H. R. 1904—17
(2) to encourage landowners to maintain tree cover on
property and to use tree plantings and vegetative treatments
as creative solutions to watershed problems associated with
varying land uses;
(3) to enhance and complement forest management and
buffer use for watersheds, with an emphasis on community
watersheds;
(4) to establish new partnerships and collaborative water-
shed approaches to forest management, stewardship, and con-
servation;
(5) to provide technical and financial assistance to States
to deliver a coordinated program that enhances State forestry
best-management practices programs, and conserves and
improves forested land and potentially forested land, through
technical, financial, and educational assistance to qualifying
individuals and entities; and
(6) to maximize the proper management and conservation
of wetland forests and to assist in the restoration of those
forests.
SEC. 302. WATERSHED FORESTRY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
The Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 is amended
by inserting after section 5 (16 U.S.C. 2103a) the following:
‘‘SEC. 6. WATERSHED FORESTRY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF NONINDUSTRIAL PRIVATE FOREST LAND.—
In this section, the term ‘nonindustrial private forest land’ means
rural land, as determined by the Secretary, that—
‘‘(1) has existing tree cover or that is suitable for growing
trees; and
‘‘(2) is owned by any nonindustrial private individual,
group, association, corporation, or other private legal entity,
that has definitive decisionmaking authority over the land.
‘‘(b) GENERAL AUTHORITY AND PURPOSE.—The Secretary, acting
through the Chief of the Forest Service and (where appropriate)
through the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension
Service, may provide technical, financial, and related assistance
to State foresters, equivalent State officials, or Cooperative Exten-
sion officials at land grant colleges and universities and 1890
institutions for the purpose of expanding State forest stewardship
capacities and activities through State forestry best-management
practices and other means at the State level to address watershed
issues on non-Federal forested land and potentially forested land.
‘‘(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in cooperation with State
foresters or equivalent State officials, shall engage interested
members of the public, including nonprofit organizations and
local watershed councils, to develop a program of technical
assistance to protect water quality described in paragraph (2).
‘‘(2) PURPOSE OF PROGRAM.—The program under this sub-
section shall be designed—
‘‘(A) to build and strengthen watershed partnerships
that focus on forested landscapes at the State, regional,
and local levels;
‘‘(B) to provide State forestry best-management prac-
tices and water quality technical assistance directly to
owners of nonindustrial private forest land;
H. R. 1904—18
‘‘(C) to provide technical guidance to land managers
and policymakers for water quality protection through
forest management;
‘‘(D) to complement State and local efforts to protect
water quality and provide enhanced opportunities for con-
sultation and cooperation among Federal and State agen-
cies charged with responsibility for water and watershed
management; and
‘‘(E) to provide enhanced forest resource data and sup-
port for improved implementation and monitoring of State
forestry best-management practices.
‘‘(3) IMPLEMENTATION.—In the case of a participating State,
the program of technical assistance shall be implemented by
State foresters or equivalent State officials.
‘‘(d) WATERSHED FORESTRY COST-SHARE PROGRAM.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a water-
shed forestry cost-share program—
‘‘(A) which shall be—
‘‘(i) administered by the Forest Service; and
‘‘(ii) implemented by State foresters or equivalent
State officials in participating States; and
‘‘(B) under which funds or other support provided to
participating States shall be made available for State for-
estry best-management practices programs and watershed
forestry projects.
‘‘(2) WATERSHED FORESTRY PROJECTS.—The State forester,
an equivalent State official of a participating State, or a
Cooperative Extension official at a land grant college or univer-
sity or 1890 institution, in coordination with the State Forest
Stewardship Coordinating Committee established under section
19(b) (or an equivalent committee) for that State, shall make
awards to communities, nonprofit groups, and owners of non-
industrial private forest land under the program for watershed
forestry projects described in paragraph (3).
‘‘(3) PROJECT ELEMENTS AND OBJECTIVES.—A watershed for-
estry project shall accomplish critical forest stewardship, water-
shed protection, and restoration needs within a State by dem-
onstrating the value of trees and forests to watershed health
and condition through—
‘‘(A) the use of trees as solutions to water quality
problems in urban and rural areas;
‘‘(B) community-based planning, involvement, and
action through State, local, and nonprofit partnerships;
‘‘(C) application of and dissemination of monitoring
information on forestry best-management practices relating
to watershed forestry;
‘‘(D) watershed-scale forest management activities and
conservation planning; and
‘‘(E)(i) the restoration of wetland (as defined by the
States) and stream-side forests; and
‘‘(ii) the establishment of riparian vegetative buffers.
‘‘(4) COST-SHARING.—
‘‘(A) FEDERAL SHARE.—
‘‘(i) FUNDS UNDER THIS SUBSECTION.—Funds pro-
vided under this subsection for a watershed forestry
project may not exceed 75 percent of the cost of the
project.
H. R. 1904—19
‘‘(ii) OTHER FEDERAL FUNDS.—The percentage of
the cost of a project described in clause (i) that is
not covered by funds made available under this sub-
section may be paid using other Federal funding
sources, except that the total Federal share of the
costs of the project may not exceed 90 percent.
‘‘(B) FORM.—The non-Federal share of the costs of a
project may be provided in the form of cash, services,
or other in-kind contributions.
‘‘(5) 
PRIORITIZATION.—The 
State 
Forest 
Stewardship
Coordinating Committee for a State, or equivalent State com-
mittee, shall prioritize watersheds in that State to target water-
shed forestry projects funded under this subsection.
‘‘(6) WATERSHED FORESTER.—Financial and technical assist-
ance shall be made available to the State Forester or equivalent
State official to create a State watershed or best-management
practice forester position to—
‘‘(A) lead statewide programs; and
‘‘(B) coordinate watershed-level projects.
‘‘(e) DISTRIBUTION.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Of the funds made available for a fiscal
year under subsection (g), the Secretary shall use—
‘‘(A) at least 75 percent of the funds to carry out
the cost-share program under subsection (d); and
‘‘(B) the remainder of the funds to deliver technical
assistance, education, and planning, at the local level,
through the State Forester or equivalent State official.
‘‘(2) SPECIAL
CONSIDERATIONS.—Distribution of funds by
the Secretary among States under paragraph (1) shall be made
only after giving appropriate consideration to—
‘‘(A) the acres of agricultural land, nonindustrial pri-
vate forest land, and highly erodible land in each State;
‘‘(B) the miles of riparian buffer needed;
‘‘(C) the miles of impaired stream segments and other
impaired water bodies where forestry practices can be used
to restore or protect water resources;
‘‘(D) the number of owners of nonindustrial private
forest land in each State; and
‘‘(E) water quality cost savings that can be achieved
through forest watershed management.
‘‘(f) WILLING OWNERS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Participation of an owner of nonindus-
trial private forest land in the watershed forestry assistance
program under this section is voluntary.
‘‘(2) WRITTEN CONSENT.—The watershed forestry assistance
program shall not be carried out on nonindustrial private forest
land without the written consent of the owner of, or entity
having definitive decisionmaking over, the nonindustrial pri-
vate forest land.
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2004 through 2008.’’.
SEC. 303. TRIBAL WATERSHED FORESTRY ASSISTANCE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to
in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’), acting through the Chief of
the Forest Service, shall provide technical, financial, and related
H. R. 1904—20
assistance to Indian tribes for the purpose of expanding tribal
stewardship capacities and activities through tribal forestry best-
management practices and other means at the tribal level to address
watershed issues on land under the jurisdiction of or administered
by the Indian tribes.
(b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in cooperation with Indian
tribes, shall develop a program to provide technical assistance
to protect water quality, as described in paragraph (2).
(2) PURPOSE OF PROGRAM.—The program under this sub-
section shall be designed—
(A) to build and strengthen watershed partnerships
that focus on forested landscapes at the State, regional,
tribal, and local levels;
(B) to provide tribal forestry best-management prac-
tices and water quality technical assistance directly to
Indian tribes;
(C) to provide technical guidance to tribal land man-
agers and policy makers for water quality protection
through forest management;
(D) to complement tribal efforts to protect water quality
and provide enhanced opportunities for consultation and
cooperation among Federal agencies and tribal entities
charged with responsibility for water and watershed
management; and
(E) to provide enhanced forest resource data and sup-
port for improved implementation and monitoring of tribal
forestry best-management practices.
(c) WATERSHED FORESTRY PROGRAM.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a watershed
forestry program in cooperation with Indian tribes.
(2) PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS.—Funds or other support pro-
vided under the program shall be made available for tribal
forestry best-management practices programs and watershed
forestry projects.
(3) ANNUAL AWARDS.—The Secretary shall annually make
awards to Indian tribes to carry out this subsection.
(4) PROJECT ELEMENTS AND OBJECTIVES.—A watershed for-
estry project shall accomplish critical forest stewardship, water-
shed protection, and restoration needs within land under the
jurisdiction of or administered by an Indian tribe by dem-
onstrating the value of trees and forests to watershed health
and condition through—
(A) the use of trees as solutions to water quality prob-
lems;
(B) application of and dissemination of monitoring
information on forestry best-management practices relating
to watershed forestry;
(C) watershed-scale forest management activities and
conservation planning;
(D) the restoration of wetland and stream-side forests
and the establishment of riparian vegetative buffers; and
(E) tribal-based planning, involvement, and action
through State, tribal, local, and nonprofit partnerships.
(5) PRIORITIZATION.—An Indian tribe that participates in
the program under this subsection shall prioritize watersheds
in land under the jurisdiction of or administered by the Indian