I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4976 
To establish a grant program to support landscape-scale restoration and 
management, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 7, 2018 
Mr. WELCH (for himself and Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, 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 committee con-
cerned 
A BILL 
To establish a grant program to support landscape-scale 
restoration and management, 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 ‘‘Empowering State 
Forestry to Improve Forest Health Act of 2018’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:29 Feb 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4976.IH
H4976
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. STATE AND PRIVATE FOREST LANDSCAPE-SCALE 
RESTORATION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 13A of the Cooperative 
Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2109a) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 13A. STATE AND PRIVATE FOREST LANDSCAPE-SCALE 
RESTORATION PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to es-
tablish a landscape-scale restoration program to support 
landscape-scale restoration and management that results 
in measurable improvements to public benefits derived 
from State and private forest land, as identified in— 
‘‘(1) a State-wide assessment described in sec-
tion 2A(a)(1); and 
‘‘(2) a long-term State-wide forest resource 
strategy described in section 2A(a)(2). 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) PRIVATE FOREST LAND.—The term ‘pri-
vate forest land’ means land that— 
‘‘(A)(i) has existing tree cover; or 
‘‘(ii) is suitable for growing trees; and 
‘‘(B) is owned by— 
‘‘(i) an Indian tribe (as defined in sec-
tion 4 of the Indian Self-Determination 
and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
5304)); or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:29 Feb 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4976.IH
H4976
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(ii) any private individual or entity. 
‘‘(2) REGIONAL.—The term ‘regional’ means of 
any region of the National Association of State For-
esters. 
‘‘(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the 
Chief of the Forest Service. 
‘‘(4) STATE FOREST LAND.—The term ‘State 
forest land’ means land that is owned by a State or 
unit of local government. 
‘‘(5) STATE FORESTER.—The term ‘State For-
ester’ means a State Forester or equivalent State of-
ficial. 
‘‘(c) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary, in consulta-
tion with State Foresters or other appropriate State agen-
cies, shall establish a landscape-scale restoration pro-
gram— 
‘‘(1) to provide financial and technical assist-
ance for landscape-scale restoration projects on 
State forest land or private forest land; and 
‘‘(2) that maintains or improves benefits from 
trees and forests on that land. 
‘‘(d) REQUIREMENTS.—The landscape-scale restora-
tion program established under subsection (c) shall— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:29 Feb 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4976.IH
H4976
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(1) measurably address the national private 
forest conservation priorities described in section 
2(c); 
‘‘(2) enhance public benefits from trees and for-
ests, as identified in— 
‘‘(A) a State-wide assessment described in 
section 2A(a)(1); and 
‘‘(B) a long-term State-wide forest re-
source strategy described in section 2A(a)(2); 
and 
‘‘(3) in accordance with the purposes described 
in section 2(b), have one or more objectives includ-
ing— 
‘‘(A) protecting or improving water quality 
or quantity; 
‘‘(B) reducing wildfire risk, including 
through hazardous fuels treatment; 
‘‘(C) protecting or enhancing wildlife habi-
tat, consistent with wildlife objectives estab-
lished by the applicable State fish and wildlife 
agency; 
‘‘(D) improving forest health and forest 
ecosystems, including addressing native, non-
native, and invasive pests; or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:29 Feb 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4976.IH
H4976
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(E) enhancing opportunities for new and 
existing markets in which the production and 
use of wood products strengthens local and re-
gional economies. 
‘‘(e) MEASUREMENT.—The Secretary, in consultation 
with State Foresters, shall establish a measurement sys-
tem, including measurement tools, that— 
‘‘(1) consistently measures the results of land-
scape-scale restoration projects described in sub-
section (c); and 
‘‘(2) is consistent with the measurement sys-
tems of other Federal programs delivered by State 
Foresters. 
‘‘(f) USE OF AMOUNTS.— 
‘‘(1) ALLOCATION.—Of amounts made available 
for the landscape-scale restoration program estab-
lished under subsection (c), the Secretary shall allo-
cate— 
‘‘(A) 50 percent for the competitive process 
in accordance with subsection (g); and 
‘‘(B) 50 percent proportionally to States, 
in consultation with State Foresters— 
‘‘(i) to maximize the achievement of 
the objectives described in subsection 
(d)(3); and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:29 Feb 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4976.IH
H4976
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(ii) to address the highest national 
priorities, as identified in— 
‘‘(I) State-wide assessments de-
scribed in section 2A(a)(1); and 
‘‘(II) long-term State-wide forest 
resource strategies described in sec-
tion 2A(a)(2). 
‘‘(2) MULTIYEAR
PROJECTS.—The Secretary 
may provide amounts under this section for multi-
year projects. 
‘‘(g) COMPETITIVE PROCESS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall dis-
tribute amounts described in subsection (f)(1)(A) 
through a competitive process for landscape-scale 
restoration projects described in subsection (c) to 
maximize the achievement of the objectives described 
in subsection (d)(3). 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for funding 
through the competitive process described in para-
graph (1), a State Forester, or another entity on ap-
proval of the State Forester, shall submit to the Sec-
retary one or more landscape-scale restoration pro-
posals that— 
‘‘(A) in accordance with paragraph (3)(A), 
include priorities identified in— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:29 Feb 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4976.IH
H4976
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(i) State-wide assessments described 
in section 2A(a)(1); and 
‘‘(ii) long-term State-wide forest re-
source strategies described in section 
2A(a)(2); 
‘‘(B) identify one or more measurable re-
sults to be achieved through the project; 
‘‘(C) to the maximum extent practicable, 
include activities on all land necessary to ac-
complish the measurable results in the applica-
ble landscape; 
‘‘(D) to the maximum extent practicable, 
are developed in collaboration with other public 
and private sector organizations and local com-
munities; and 
‘‘(E) derive not less than 50 percent of the 
funding for the project from non-Federal 
sources, unless the Secretary determines— 
‘‘(i) the applicant is unable to derive 
not less than 50 percent of the funding for 
the project from non-Federal sources; and 
‘‘(ii) the benefits of the project justify 
pursuing the project. 
‘‘(3) PRIORITIZATION.—The Secretary— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:29 Feb 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4976.IH
H4976
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(A) shall give priority to projects that, as 
determined by the Secretary, best carry out pri-
orities identified in State-wide assessments de-
scribed in section 2A(a)(1) and long-term 
State-wide forest resource strategies described 
in section 2A(a)(2), including— 
‘‘(i) involvement of public and private 
partnerships; 
‘‘(ii) inclusion of cross-boundary ac-
tivities on— 
‘‘(I) Federal forest land; 
‘‘(II) State forest land; or 
‘‘(III) private forest land; 
‘‘(iii) involvement of areas also identi-
fied for cost-share funding by the Natural 
Resources Conservation Service or any 
other relevant Federal agency; 
‘‘(iv) protection or improvement of 
water quality or quantity; 
‘‘(v) reduction of wildfire risk; 
‘‘(vi) protection or enhancement of 
wildlife habitat, consistent with wildlife ob-
jectives established by the applicable State 
fish and wildlife agency; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:29 Feb 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4976.IH
H4976
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(vii) improvement of forest health, 
including addressing native, nonnative, and 
invasive pests; 
‘‘(viii) enhancement of opportunities 
for new and existing markets in which the 
production and use of wood products 
strengthens local and regional economies; 
and 
‘‘(ix) otherwise addressing the na-
tional private forest conservation priorities 
described in section 2(c); and 
‘‘(B) may give priority to projects in prox-
imity to other landscape-scale projects on other 
land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary, the 
Secretary of the Interior, or a Governor of a 
State, including— 
‘‘(i) ecological restoration treatments 
under the Collaborative Forest Landscape 
Restoration Program established under 
section 4003 of the Omnibus Public Land 
Management Act of 2009 (16 U.S.C. 
7303); 
‘‘(ii) projects on landscape-scale areas 
designated for insect and disease treatment 
under section 602 of the Healthy Forests 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:29 Feb 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4976.IH
H4976
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 
6591a); 
‘‘(iii) authorized restoration services 
under section 8206 of the Agricultural Act 
of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a); 
‘‘(iv) watershed restoration and pro-
tection services under section 331 of the 
Department of the Interior and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (Public 
Law 106–291; 16 U.S.C. 1011 note); 
‘‘(v) stewardship end result con-
tracting projects under section 604 of the 
Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 
(16 U.S.C. 6591c); or 
‘‘(vi) projects under other relevant 
programs, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(4) PROPOSAL REVIEW.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
establish a process for the review of proposals 
submitted under paragraph (2) that ranks each 
proposal based on— 
‘‘(i) the extent to which the proposal 
would achieve the requirements described 
in subsection (d); and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:29 Feb 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4976.IH
H4976
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(ii) the priorities described in para-
graph (3)(A). 
‘‘(B) REGIONAL REVIEW.—The Secretary 
may carry out the process described in subpara-
graph (A) at a regional level. 
‘‘(h) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date 
of enactment of the Empowering State Forestry to Im-
prove Forest Health Act of 2018, the Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
and Forestry of the Senate a report describing— 
‘‘(1) the status of the development, execution, 
and administration of landscape-scale projects se-
lected under the program under this section; 
‘‘(2) an accounting of expenditures under the 
program under this section; and 
‘‘(3) specific accomplishments that have re-
sulted from landscape-scale projects under the pro-
gram under this section. 
‘‘(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for the 
landscape-scale restoration program established under 
subsection (c) $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 
through 2021, to remain available until expended.’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:29 Feb 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4976.IH
H4976
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 3. PROMOTING CROSS-BOUNDARY WILDFIRE MITIGA-
TION. 
Section 103 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act 
of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6513) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (d), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(3) CROSS-BOUNDARY CONSIDERATIONS.—For 
any fiscal year for which the amount appropriated 
for hazardous fuels reduction is in excess of 
$300,000,000, the Secretary— 
‘‘(A) is encouraged to use the excess 
amounts for projects that include cross-bound-
ary consideration; and 
‘‘(B) of that excess amount, may use, 
through grants to State Foresters, to support 
hazardous fuel reduction projects on non-Fed-
eral land in accordance with subsection (e) an 
amount equal to the greater of— 
‘‘(i) 20 percent; and 
‘‘(ii) $20,000,000.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) 
CROSS-BOUNDARY
FUELS
REDUCTION 
PROJECTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—To the maximum extent 
practicable, the Secretary shall use the funds de-
scribed in subsection (d)(3) to support hazardous 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:29 Feb 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4976.IH
H4976
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
fuel reduction projects that incorporate treatments 
in landscapes across ownership boundaries on Fed-
eral, State, county, or tribal land, private land, and 
other non-Federal land, particularly in areas identi-
fied as priorities in applicable State-wide forest re-
source assessments or strategies under section 2A(a) 
of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 
(16 U.S.C. 2101a(a)), as mutually agreed to by the 
State Forester and the Regional Forester. 
‘‘(2) LAND
TREATMENTS.—To conduct and 
fund treatments for projects that include Federal 
and non-Federal land, the Secretary may— 
‘‘(A) use the authorities of the Secretary 
relating to cooperation and technical and finan-
cial assistance, including the good neighbor au-
thority under— 
‘‘(i) section 8206 of the Agricultural 
Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a); and 
‘‘(ii) section 331 of the Department of 
the Interior and Related Agencies Appro-
priations Act, 2001 (16 U.S.C. 1011 note; 
Public Law 106–291); and 
‘‘(B) allocate cross-boundary wildfire miti-
gation funds, in accordance with subsection 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:29 Feb 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4976.IH
H4976
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
(d)(3) and paragraph (1), for projects carried 
out pursuant to that section (16 U.S.C. 2113a). 
‘‘(3) COOPERATION.—In carrying out this sub-
section, the State Forester, in consultation with the 
Secretary (or a designee)— 
‘‘(A) shall consult with the owners of 
State, county, tribal, and private land and other 
non-Federal land with respect to hazardous 
fuels reduction projects; and 
‘‘(B) shall not implement any project on 
non-Federal land without the consent of the 
owner of the non-Federal land. 
‘‘(4) EXISTING LAWS.—Regardless of the indi-
vidual or entity implementing a project on non-Fed-
eral land under this subsection, only the laws and 
regulations that apply to non-Federal land shall be 
applicable with respect to the project.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:29 Feb 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H4976.IH
H4976
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS