I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2515
To address the declining health of forests on Federal lands in the United
States through a program of recovery and protection consistent with
the requirements of existing public land management and environmental
laws, to establish a program to inventory, monitor, and analyze public
and private forests and their resources, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 23, 1997
Mr. SMITH of Oregon (for himself, Mr. STENHOLM, Mr. COMBEST, Mr. BISH-
OP, Mr. CALLAHAN, Mrs. EMERSON, and Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylva-
nia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, for a pe-
riod to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for con-
sideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the commit-
tee concerned
A BILL
To address the declining health of forests on Federal lands
in the United States through a program of recovery
and protection consistent with the requirements of exist-
ing public land management and environmental laws,
to establish a program to inventory, monitor, and analyze
public and private forests and their resources, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Forest Recovery and Protection Act of 1997’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. National Program of Forest Recovery and Protection.
Sec. 5. Scientific Advisory Panel.
Sec. 6. Advance recovery projects.
Sec. 7. Forest Recovery and Protection Fund.
Sec. 8. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 9. Audit requirements.
Sec. 10. Forest inventorying, monitoring, and analysis.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) There are tradeoffs in values associated
with proactive, passive, or delayed forest manage-
ment, but the values which will be lost without
proactive management outweigh the values gained by
delayed or passive management of certain Federal
forest lands.
(2) Increases in both the number and severity
of wildfire, insect infestation, and disease outbreaks
on Federal forest lands are occurring as a result of
high tree densities, species composition, and struc-
ture that are outside the historic range of variability.
These disturbances cause or contribute to significant
soil erosion, degradation of air and water quality,
loss of watershed values, habitat loss, and damage to
other forest resources.
(3) Serious forest health problems occur in all
regions of the United States. Management activities
to restore and protect forest health are needed in
each region and should be designed to address re-
gion-specific needs.
(4) Between 35 and 40 million of the 191 mil-
lion acres of Federal forest lands managed by the
Forest Service are at an unacceptable risk of de-
struction by catastrophic wildfire. The condition of
these forests can pose a significant threat of de-
struction to human life and property.
(5) Restoration of forest health requires active
forest management involving a range of management
activities, including thinning, salvage, prescribed fire
(after appropriate thinning), insect and disease con-
trol, riparian and other habitat improvement, soil
stabilization and other water quality improvement,
and seedling planting and protection.
(6) A comprehensive, nationwide effort is need-
ed to address forest health decline in an organized,
timely, and scientific manner. There should be im-
mediate action to improve the areas of Federal for-
est lands where forest health decline has been thor-
oughly inventoried and assessed or where serious re-
source destruction or degradation by natural dis-
turbance is imminent.
(7) Frequent forest inventory and analysis of
the status and trends in the conditions of forests
and their resources are needed to identify and re-
verse declining forest health in a timely and effective
manner. The present average twelve to fifteen-year
cycle of forest inventory and analysis to comply with
existing statutory requirements is too prolonged to
provide forest managers with the data necessary to
make timely and effective management decisions,
particularly decisions responsive to changing forest
health conditions.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) FEDERAL
FOREST
LANDS.—The term
‘‘Federal forest lands’’ means lands within the Na-
tional Forest System.
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the
Chief of the Forest Service.
(3) LAND
MANAGEMENT
PLAN.—The term
‘‘land management plan’’ means a land and resource
management plan prepared by the Forest Service
pursuant to section 6 of the Forest and Rangeland
Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16
U.S.C. 1604) for Federal forest lands under the ju-
risdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture or, if a
final plan is not in effect, the draft final plan for
such lands.
(4) NATIONAL PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘national
program’’ means the National Program of Forest
Recovery and Protection required by section 4.
(5) SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY PANEL.—The term
‘‘Scientific Advisory Panel’’ means the advisory com-
mittee appointed under section 5.
(6) RECOVERY
AREA.—The term ‘‘recovery
area’’ means an area of Federal forest lands, des-
ignated by the Secretary under section 4(c)—
(A) that has experienced disturbances from
wildfires, insect infestations, disease, or other
causes, which have caused or contributed to sig-
nificant soil erosion, degradation of water qual-
ity, loss of watershed values, habitat loss, or
damage to other resources of the area; or
(B) in which the forest structure, function,
or composition has been altered so as to in-
crease substantially the likelihood of wildfire,
insect infestation, or disease in the area and the
consequent risks of damage to forest resources
from wildfire, insect infestation, or disease.
(7) RECOVERY PROJECT.—The term ‘‘recovery
project’’ means a project designed by the Secretary
to improve, restore, or protect the health of a forest
within a designated recovery area, including stand
thinning, salvage, and other harvesting activities, as
well as activities in which the cutting of trees is not
primarily featured, such as prescribed burning (after
appropriate thinning), insect and disease control, ri-
parian and other habitat improvement, soil stabiliza-
tion and other water quality improvement, and seed-
ling planting and protection.
(8) IMPLEMENTATION DATE.—The term ‘‘im-
plementation date’’ means the first day of the first
month beginning after the end of the 18-month pe-
riod beginning on the date of the enactment of this
Act. However, if the implementation date would
occur within six months before August 31 of the
same fiscal year in which the implementation date
would occur, the Secretary may deem that August
31 to be the implementation date.
(9) FUND.—The terms ‘‘Forest Recovery and
Protection Fund’’ and ‘‘Fund’’ mean the revolving
fund established under section 7.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL PROGRAM OF FOREST RECOVERY AND
PROTECTION.
(a) NATIONAL PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Not later than
the implementation date, the Secretary shall commence a
national program to restore and protect the health of for-
ests located on Federal forest lands in the United States
through the performance of recovery projects in des-
ignated recovery areas.
(b) STANDARDS AND CRITERIA.—
(1) INITIAL PUBLICATION.—Not later than one
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register the
standards and criteria to be used for the designation
of, and the assignment of management priority
rankings to, recovery areas. In establishing the
standards and criteria, the Secretary shall consider
the standards and criteria recommended by the Sci-
entific Advisory Panel under section 5. The Sec-
retary shall include in the Federal Register entry re-
quired by this paragraph an explanation of any sig-
nificant differences between the recommendations of
the Scientific Advisory Panel and the standards and
criteria actually established by the Secretary.
(2) MODIFICATION.—The Secretary may modify
the standards and criteria established pursuant to
paragraph (1). Any such modification shall also be
published in the Federal Register.
(c) ANNUAL NATIONAL PROGRAM DECISION.—
(1) DECISION REQUIRED.—To carry out the na-
tional program, the Secretary shall render a decision
for each fiscal year during the period of the national
program regarding the designation and ranking of
recovery areas and the selection of recovery projects
for inclusion in the national program. In rendering
the decision, the Secretary shall comply with the re-
quirements of subsections (d) and (e).
(2) PROPOSED DECISION.—For each fiscal year
during the period of the national program, the Sec-
retary shall publish in the Federal Register a pro-
posed decision regarding the designation and rank-
ing of recovery areas and the selection of recovery
projects. The proposed decision shall be published
not later than the following:
(A) In the case of the initial proposal, the
implementation date.
(B) In the case of each subsequent pro-
posed decision, August 31 of each fiscal year
after the fiscal year in which the implementa-
tion date occurs.
(3) FINAL DECISION.—Not later than 120 days
after the date on which the proposed decision is pub-
lished for a fiscal year under paragraph (2), the Sec-
retary shall publish in the Federal Register the final
decision of the Secretary for that fiscal year regard-
ing the designation and ranking of recovery areas
and the selection of recovery projects (including the
determinations required under subsection (e)(3)).
(d) REQUIREMENTS FOR AREA DESIGNATION AND
RANKING.—In making the annual decision required by
subsection (c), the Secretary shall, in accordance with the
standards and criteria established and in effect under sub-
section (b)—
(1) determine the total acreage requiring treat-
ment under the national program during the fiscal
year;
(2) identify recovery areas within which recov-
ery projects would be appropriate; and
(3) rank the recovery areas for the purpose of
determining the order in which the recovery areas
will receive recovery projects.
(e) REQUIREMENTS FOR RECOVERY PROJECT SE-
LECTION.—
(1) COMPLIANCE
WITH
LAND
MANAGEMENT
PLANS.—In making the annual decision required by
subsection (c), the Secretary shall ensure that each
recovery project selected is consistent with the land
management plan applicable to the recovery area
within which the project will occur.
(2) CONSIDERATION
OF
ECONOMIC
BENE-
FITS.—To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall
select recovery projects that improve forest health
while also providing economic benefits to local com-
munities.
(3) TREATMENT
ACREAGE
AND
COSTS.—As
part of the selection of each forest project, the Sec-
retary shall determine the total acreage requiring
treatment and the estimated costs for preparation
and implementation of the project.
(4) TOTAL
ACREAGE.—The total acreage in-
cluded in recovery projects selected for a fiscal year
under the national program shall not be less than
the total acreage determined by the Secretary under
paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (c).
(5) PROHIBITED
PROJECT
LOCATIONS.—The
Secretary may not select or implement a recovery
project under the authority of this Act in any unit
of the National Wilderness Preservation System, any
roadless area on Federal forest lands designated by
Congress for study for possible inclusion in such
System, or any other area in which the implementa-
tion of recovery projects is prohibited by law, a court
order, or the applicable land management plan.
(f) PETITION PROCESS.—
(1) REQUEST
FOR
DESIGNATION.—Not later
than May 31 of each fiscal year after the fiscal year
in which the implementation date occurs, any inter-
ested person may petition the Secretary to designate
a specific area of the Federal forest lands of at least
one thousand acres in size as a recovery area.
(2) CONTENT.—The petition shall contain a
reasonably precise description of the boundaries of
the area included in the petition and the reasons
why the petitioner believes the area meets the stand-
ards and criteria, established pursuant to subsection
(b), required for designation as a recovery area.
(3) DETERMINATION.—If the Secretary deter-
mines that an area described in a petition under this
subsection warrants designation as a recovery area,
the Secretary shall include the area in the proposed
and final decisions issued under paragraphs (2) and
(3) of subsection (c). If the Secretary determines
that the area does not warrant designation as a re-
covery area, the Secretary shall provide the reasons
therefor in the same Federal Register entry contain-
ing the proposed or final decision under such sub-
section.
(g) ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.—
(1) REPORT
REQUIRED.—Not later than the
implementation date, and each August 31 thereafter,
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on
the proposed decision regarding the designation and
ranking of recovery areas and the selection of recov-
ery projects to be published pursuant to subsection
(c)(2).
(2) REPORT CONTENTS.—Each report required
by paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A) The reasons for each proposed des-
ignation of a recovery area and each proposed
selection of a recovery project.
(B) The total acreage requiring treatment
during the fiscal year and the acreage proposed
to be treated by each proposed recovery project.
(C) The estimated preparation and imple-
mentation costs of each proposed recovery
project.
(3) ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENTS.—After the
initial report required by paragraph (1), each subse-
quent report shall also include the following:
(A) A description of the improvements to
forest health achieved by each recovery project
covered by the previous report.
(B) An explanation of why any proposed
recovery projects covered by the previous report
were not undertaken or completed.
(C) A comparison of projected and actual
preparation and implementation costs for each
completed recovery project.
(D) A description of the economic benefits
to local communities achieved by each com-
pleted recovery project.
(4) NOTICE
OF
AVAILABILITY.—The Federal
Register entry required for each fiscal year under
subsection (c)(2) shall contain a notice of availability
of the most-recent report to Congress required by
this subsection.
(h) AGENCY ACTION.—The proposed decision of the
Secretary to designate and rank recovery areas and to se-
lect recovery projects under subsection (c), the publication
of such proposed decision in the Federal Register, and the
preparation and submission of the annual report to Con-
gress under subsection (g) do not constitute agency ac-
tions.
(i) RULEMAKING.—To ensure commencement of the
national program by the implementation date, the Sec-
retary shall promulgate rules governing operation of the
national program by that date. The rules shall address the
development of procedures that, within the discretion pro-
vided by other laws, would permit the Secretary to make
the final decision on the designation and ranking of recov-
ery areas and the selection of recovery projects within the
120-day period required by subsection (c)(3).
(j) ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS.—Section 322 of the
Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appro-
priations Act, 1993 (Public Law 102–381; 16 U.S.C.
1612 note) shall apply with respect to actions undertaken
to implement this Act, including the final decision des-
ignating and ranking recovery areas and selecting recovery
projects, except that the administrative stay required by
subsection (e) of that section shall apply only to the spe-
cific recovery area or areas or recovery project or projects
that are the subject of the administrative appeal.
SEC. 5. SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY PANEL.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a panel
of scientific advisers to the Secretary to be known as the
‘‘Scientific Advisory Panel’’.
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Scientific Advisory Panel
shall consist of the following members:
(1) Two members, consisting of one forest sci-
entist and one State forester (or an individual with
similar management or supervisory experience), ap-
pointed jointly by the Chairman of the Committee
on Agriculture and the Chairman of the Committee
on Resources of the House of Representatives, in
consultation with their respective ranking minority
members.
(2) Two members, consisting of one forest sci-
entist and one State forester (or an individual with
similar management or supervisory experience), ap-
pointed jointly by the Chairman of the Committee
on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the
Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate, in consultation with their
respective ranking minority members.
(3) Two members, consisting of one forest sci-
entist and one State forester (or an individual with
similar management or supervisory experience), ap-
pointed by the Secretary of Agriculture.
(4) One member, consisting of a forest scientist,
appointed by the National Academy of Sciences.
(c) APPOINTMENT.—
(1) TIME
FOR
APPOINTMENT.—Appointments
shall be made within 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act. Appointments shall be pub-
lished in the Federal Register.
(2) TERM.—A member of the Scientific Advi-
sory Panel shall be appointed for a term beginning
on the date of the appointment and ending on the
implementation date. A vacancy on the Scientific
Advisory Panel shall be filled within 90 days in the
manner in which the original appointment was
made.
(d) QUALIFICATIONS.—
(1) FOREST SCIENTISTS.—Forest scientists who
are appointed as members of the Scientific Advisory
Panel shall be required to have expertise in, and ex-
perience with, matters related to forest health, tak-
ing into account their breadth of knowledge in forest
and management science and their familiarity with
specific issues regarding Federal forest lands likely
to be designated as recovery areas.
(2) OTHER MEMBERS.—State foresters (or indi-
viduals with similar management or supervisory ex-
perience) who are appointed as members of the Sci-
entific Advisory Panel shall be required to have ex-
pertise with, and experience in, matters relating to
forest management, taking into account their
breadth of knowledge in management science and
their familiarity with specific issues regarding Fed-
eral forest lands likely to be designated as recovery
areas.
(e) CHAIRPERSON; INITIAL MEETING.—The Sci-
entific Advisory Panel shall conduct its initial meeting as
soon as possible after the first four members of the Panel
are appointed. At the initial meeting, the members of the
Scientific Advisory Panel shall select one member to serve
as chairperson.
(f) DUTIES IN CONNECTION WITH IMPLEMENTA-
TION.—During the period beginning on the initial meeting
of the Scientific Advisory Panel and ending on the imple-
mentation date, the Scientific Advisory Panel shall be re-
sponsible for the following:
(1) The preparation and submission to the Sec-
retary and the Congress of recommendations regard-
ing the standards and criteria that should be used
to designate recovery areas.
(2) The preparation and submission to the Sec-
retary and the Congress of recommendations regard-
ing the ranking of recovery areas in the order in
which the areas should host recovery projects.
(3) The preparation of and submission to the
Secretary and the Congress of a monitoring plan for
the national program.
(g) CONSIDERATIONS.—In the development of its rec-
ommendations under subsection (f), the Scientific Advi-
sory Panel shall consider—
(1) the most current scientific literature regard-
ing the duties undertaken by the Panel, including
the Report on Forest Health of the United States by
the Forest Health Science Panel (April 4 1997); and
(2) information gathered during the implemen-
tation of the advance recovery projects required
under section 6.
(h) ALLOCATION
OF FOREST SERVICE PERSON-
NEL.—The Forest Service shall allocate administrative
support staff to the Scientific Advisory Panel to assist the
Panel in the performance of its duties as outlined in this
section.
SEC. 6. ADVANCE RECOVERY PROJECTS.
(a) SELECTION
OF ADVANCE PROJECTS.—During
the 18-month period beginning on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct a limited
number (as determined by the Secretary) of advance re-
covery projects on Federal forest lands. Advance recovery
projects shall be selected by regional foresters of the For-
est Service, in consultation with State foresters of the
States included in such areas, and subject to the approval
of the Secretary. The Secretary shall publish a list of se-
lected advance recovery projects (including the determina-
tions required under subsection (e)(3) of section 4) in the
Federal Register within the time period specified in sub-
section (c).
(b) SELECTION CRITERIA.—To be eligible for selec-
tion as an advance recovery project, a proposed project
shall be required to satisfy the requirements of section
4(e) for recovery projects conducted under the national
program. Priority shall be given to those Federal forest
lands—
(1) that pose a significant risk of loss to human
life and property or serious resource degradation or
destruction due to wildfire, disease epidemic, or se-
vere insect infestation; or
(2) for which thorough forest health assess-
ments and inventories have been completed, includ-
ing Federal forest lands in the Pacific Northwest,
the Interior Columbia Basin, the Sierra Nevada, the
Southern Appalachian Region, and the Northern
Forests of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and
New York.
(c) TIME PERIODS FOR SELECTION, IMPLEMENTA-
TION, AND COMPLETION.—Final selection of advance re-
covery projects shall be completed within the 90-day pe-
riod beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act,
and the Secretary shall publish the list of selected advance
recovery projects in the Federal Register by the end of
that period. An advance recovery project shall be initiated
(if the project is to be conducted by Federal employees)
or awarded (if the project is to be conducted by an outside
party) within 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act and shall be completed within one year of that
date.
(d) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—
(1) 
DESIGN, 
IMPLEMENTATION, 
AND
RE-
SULTS.—The Federal official in charge of each ad-
vance recovery project shall submit to the Secretary
a report on the design, implementation, and results
of the project. The report shall include any rec-
ommendations for future recovery projects under the
national program that may arise from the experience
gained from the advance project.
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than the imple-
mentation date, the Secretary shall submit to Con-
gress a report on the implementation of advance re-
covery projects consisting of the following:
(A) a description of the accomplishments
of the advance recovery projects incorporating
the requirements under section 4(g)(3); and
(B) a compilation of the reports submitted
by Federal officials to the Secretary under
paragraph (1).
(e) RULEMAKING.—No new rulemaking is required in
order for the Secretary to carry out this section.
SEC. 7. FOREST RECOVERY AND PROTECTION FUND.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established on the
books of the Treasury a revolving fund to be known as
the ‘‘Forest Recovery and Protection Fund’’. The Chief
of the Forest Service shall be responsible for administering
the Fund.
(b) CREDITS TO FUND.—There shall be credited to
the Fund the following:
(1) Amounts authorized for and appropriated to
the Fund.
(2) Unobligated amounts in the roads and trails
fund provided for in the fourteenth paragraph under
the heading ‘‘FOREST SERVICE’’ of the Act of
March 4, 1913 (37 Stat. 843; 16 U.S.C. 501) as of
the date of the enactment of this Act, and all
amounts which would otherwise be deposited in such
fund after such date.
(3) A one-time transfer of $50,000,000 from
amounts appropriated for fire operations under the
heading ‘‘WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT’’ in the De-
partment of the Interior and Related Agencies Ap-
propriations Act, 1998.
(4) Subject to subsection (f), revenues gen-
erated by recovery projects undertaken pursuant to
sections 4 and 6.
(5) Amounts required to be deposited in the
Fund under subsection (d).
(c) USE OF FUND.—During the time period specified
under section 8(a), amounts in the Fund shall be available
to the Secretary, without further appropriation, to carry
out the national program, to plan, carry out, and admin-
ister recovery projects under sections 4 and 6, and to ad-
minister the Scientific Advisory Panel.
(d) EFFECT OF FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH TIME
LIMITATIONS.—If the final selection of a recovery project
under the national program is not made within the time
period specified in section 4(c)(3), the Secretary may not
use amounts in the Fund to carry out the project and shall
promptly reimburse the Fund for any expenditures pre-
viously made from the Fund in connection with the
project. In the case of an advance recovery project under
section 6, if the project is not selected, implemented, and
completed within the time periods specified in subsection
(c) of such section, the Secretary may not use amounts
in the Fund to carry out the project and shall promptly
reimburse the Fund for any expenditures previously made
from the Fund in connection with the project.
(e) LIMITATION ON OVERHEAD EXPENSES.—Over-
head expenses for a fiscal year for administration of the
national program, including the preparation of reports re-
quired by this Act and administration of the Fund, shall
not exceed 12 percent of the amounts made available from
the Fund for that fiscal year. In addition, not more than
$1,000,000 may be expended from the Fund to finance
the operation of the Scientific Advisory Panel.
(f) TREATMENT
OF REVENUES
AS MONEYS RE-
CEIVED.—Revenues generated by recovery projects under-
taken pursuant to sections 4 and 6 shall be considered
to be money received for purposes of the sixth paragraph
under the heading ‘‘FOREST SERVICE’’ in the Act of
May 23, 1908 (35 Stat. 260; 16 U.S.C. 500) and section
13 of the Act of March 1, 1911 (36 Stat. 963; commonly
known as the Weeks Act; 16 U.S.C. 500).
(g) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—The fourteenth
paragraph under the heading ‘‘FOREST SERVICE’’ of
the Act of March 4, 1913 (37 Stat. 843; 16 U.S.C. 501)
is amended by adding at the end the following new sen-
tence: ‘‘During the term of the Forest Recovery and Pro-
tection Fund, as established by section 7 of the Forest
Recovery and Protection Act of 1997, amounts reserved
under the authority of this paragraph shall be deposited
into that Fund.’’.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act for fiscal
year 1998 and each fiscal year thereafter through the fifth
full fiscal year following the implementation date.
(b) DEPOSIT IN FUND.—All sums appropriated pur-
suant to this section shall be deposited in the Forest Re-
covery and Protection Fund.
(c) EFFECT ON EXISTING PROJECTS.—Any contract
regarding a recovery project entered into before the end
of the final fiscal year specified in subsection (a), and still
in effect at the end of such fiscal year, shall remain in
effect until completed pursuant to the terms of the con-
tract.
SEC. 9. AUDIT REQUIREMENTS.
(a) AUDIT REQUIRED.—The Comptroller General
and the Inspector General of the Department of Agri-
culture shall jointly conduct an audit of the national pro-
gram at the end of the fourth-full fiscal year of the na-
tional program and submit such audit to the Congress by
June 1 of the next fiscal year.
(b) ELEMENTS.—The audit shall include an analysis
of—
(1) whether the program was carried out in a
manner consistent with the provisions of this Act;
(2) the impact on the development and imple-
mentation of the national program of the advance
recovery projects conducted under section 6 and the
reports submitted to the Secretary by Federal offi-
cials under such section;
(3) the extent to which the recommendations of
the Scientific Advisory Panel were used to develop
and implement the national program;
(4) the current and projected future financial
status of the Forest Recovery and Protection Fund;
and
(5) the cost savings and efficiencies achieved
under the national program.
SEC. 10. FOREST INVENTORYING, MONITORING, AND ANAL-
YSIS.
(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish a program to inventory, monitor, and analyze pub-
lic and private forests and their resources in the United
States for the purpose of—
(1) updating annually inventories of forests and
their resources in each State;
(2) preparing periodic reports on each State’s
inventory and on forests and their resources from a
nationwide perspective; and
(3) ensuring that the updates and reports are
made available to managers of public and private
forests and to the public.
(b) ANNUAL INVENTORY UPDATES.—
(1) PREPARATION.—By the end of each full fis-
cal year after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary shall prepare an inventory of forests
and their resources for each State. The Secretary
shall prepare the inventory for a State in coopera-
tion with the State forester for that State. For pur-
poses of preparing an inventory for a State, the Sec-
retary shall measure annually 20 percent of all sam-
ple plots that are included in the inventory program
for that State.
(2) AVAILABILITY.—Upon completion of each
annual inventory, the Secretary shall make available
to the public a compilation of all data collected from
the year’s measurements of sample plots and any
analysis of such samples.
(c) FIVE-YEAR REPORTS.—
(1) PREPARATION AND PUBLICATION.—At in-
tervals no greater than every five full fiscal years
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall prepare and publish—
(A) in cooperation with each State for-
ester, a report on each State inventory of for-
ests and their resources, incorporating all sam-
ple plot measurements conducted during the
previous five fiscal years; and
(B) a report which displays and analyzes
the results of the State reports required by sub-
paragraph (A) on a nationwide basis.
(2) AVAILABILITY.—The reports required by
this subsection shall be made available to the public.
(3) FOREST HEALTH ANALYSES.—Each report
under this subsection shall contain an analysis of
forest health conditions and trends over the previous
two decades, with an emphasis on such conditions
and trends during the period subsequent to the im-
mediately preceding report.
(d) UNIFORM STANDARDS.—To ensure uniform and
consistent data collection for all public and private forest
ownerships and each State, the Secretary shall develop
and publish national standards and definitions to be ap-
plied in inventorying, monitoring, and analyzing forests
and their resources under this section, including a core
set of variables to be measured on all sample plots under
subsection (b) and a standard set of tables to be included
in the reports under subsection (c). The Secretary shall
develop the national standards and definitions in consulta-
tion with State foresters and Federal land management
agencies not within the jurisdiction of the Secretary.
(e) STRATEGIC PLAN.—
(1) REQUIRED.—Within 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
shall prepare and submit to the Congress a strategic
plan to implement and carry out this section, includ-
ing the annual updates required by subsection (b)
and the reports required by subsection (c).
(2) CONTENT.—The strategic plan shall de-
scribe in detail—
(A) the financial resources required to im-
plement and carry out this section, including
the identification of any resources required in
excess of the amounts provided for forest
inventorying and analysis in recent appropria-
tions Acts;
(B) the personnel necessary to implement
and carry out this section, including any per-
sonnel in addition to personnel currently per-
forming inventorying and analysis functions;
(C) the organization and procedures nec-
essary to implement and carry out this section,
including proposed coordination with Federal
land management agencies and State foresters;
(D) the schedules for annual sample plot
measurements in each State inventory required
by subsection (b) within the first five-year in-
terval after the date of the enactment of this
Act;
(E) the core set of variables to be meas-
ured in each sample plot under subsection (b)
and the standard set of tables to be used in
each State and national report pursuant to sub-
section (c); and
(F) the process for employing, in coordina-
tion with the Department of Energy and the
National Aeronautics and Space Administra-
tion, remote sensing, global positioning systems,
and other advanced technologies to carry out
this section, and the subsequent use of such
technologies.
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