SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to direct the Secretary of 
Agriculture to take certain actions— 
(1) to rehabilitate and restore the Wallow Fire 
Area; 
(2) to recover material that is fire-damaged, but 
still merchantable, from the Wallow Fire Area before 
the material loses economic value; 
(3) to create defensible space around commu-
nities to effectively and safely fight future fires in 
the vicinity of the Wallow Fire Area; 
(4) to monitor the environmental and economic 
effects of the removal of fire-damaged trees from the 
Wallow Fire Area; and 
(5) to provide a mechanism to offset the costs 
of forest restoration in the Wallow Fire Area. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) BURNED AREA EMERGENCY RESPONSE.— 
The term ‘‘burned area emergency response’’ means 
the process used by the Secretary to plan and imple-
ment emergency stabilization actions on Federal 
land in response to an immediate post-fire condi-
tion— 
(A) to minimize threats to life or property; 
or 
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(B) to stabilize and prevent unacceptable 
degradation to natural and cultural resources 
resulting from the effects of the catastrophic 
event. 
(2) COMMUNITY
PROTECTION
MANAGEMENT 
AREA.—The term ‘‘Community Protection Manage-
ment Area’’ means— 
(A) the wildland-urban interface in a com-
munity wildfire protection plan; 
(B) human development areas having spe-
cial significance, including critical communica-
tion sites, high voltage transmission lines, devel-
oped recreation sites, and other structures that, 
if destroyed by fire, would result in hardship to 
communities; and 
(C) the fuels adjacent to areas described in 
subparagraph (B). 
(3) 
COMMUNITY
WILDFIRE
PROTECTION 
PLAN.—The term ‘‘community wildfire protection 
plan’’ has the meaning given the term in section 101 
of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 (16 
U.S.C. 6511). 
(4) HAZARD TREE AND COMMERCIAL TIMBER 
EVALUATION.—The term ‘‘hazard tree and commer-
cial timber evaluation’’ means an evaluation of the 
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hazard trees and fire-damaged, dead, and dying tim-
ber resources on the National Forest System land in 
the Wallow Fire Area conducted in accordance with 
section 4. 
(5) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 450b). 
(6) NATIONAL
FOREST
SYSTEM.—The term 
‘‘National Forest System’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 11(a) of the Forest and Range-
land Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 
U.S.C. 1609(a)). 
(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(8) TIMBER
REMOVAL
PROJECT.—The term 
‘‘timber removal project’’ means a timber removal 
project for the Wallow Fire Area identified under a 
hazard tree and commercial timber evaluation. 
(9) WALLOW FIRE.—The term ‘‘Wallow Fire’’ 
means the fire that originated in the Bear Wallow 
Wilderness on May 29, 2011. 
(10) WALLOW FIRE AREA.—The term ‘‘Wallow 
Fire Area’’ means the approximately 538,000-acre 
fire perimeter in the States of Arizona and New 
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Mexico, as depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Wallow 
Fire Az-ASF-110152 Progression Map’’ as of June 
27, 2011 at 2249 hours. 
SEC. 4. HAZARD TREE AND COMMERCIAL TIMBER EVALUA-
TION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct a 
hazard tree and commercial timber evaluation that identi-
fies timber resources appropriate for removal within the 
Wallow Fire Area not later than the date that is the ear-
lier of— 
(1) the date that is 30 days after the comple-
tion of the burned area emergency response for the 
Wallow Fire Area; or 
(2) the date that is 45 days after the date of 
containment of the Wallow Fire. 
(b) REPORT REQUIRED.—In conducting a hazard 
tree and commercial timber evaluation under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall prepare a report that includes— 
(1) a description of— 
(A) the forest conditions in the burned 
areas of the Wallow Fire Area; and 
(B) the short- and long-term risks the con-
ditions pose to forest users, communities, pri-
vate property, and remaining resources; 
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(2) a map of areas for potential hazard tree re-
moval, areas for potential fire-damaged commercial 
tree removal, and areas for potential elimination 
from harvest consideration, including a delineation 
of the Community Protection Management Area for 
the Wallow Fire Area; 
(3) a map of the burn intensity within the Wal-
low Fire Area; 
(4) a preliminary determination of— 
(A) the anticipated receipts to be derived 
from the hazard and fire-damaged commercial 
timber identified for removal in the Wallow Fire 
Area; 
(B) the estimated costs to the Secretary 
associated with the removal of the timber; and 
(C) to the maximum extent practicable, re-
ceipts likely to be lost if action is not taken in 
a timely manner; 
(5) a description of 1 or more proposals for 
timber removal projects providing for the removal of 
hazard trees and fire-damaged, dead, and dying tim-
ber resources in the Wallow Fire Area; and 
(6) a description of the desired outcomes of re-
habilitation and tree removal in burned portions of 
the Wallow Fire Area. 
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(c) EXCLUDED AREAS.—In identifying areas for tree 
removal under subsection (a), the Secretary shall exclude 
high fire-severity burned areas on steep slopes, slopes with 
an incline greater than 40 percent, riparian areas, and 
fragile erosive sites, unless tree removal in those areas is 
necessary to address public health and safety concerns. 
(d) PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT.—The Secretary shall fa-
cilitate the meaningful involvement of State and local offi-
cials, Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, and 
other interested persons during the preparation of the haz-
ard tree and commercial timber evaluation conducted 
under this section. 
(e) DEADLINE FOR COMPLETION.—Not later than 45 
days after the date on which the Secretary commences the 
hazard tree and commercial timber evaluation, the Sec-
retary shall complete the hazard tree and commercial tim-
ber evaluation. 
SEC. 5. TIMBER REMOVAL PROJECTS. 
(a) TIMBER REMOVAL PROJECT REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall limit the 
removal of trees under a timber removal project 
under this Act to hazard trees and trees that are al-
ready down, dead, or severely root-sprung, such that 
mortality is highly probable. 
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(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In selecting tree re-
moval techniques for a timber removal project under 
this Act, the Secretary shall take into account the 
degree of ground disturbances, soil types, soil satu-
ration, worker safety, threatened and endangered 
species, aquatic systems, and other ecological values 
associated with the site of the timber removal 
project. 
(3) MONITORING
REQUIREMENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall use an effectiveness monitoring frame-
work to assess the ecological and economic effects of 
tree removal projects carried out under this Act with 
respect to accomplishing desired outcomes identified 
in the hazard tree and commercial timber evaluation. 
(4) LIMITATION.—Nothing in this Act author-
izes new permanent road construction for timber re-
moval. 
(5) CONGRESSIONAL INTENT.—It is the intent 
of Congress that all timber removal projects carried 
out under this Act be completed by the date that is 
not later than 18 months after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
(b) ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Except as otherwise pro-
vided in this Act, the Secretary shall comply with 
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the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and other applicable laws in 
planning and conducting timber removal projects. 
(2) NEPA REQUIREMENTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a timber 
removal project to be conducted in a Commu-
nity Protection Management Area under this 
Act, the Secretary shall prepare an environ-
mental assessment for the proposed agency ac-
tion under section 102(2) of the National Envi-
ronmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4332(2)). 
(B) ALTERNATIVES.—Nothing in this sub-
section requires the Secretary to study, develop, 
or describe any alternative to the proposed 
agency action in the environmental assessment 
conducted under subparagraph (A). 
(C) PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION.—The Sec-
retary shall provide an opportunity for public 
participation during the preparation of the envi-
ronmental assessment under subparagraph (A), 
in accordance with existing protocols. 
(3) ADMINISTRATIVE AND JUDICIAL REVIEW.— 
Timber removal projects carried out under this Act 
are subject to the special administrative process and 
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judicial review process under sections 105 and 106 
of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 
U.S.C. 6515, 6516). 
(4) USE OF RECEIPTS.—Amounts collected by 
the Secretary from a timber removal project carried 
out under this Act shall be available for expenditure 
by the Secretary for forest restoration treatments in 
the Wallow Fire Area. 
Æ 
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