SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that—
(1) tan oak, coast live oak, Shreve’s oak, and
black oak trees are among the most beloved features
of the topography of California and the Pacific
Northwest and efforts should be made to protect
those trees from disease;
(2) the die-off of those trees, as a result of the
exotic Phytophthora fungus, is approaching epidemic
proportions;
(3) very little is known about the new species
of Phytophthora, and scientists are struggling to un-
derstand the causes of sudden oak death syndrome,
the methods of transmittal, and how sudden oak
death syndrome can best be treated;
(4) the Phytophthora fungus has been found
on—
(A) Rhododendron plants in nurseries in
California; and
(B) wild huckleberry plants, potentially en-
dangering the commercial blueberry and cran-
berry industries;
(5) sudden oak death syndrome threatens to
create major economic and environmental problems
in California, the Pacific Northwest, and other re-
gions, including—
(A) the increased threat of fire and fallen
trees;
(B) the cost of tree removal and a reduc-
tion in property values; and
(C) loss of revenue due to—
(i) restrictions on imports of oak
products and nursery stock; and
(ii) the impact on the commercial rho-
dodendron, blueberry, and cranberry indus-
tries; and
(6) Oregon and Canada have imposed an emer-
gency quarantine on the importation of oak trees,
oak products, and certain nursery plants from Cali-
fornia.
SEC. 3. RESEARCH, MONITORING, AND TREATMENT OF
SUDDEN OAK DEATH SYNDROME.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture (re-
ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall carry out
a sudden oak death syndrome research, monitoring, and
treatment program to develop methods to control, manage,
or eradicate sudden oak death syndrome from oak trees
on both public and private land.
(b) RESEARCH, MONITORING, AND TREATMENT AC-
TIVITIES.—In carrying out the program under subsection
(a), the Secretary may—
(1) conduct open space, roadside, and aerial
surveys;
(2) provide monitoring technique workshops;
(3) develop baseline information on the dis-
tribution, condition, and mortality rates of oaks in
California and the Pacific Northwest;
(4) maintain a geographic information system
database;
(5) conduct research activities, including re-
search on forest pathology, Phytophthora ecology,
forest insects associated with oak decline, urban for-
estry, arboriculture, forest ecology, fire management,
silviculture, landscape ecology, and epidemiology;
(6) evaluate the susceptibility of oaks and other
vulnerable species throughout the United States; and
(7) develop and apply treatments.
SEC. 4. MANAGEMENT, REGULATION, AND FIRE PREVEN-
TION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct sud-
den oak death syndrome management, regulation, and fire
prevention activities to reduce the threat of fire and fallen
trees killed by sudden oak death syndrome.
(b) MANAGEMENT, REGULATION, AND FIRE PRE-
VENTION ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out subsection (a), the
Secretary may—
(1) conduct hazard tree assessments;
(2) provide grants to local units of government
for hazard tree removal, disposal and recycling, as-
sessment and management of restoration and miti-
gation projects, green waste treatment facilities, re-
forestation, resistant tree breeding, and exotic weed
control;
(3) increase and improve firefighting and emer-
gency response capabilities in areas where fire haz-
ard has increased due to oak die-off;
(4) treat vegetation to prevent fire, and assess-
ment of fire risk, in areas heavily infected with sud-
den oak death syndrome;
(5) conduct national surveys and inspections
of—
(A) commercial rhododendron and blue-
berry nurseries; and
(B) native rhododendron and huckleberry
plants;
(6) provide for monitoring of oaks and other
vulnerable species throughout the United States to
ensure early detection; and
(7) provide diagnostic services.
SEC. 5. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct edu-
cation and outreach activities to make information avail-
able to the public on sudden death oak syndrome.
(b) EDUCATION
AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES.—In
carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary may—
(1) develop and distribute educational materials
for homeowners, arborists, urban foresters, park
managers, public works personnel, recreationists,
nursery workers, landscapers, naturists, firefighting
personnel, and other individuals, as the Secretary
determines appropriate;
(2) design and maintain a website to provide in-
formation on sudden oak death syndrome; and
(3) provide financial and technical support to
States, local governments, and nonprofit organiza-
tions providing information on sudden oak death
syndrome.
SEC. 6. SUDDEN OAK DEATH SYNDROME ADVISORY COM-
MITTEE.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish
a Sudden Oak Death Syndrome Advisory Committee
(referred to in this section as the ‘‘Committee’’) to
assist the Secretary in carrying out this Act.
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—
(A) COMPOSITION.—The Committee shall
consist of—
(i) 1 representative of the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service, to be ap-
pointed by the Administrator of the Ani-
mal and Plant Health Inspection Service;
(ii) 1 representative of the Forest
Service, to be appointed by the Chief of the
Forest Service;
(iii) 2 individuals appointed by the
Secretary from each of the States affected
by sudden oak death syndrome; and
(iv) any individual, to be appointed by
the Secretary, in consultation with the
Governors of the affected States, that the
Secretary determines—
(I) has an interest or expertise in
sudden oak death syndrome; and
(II) would contribute to the Com-
mittee.
(B) DATE
OF
APPOINTMENTS.—The ap-
pointment of a member of the Committee shall
be made not later than 90 days after the enact-
ment of this Act.
(3) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 30 days
after the date on which all members of the Com-
mittee have been appointed, the Committee shall
hold the initial meeting of the Committee.
(b) DUTIES.—
(1) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.—The Committee
shall prepare a comprehensive implementation plan
to address the management, control, and eradication
of sudden oak death syndrome.
(2) REPORTS.—
(A) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than 1
year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Committee shall submit to Congress the imple-
mentation plan prepared under paragraph (1).
(B) FINAL
REPORT.—Not later than 3
years after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Committee shall submit to Congress a re-
port that contains—
(i) a summary of the activities of the
Committee;
(ii) an accounting of funds received
and expended by the Committee; and
(iii) findings and recommendations of
the Committee.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated for each of
fiscal years 2002 through 2007—
(1) to carry out section 3, $7,500,000, of which
up to $1,500,000 shall be used for treatment;
(2) to carry out section 4, $6,000,000;
(3) to carry out section 5, $500,000; and
(4) to carry out section 6, $250,000.
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