will be sufficient to meet the requirements for the 
project under such Act. 
(2) CONTENT.—An environmental assessment 
prepared for a hazardous fuels reduction project 
under section 3 shall—
(A) be concise, if possible not more than 
10–15 pages; 
(B) describe sufficient information and 
analyses for determining whether to prepare an 
environmental impact statement or a finding of 
no significant impact; 
(C) state the need for the proposed action; 
(D) describe alternative actions, as re-
quired by section 102(2)(E) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969; 
(E) briefly describe the environmental im-
pacts of the proposed action and alternatives; 
(F) list the agencies and persons con-
sulted, as required by section 1508.9 of title 40, 
Code of Federal Regulations, with respect to 
National Forest System lands; 
(G) reference supporting data, inventories 
and other documents on which the Secretary 
concerned relied to make the decision; and
(H) involve interested agencies and the 
public in the preparation of the environmental 
assessment. 
(3) AVAILABILITY OF DECISION DOCUMENT.—
When the decision document is complete for a haz-
ardous fuels reduction project under section 3 for 
which an environmental assessment or categorical 
exclusion memo is prepared, the Secretary concerned 
shall—
(A) provide notice of the decision docu-
ment in the Federal Register, the local paper of 
record, and an agency website, including notice 
stating how the documentation listed in sub-
paragraph (B) will be available; and 
(B) make the environmental analysis docu-
ment, administrative record, and decision docu-
ment or memo for the project, pursuant to sec-
tion 215.2 of title 36, Code of Federal Regula-
tions, readily available for public review. 
(4) APPEALS.—Notwithstanding the appeal re-
quirements imposed by section 322 of the Depart-
ment of the Interior and Related Agencies Appro-
priations Act, 1993 (Public Law 102–381; 16 
U.S.C. 1612 note), or the Department of the Inte-
rior Office of Hearings and Appeals—
(A) persons must file any administrative 
appeal of a project under this subsection within 
30 days after the date of issuance of the deci-
sion document for the project; 
(B) the Secretary concerned shall resolve 
any appeal not later than 20 days after the 
closing date for filing an appeal; and 
(C) the Secretary concerned shall stay im-
plementation of the project until the end of the 
15-day period beginning on date on which the 
Secretary concerned resolves any administrative 
appeal that complies with the requirements in 
subsection (d). 
(d) ADDITIONAL LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE 
APPEALS.—Notwithstanding section 322 of the Depart-
ment of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations 
Act, 1993 (Public Law 102–381; 16 U.S.C. 1612 note), 
if a draft document prepared pursuant to the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for a hazardous fuels 
reduction project covered by section 3 was available for 
public comment, the Secretary of Agriculture may require 
that a person filing an administrative appeal with respect 
to the project must have been involved in the public com-
ment process for the project by submitting written com-
ments raising specific issues with regard to the project.
(e) STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE.—A catagorical ex-
clusion memo or environmental assessment decision docu-
ment prepared under this section shall include a short 
statement as to how the hazardous fuels reduction project 
complies with the requirement of section 3(c). 
SEC. 6. DEVELOPMENT OF DEFINITIONS OF OLD AND 
LARGE TREES. 
(a) USE OF NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.—
The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the In-
terior shall jointly enter into a contract with the National 
Academy of Sciences for the preparation of recommended 
definitions of old and large trees appropriate for each eco-
system type to be used for purposes of this Act. 
(b) QUALIFICATIONS.—To be eligible to serve on the 
panel of the National Academy of Sciences used to prepare 
the recommended definitions of old and large trees, a 
member of the panel shall have scientific expertise in the 
characteristics of old growth and the seral stages of forest 
types. 
(c) SUBMISSION OF RECOMMENDED DEFINITIONS.—
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the National Academy of Sciences shall submit 
to the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Inte-
rior, and Congress the recommended definitions of old and 
large trees appropriate for each ecosystem type.
SEC. 7. ONGOING PROJECTS AND EXISTING AUTHORITIES. 
Nothing in this Act shall affect a hazardous fuels re-
duction projects for which scoping has begun before the 
date of the enactment of this Act or affect authorities oth-
erwise granted to the Secretary concerned under existing 
law. 
SEC. 8. PREFERENCE TO COMMUNITIES WITH FIRE PRE-
VENTION ORDINANCES. 
In determining the allocation of funding for the Com-
munity and Private Land Fire Assistance program under 
section 10A(b) of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act 
of 1978 (16 U.S.C 2106c(b)), the Secretary of Agriculture 
shall prioritize funding to those communities that have 
taken proactive steps through the enactment of ordinances 
and other means to encourage property owners to reduce 
fire risk on private property. 
SEC. 9. SUNSET. 
The provisions of this Act shall expire at the end of 
the five-year period beginning on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, except that a hazardous fuels reduction 
project for which a decision notice, or memo in the case 
of a categorical exclusion, has been issued before the end 
of such period may continue to be implemented using the 
provisions of this Act.
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LANDS.—For the 
purpose of planning and conducting hazardous fuels re-
duction projects under this Act on National Forest System 
Lands, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary of Agriculture $1,943,100,000 during the five-fiscal 
year period beginning October 1, 2003. Subject to section 
9, amounts appropriated in one fiscal year and unobli-
gated before the end of that fiscal year shall remain avail-
able for use in subsequent fiscal years. 
(b) BLM LANDS.—For the purpose of planning and 
conducting hazardous fuels reduction projects under this 
Act on Federal lands described in section 2(b)(2)(B), 
there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
of the Interior $1,888,000,000 during the five-fiscal year 
period beginning October 1, 2003. Subject to section 9, 
amounts appropriated in one fiscal year and unobligated 
before the end of that fiscal year shall remain available 
for use in subsequent fiscal years. 
SEC. 11. AVAILABILITY AND USE OF REFORESTATION 
TRUST FUND. 
(a) WAIVER OF LIMITATION ON TRANSFERS.—Dur-
ing fiscal years 2004 through 2008, the limitation in sub-
section (b)(2) of section 303 of Public Law 96–451 (16 
U.S.C. 1606a) shall not apply.
(b) CONSULTATION.—During fiscal years 2004 
through 2008, the consultation required by subsection 
(c)(1) of section 303 of Public Law 96–451 shall include 
consultation with the Secretary of the Interior. 
(c) EXPANSION OF OBLIGATION REQUIREMENTS.—
During fiscal years 2004 through 2008, the Secretary of 
the Interior, in addition to the Secretary of Agriculture, 
shall obligate funds in the Reforestation Trust Fund es-
tablished by section 303 of Public Law 96–451 on Federal 
lands, but the authority otherwise provided by subsection 
(d)(1) of such section to obligate such funds to reduce haz-
ardous fuel loads of forest stands shall not be used except 
as provided in subsection (d)(2) of this section. 
(d) OBLIGATION REQUIREMENTS AND AMOUNTS.—
(1) REDUCTION
IN
RISK
OF
WILDFIRE
TO 
STRUCTURES.—During fiscal years 2004 through 
2008, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary 
of the Interior shall jointly obligate $100,000,000 
each fiscal year of funds in the Restoration Trust 
Fund to reduce the risk of wildfire to structures on 
tribal lands, nonindustrial private lands, and State 
lands using the authorities available under the 
Emergency Watershed Protection program, the Na-
tional Fire Plan, and grant programs authorized by 
the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of
2002 and other laws. As part of the Emergency Wa-
tershed Protection program, the Secretary of Agri-
culture, acting through the Natural Resources Con-
servation Service, may undertake measures, includ-
ing making cost-share grants to Indian tribes, local 
fire districts, municipalities, homeowner associations, 
and counties, to prevent destruction from wildfires 
by treating vegetation within the defensible space of 
homes and other structures. 
(2) 
HAZARDOUS
FUELS
REDUCTION 
PROJECTS.—During fiscal years 2004 through 2008, 
amounts remaining in the Reforestation Trust Fund 
after application of subsection (d) of section 303 of 
Public Law 96–451 and paragraph (1) of this sub-
section shall be used for hazardous fuels reduction 
projects conducted under this Act. 
(e) RETENTION OF REVENUE.—During fiscal years 
2004 through 2008, the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
Secretary of the Interior may sell commercial vegetation 
produced as a result of hazardous fuels reduction projects 
under this Act. Revenue from the sale of such vegetation 
shall be deposited in the Reforestation Trust Fund, and 
may only be used for hazardous fuels reduction projects 
described in section 5(b)(1).
(f) TRANSFERS TO REFORESTATION TRUST FUND.—
During fiscal years 2004 through 2008, in lieu of the 
transfers required by subsection (b)(1) of section 303 of 
Public Law 96–451, the Secretary of the Treasury may 
transfer to the Reforestation Trust Fund an amount equal 
to the sum of the tariffs received in the Treasury under 
chapter 44 and subheadings 6808.00.00 and 6809.11.00 
of chapter 68 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 
United States. Subsection (b)(2) of such section, which 
limits the total amount that may be transferred for a fiscal 
year, shall not apply to transfers made under this sub-
section.
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