 205;
and
(3) consider the impact on eligible States and
eligible counties of revenues derived from the his-
toric multiple use of the Federal lands.
(c) MONITORING AND RELATED REPORTING ACTIVI-
TIES.—The Advisory Committee shall monitor the pay-
ments made to eligible States and eligible counties pursu-
ant to title I and submit to the Senate committees of juris-
diction and the House committees of jurisdiction an an-
nual report describing the amounts and sources of such
payments and containing such comments as the Advisory
Committee may have regarding such payments.
(d) TESTIMONY.—The Advisory Committee shall
make itself available for testimony or comments on the
reports required to be submitted by the Advisory Com-
mittee and on any legislation or regulations to implement
any recommendations made in such reports in any con-
gressional hearings or any rulemaking or other adminis-
trative decision process.
SEC. 304. FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT REQUIRE-
MENTS.
Except as may be provided in this title, the provisions
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)
shall not apply to the Advisory Committee.
SEC. 305. TERMINATION OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
The Advisory Committee shall terminate 3 years after
the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 306. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING ADVISORY
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS.
It is the sense of the Congress that the payments to
eligible States and eligible counties required by title I
should be replaced by a long-term solution to generate
payments conforming to the guidance provided by section
303(b) and that any promulgation of regulations or enact-
ment of legislation to establish such method should be
completed within 2 years after the date of submission of
the final report required by section 303(a).
TITLE IV—MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
SEC. 401. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such
sums as are necessary to carry out this Act.
SEC. 402. TREATMENT OF FUNDS AND REVENUES.
Funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization of
appropriations in section 401, funds transferred to a Sec-
retary concerned under section 206, and revenues de-
scribed in section 208(a) shall be in addition to any other
annual appropriations for the Forest Service and the Bu-
reau of Land Management.
SEC. 403. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
Section 6903(a)(1) of title 31, United States Code,
is amended—
(1) 
by 
redesignating 
subparagraphs 
(D)
through (J) as subparagraphs (E) through (K), re-
spectively; and
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the fol-
lowing new subparagraph:
‘‘(D) the Secure Rural Schools and Com-
munity Self-Determination Act of 1999;’’.
Passed the House of Representatives November 3,
1999.
Attest:
Clerk.