Sec. 101. Definitions. 
Sec. 102. Environmental justice community technical assistance grants. 
Sec. 103. White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council. 
Sec. 104. Federal agency actions to address environmental justice. 
Sec. 105. Training of employees of Federal agencies. 
Sec. 106. Environmental justice basic training program. 
Sec. 107. Environmental justice clearinghouse. 
Sec. 108. Public meetings. 
Sec. 109. National Environmental Justice Advisory Council. 
Sec. 110. Environmental justice grant programs. 
Sec. 111. Environmental justice community solid waste disposal technical as-
sistance grants. 
Sec. 112. Environmental justice community, State, and Tribal grant programs. 
Sec. 113. Protections for environmental justice communities against harmful 
Federal actions. 
Sec. 114. Prohibited discrimination. 
Sec. 115. Right of action. 
Sec. 116. Rights of recovery. 
Sec. 117. Public health risks associated with cumulative environmental 
stressors. 
Sec. 118. Climate justice grant program. 
Sec. 119. Environmental justice for communities overburdened by environ-
mental violations. 
SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 
shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 
titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 
Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 
by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro-
vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 
vote on passage.
DIVISION A—WILDFIRE 
TITLE I—FEDERAL LANDS 
WORKFORCE 
Subtitle A—Federal Wildland 
Firefighters 
SEC. 101. TIM HART WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER PAY PARITY. 
(a) FEDERAL WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER PAY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act— 
(A) the minimum rate of basic pay for any 
Federal wildland firefighter position shall be 
not less than the rate of pay for step 3 of GS– 
6 of the General Schedule; and 
(B) any such position shall receive locality 
pay under section 5304 of title 5, United States 
Code, at the rate of ‘‘Rest of U.S.’’. 
(2) ANNUAL ADJUSTMENTS.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law, beginning in the first pay 
period beginning on or after the date that the min-
imum rates of pay under paragraph (1) begin to 
apply, and annually thereafter, the basic rate of pay 
for each Federal wildland firefighter shall be in-
creased by not less than the percentage equal to the 
percent change in the Consumer Price Index (all 
items—United 
States 
city 
average), 
published
monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for De-
cember of the preceding year over such Consumer 
Price Index for the December of the year prior to 
the preceding year, adjusted to the nearest one-tenth 
of 1 percent. 
(3) COMPENSATION COMPARABLE TO NON-FED-
ERAL FIREFIGHTERS.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date the minimum rates of pay under paragraph 
(1) begin to apply, the Secretary of Agriculture and 
the Secretary of the Interior shall submit a report 
to Congress on whether pay, benefits, and bonuses 
provided to Federal wildland firefighters are com-
parable to the pay, benefits, and bonuses provided 
for non-Federal firefighters in the State or locality 
where Federal wildland firefighters are based. 
(4) HAZARDOUS
DUTY
PAY.—Each Federal 
wildland firefighter who is carrying out work com-
pleted during prescribed fire, parachuting, tree 
climbing over 20 feet, hazard tree removal, and 
other hazardous work as identified by the Secretary 
of Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, shall be 
considered an employee in an occupational series 
covering positions for which the primary duties in-
volve the prevention, control, suppression, or man-
agement of wildland fires under section 5545(d) of
title 5, United States Code. The Director of the Of-
fice of Personnel Management may prescribe regula-
tions to carry out this paragraph. 
(5) MENTAL
HEALTH
LEAVE.—Each Federal 
wildland firefighter shall be entitled to 7 consecutive 
days of leave, without loss or reduction in pay, dur-
ing any calendar year. Leave provided under this 
paragraph shall not— 
(A) accumulate for use in succeeding 
years; and 
(B) be considered to be annual or vacation 
leave for purposes of section 5551 or 5552 of 
title 5, United States Code, or for any other 
purpose. 
(b) PAY PARITY FOR FEDERAL STRUCTURAL FIRE-
FIGHTERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, any pay, benefits, 
and bonuses provided to any Federal structural fire-
fighter shall be comparable with the pay, benefits, 
and bonuses provided for Federal wildland fire-
fighters. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date the minimum rates of pay under subsection 
(a)(1) begin to apply, the Director of the Office of
Personnel Management shall submit a report to 
Congress on whether pay for such Federal structural 
firefighters is competitive with Federal wildland fire-
fighters 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘Federal structural firefighter’’— 
(A) has the meaning given the term ‘‘fire-
fighter’’ in section 8401 of chapter 84 of title 
5, United States Code; and 
(B) does not include any Federal wildland 
firefighter; and 
(2) the term ‘‘Federal wildland firefighter’’ 
means any individual occupying a position within the 
Wildland Fire Management Series, 0456 established 
by the Office of Personnel Management pursuant to 
section 40803(d) of the Infrastructure Investment 
and Jobs Act (Public Law 117–58), or any subse-
quent series. 
SEC. 102. WAIVER OF PREMIUM PAY LIMITATIONS FOR 
CERTAIN EMPLOYEES ENGAGED IN EMER-
GENCY WILDLAND FIRE SUPPRESSION AC-
TIVITIES. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
‘‘Wildland Firefighter Fair Pay Act’’. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
(1) COVERED EMPLOYEE.—The term ‘‘covered 
employee’’ means an employee of the Department of 
Agriculture, the Department of the Interior, or the 
Department of Commerce. 
(2) COVERED
SERVICES.—The term ‘‘covered 
services’’ means services performed by a covered em-
ployee that are determined by the Secretary con-
cerned to be primarily relating to emergency 
wildland fire suppression activities. 
(3) PREMIUM PAY.—The term ‘‘premium pay’’ 
means the premium pay paid under the provisions of 
law described in section 5547(a) of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(4) SECRETARY CONCERNED.—The term ‘‘Sec-
retary concerned’’ means— 
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with re-
spect to an employee of the Department of Ag-
riculture; 
(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with re-
spect to an employee of the Department of the 
Interior; and 
(C) the Secretary of Commerce, with re-
spect to an employee of the Department of 
Commerce.
any other purpose, that additional premium pay shall not 
be— 
(1) considered to be basic pay of the covered 
employee for any purpose; or 
(2) used in computing a lump-sum payment to 
the covered employee for accumulated and accrued 
annual leave under section 5551 or 5552 of title 5, 
United States Code. 
(g) OVERTIME RATES.—Section 5542(a)(5) of title 5, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘the United 
States Forest Service in’’. 
SEC. 103. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
‘‘Conservation Jobs Act of 2022’’. 
(b) DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY.—Section 147(d) of 
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
3197(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), the Secretary of Agriculture may ap-
point, without regard to the provisions of sub-
chapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, United States 
Code (other than sections 3303 and 3328 of 
such title), covered graduates directly to any 
position with the Forest Service for which the
candidate meets Office of Personnel Manage-
ment qualification standards. 
‘‘(B) LIMITATIONS.—The Secretary may 
not appoint under subparagraph (A)— 
‘‘(i) during fiscal year 2023, more 
than 10 covered job corps graduates; 
‘‘(ii) during fiscal year 2024, more 
than 20 covered job corps graduates; 
‘‘(iii) during fiscal year 2025, more 
than 30 covered job corps graduates; and 
‘‘(iv) during fiscal year 2026 and each 
fiscal year thereafter, more than 50 cov-
ered job corps graduates. 
‘‘(C) COVERED JOB CORPS GRADUATE DE-
FINED.—In this paragraph, the term ‘covered 
graduate’ means a graduate of a Civilian Con-
servation Center who successfully completed a 
training program, including in administration, 
human resources, business, or quality assur-
ance, that was focused on forestry, wildland 
firefighting, or another topic relating to the 
mission of the Forest Service.’’.
Subtitle B—Authorization of Ap-
propriations for Forest Service 
Fire and Non-Fire Salaries and 
Expenses 
SEC. 111. IN GENERAL. 
There is authorized to be appropriated— 
(1) for salaries and expenses of fire-related em-
ployees of the Forest Service to carry out wildfire 
preparedness under the wildland fire management 
program authorized pursuant to the Organic Admin-
istration 
Act 
of 
1897 
(16 
U.S.C. 
551), 
$1,615,600,000 for fiscal year 2023 and each fiscal 
year thereafter; and 
(2) for salaries and expenses of National Forest 
System employees not described in paragraph (1) to 
carry out activities for the stewardship and manage-
ment 
of 
the 
National 
Forest 
System, 
$2,353,400,000 for fiscal year 2023 and each fiscal 
year thereafter. 
Subtitle C—Other Personnel 
SEC. 121. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT STRIKE 
TEAMS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Agriculture shall, for each region of the Forest Service,
establish and maintain at least one NEPA strike team per 
region. 
(b) PRIORITY ASSIGNMENTS.—The Secretary of Ag-
riculture shall give priority assignments to NEPA strike 
teams established under subsection (a) that serve— 
(1) areas of the National Forest System with a 
high or very high risk of wildfire; and 
(2) at-risk communities with a significant num-
ber or percentage of homes exposed to wildfire. 
(c) COMPOSITION OF STRIKE TEAMS.—Strike teams 
established under subsection (a) shall, to the maximum 
extent practicable, consist of interdisciplinary members 
who have demonstrated success in the efficient and effec-
tive completion of all stages of compliance with the Na-
tional Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). 
SEC. 122. COMMUNITY MITIGATION ASSISTANCE TEAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agri-
culture shall, for each region of the Forest Service, estab-
lish and maintain at least one community mitigation as-
sistance team. 
(b) PRIORITY ASSIGNMENTS.—The Secretary of Ag-
riculture shall give priority assignments to community 
mitigation assistance teams established under subsection 
(a) that serve at-risk communities with a significant num-
ber or percentage of homes exposed to a high or very high 
risk of wildfire. 
(c) ASSESSMENTS.—With respect to a community 
mitigation assistance team established under subsection 
(a), the Secretary of Agriculture may— 
(1) at the request of a State or political subdivi-
sion, assign such a team to provide pre-fire assess-
ments; and 
(2) assign such a team to an area or commu-
nity to provide post-fire assessments. 
SEC. 123. FILLING FOREST SERVICE RECREATION MANAGE-
MENT STAFF VACANCIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture, act-
ing through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall fill va-
cancies in Forest Service recreation management and 
planning staff, including recreation technicians, recreation 
officers, and natural resource managers. 
(b) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall prioritize filling 
vacancies under subsection (a) in units of the National 
Forest System that— 
(1) are at high or very high risk of wildfires; 
and 
(2) are located in areas of substantial public 
use.
(c) TRAINING
AND CERTIFICATION
AS
A FOREST 
PROTECTION OFFICER.—The Secretary may provide the 
opportunity for any individual who fills a vacancy pursu-
ant to subsection (a) to receive training and certification 
as a Forest Protection Officer. 
SEC. 124. FILLING VACANCIES AND INCREASING NUMBER 
OF POSITIONS AVAILABLE IN THE FOREST 
SERVICE TO ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY AND 
PROTECTION CONCERNS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture, act-
ing through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall— 
(1) fill vacancies in the Forest Service in roles 
that primarily address public safety and protection; 
(2) assess the number of positions necessary to 
promote public safety and protect resources from 
unauthorized use; and 
(3) seek to increase the number of positions 
available, as described in paragraph (2), as appro-
priate. 
(b) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall prioritize filling 
vacancies and increasing the number of positions under 
subsection (a) in units of the National Forest System 
that— 
(1) are at high or very high risk of wildfires; 
and
(2) are located in areas of substantial public 
use. 
TITLE 
II—WILDFIRE, 
ECO-
SYSTEM PROTECTION, COM-
MUNITY PREPAREDNESS, AND 
RECOVERY 
Subtitle A—10–Year National 
Wildfire Plan 
SEC. 201. DEFINITIONS. 
In this subtitle: 
(1) PLAN.—The term ‘‘Plan’’ means the plan 
required under section 202(a). 
(2) SECRETARIES.—The term ‘‘Secretaries’’ 
means the Secretary of Agriculture and the Sec-
retary of the Interior. 
(3) SECRETARY CONCERNED.—The term ‘‘Sec-
retary concerned’’ means— 
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with re-
spect to National Forest System lands; and 
(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with re-
spect to public lands.
SEC. 202. IMPLEMENTATION OF 10-YEAR NATIONAL WILD-
FIRE PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture 
shall, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, 
implement a 10-year National Wildfire Plan that— 
(1) includes— 
(A) hazardous fuels and prescribed fire ac-
tivities to address wildfire risk; 
(B) vegetation, watershed, wildlife and 
fisheries habitat management to maintain habi-
tat and improve ecological conditions, includ-
ing— 
(i) protecting mature and old-growth 
trees and forests; 
(ii) maintaining habitat in a way that 
advances at-risk species recovery and con-
servation; and 
(iii) completing consultations required 
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); 
(C) management of recreation, heritage, 
and wilderness programs; 
(D) activities under the Joint Fire Science 
Program to address wildfire risk; 
(E) the activities required under this sub-
title;
(F) the activities included in— 
(i) the National Cohesive Wildland 
Fire Management Strategy (and successor 
documents); 
(ii) the Wildfire Crisis Strategy enti-
tled ‘‘Confronting the Wildfire Crisis: A 
Strategy for Protecting Communities and 
Improving Resilience in America’s For-
ests’’ and dated January 2022 (and suc-
cessor documents); 
(iii) the Wildfire Crisis Strategy Im-
plementation Plan entitled ‘‘Wildfire Crisis 
Implementation Plan’’ and dated January 
2022 (and successor documents); and 
(iv) the Wildfire Crisis Landscape In-
vestments plan entitled ‘‘Confronting the 
Wildfire Crisis: Initial Landscape Invest-
ments to Protect Communities and Im-
prove Resilience in America’s Forests’’ 
dated April 2022 (and successor docu-
ments); and 
(G) such other wildfire-related activities as 
determined appropriate by the Secretary of Ag-
riculture or the Secretary of the Interior, in ac-
cordance with existing law and regulations; and
(2) in accordance with section 203, prioritizes 
carrying out landscape-scale restoration projects. 
(b) COORDINATION.—In carrying out subsection (a), 
to the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary of Agri-
culture, in coordination with the Secretary of Interior, 
shall— 
(1) utilize cooperative forestry authorities and 
agreements, including but not limited to the Cooper-
ative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 
2101 et seq.); 
(2) solicit proposals from States, counties, and 
Tribes to address water quantity and quality con-
cerns; 
(3) solicit proposals from States, counties, and 
Tribes for hazardous fuels treatments; 
(4) consider the long-term State-wide assess-
ments and forest resource strategies established in 
section 2A the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act 
of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101a); and 
(5) provide priority to collaboratively developed 
projects. 
(c) FUNDING.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(A) HAZARDOUS FUELS AND PRESCRIBED 
FIRE.—There is authorized to be appropriated
to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out 
hazardous fuels and prescribed fire activities 
under subsection (a)(1)(A), $500,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2023 through 2032. 
(B) VEGETATION, WATERSHED, WILDLIFE, 
AND FISHERIES MANAGEMENT.—There is au-
thorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
Agriculture to carry out vegetation, watershed, 
wildlife and fisheries management activities 
under subsection (a)(1)(B), $500,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2023 through 2032. 
(C) RECREATION, 
HERITAGE, 
WILDER-
NESS.—There is authorized to be appropriated 
to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out 
recreation, heritage, and wilderness programs 
under subsection (a)(1)(C), $500,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2023 through 2032. 
(D) JOINT
FIRE
SCIENCE
PROGRAM.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out wildfire risk reduction and research activi-
ties of the Joint Fire Science Program pursu-
ant to the Plan, $20,000,000, for each of fiscal 
years 2023 through 2032, of which— 
(i) $10,000,000 shall be made avail-
able to the Secretary of Agriculture; and
(ii) $10,000,000 shall be made avail-
able to the Secretary of the Interior. 
(2) HAZARDOUS FUELS.— 
(A) PERMISSIVE
USE.—Of the amounts 
made available pursuant to paragraph (1)(A) 
for a fiscal year, up to 10 percent may be used 
to cover a portion of wildland firefighter sala-
ries, so long as the positions to which such sala-
ries apply are full-time and cover projects and 
activities to reduce wildfire risk. 
(B) LIMITATION.—The amounts made 
available pursuant to paragraph (1)(A) may not 
be used to cover any portion of wildland fire-
fighter salaries if the activities to reduce wild-
fire risk are considered wildfire suppression ac-
tivities. 
SEC. 203. SELECTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF LAND-
SCAPE-SCALE 
FOREST 
RESTORATION 
PROJECTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the Plan, the Sec-
retary of Agriculture shall select, in accordance with this 
section, landscape-scale forest restoration projects— 
(1) to implement on National Forest System 
land; and
(2) if applicable, to implement on land adjoin-
ing National Forest System land, in coordination 
with other Federal and non-Federal entities. 
(b) INITIAL PHASE.—During the 5-year period begin-
ning on the date of enactment of this Act, subject to the 
availability of appropriations, the Secretary of Agriculture 
shall select not more than 20 landscape-scale forest res-
toration projects under subsection (a). 
(c) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), to 
be eligible for selection and implementation under 
subsection (a), a landscape-scale forest restoration 
project shall satisfy the following requirements: 
(A) The purposes and needs for the project 
shall be— 
(i) to restore the ecological integrity 
and ecological resilience of terrestrial and 
aquatic areas that have departed from ref-
erence conditions within the forest land-
scape; 
(ii) to restore appropriate natural fire 
regimes, including by reducing fuel loads 
in areas that have departed from reference 
conditions, taking into account the current
and projected impacts of climate change; 
and 
(iii) to conduct wildfire risk reduction 
activities within the wildland-urban inter-
face to the extent that the project includes 
lands within the wildland-urban interface. 
(B) The project shall be developed and 
supported by a collaborative group that— 
(i) includes multiple interested per-
sons representing diverse interests; 
(ii) is transparent and inclusive; and 
(iii) has sufficient expertise, capacity, 
and scientific support to effectively plan, 
implement, and monitor landscape-level, 
ecologically based forest restoration activi-
ties. 
(C) The project shall be based on a land-
scape assessment that shall— 
(i) cover a landscape of— 
(I) except as provided in sub-
clauses (II) and (III), not less than 
100,000 acres; 
(II) in such limited cases as the 
Secretary of Agriculture determines to
be appropriate, not less than 80,000 
acres if— 
(aa) the assessment is com-
pleted or substantially completed 
as of the date of enactment of 
this Act; and 
(bb) in the determination of 
the Secretary of Agriculture, as-
sessing a larger area is not nec-
essary to restore the integrity, re-
silience, and fire regimes of the 
landscape; or 
(III) not less than 50,000 acres 
in the case of a project that is carried 
out east of the 100th meridian; 
(ii) evaluate ecological integrity and 
determine reference conditions for the 
landscape; 
(iii) identify terrestrial and aquatic 
areas within the landscape that have de-
parted from reference conditions; 
(iv) identify criteria to determine ap-
propriate restoration treatments within de-
graded areas of the landscape to achieve 
reference conditions, including manage-
ment prescriptions and necessary mitiga-
tion measures to protect at-risk species; 
(v) be based on the best available sci-
entific information and data, including, 
where applicable, high-resolution imagery, 
LiDAR, and similar technologies and infor-
mation, and involve direct engagement by 
scientists; and 
(vi) identify priority restoration strat-
egies for terrestrial and aquatic areas, in-
cluding prescribed fire and wildfires man-
aged for multiple resource benefits, which 
shall focus on— 
(I) areas that are the most de-
parted from reference conditions; and 
(II) areas that would benefit the 
most from reducing the risk of 
uncharacteristic 
wildfire, 
especially 
with respect to nearby communities, 
taking into account other completed, 
ongoing, 
planned 
fuels-reduction 
projects, and the effects of recent 
wildfires. 
(D) Restoration treatments under the 
project—
(i) shall emphasize the reintroduction 
of characteristic fire, based on forest ecol-
ogy and reference conditions, through the 
use of prescribed fire, wildfire, or both; 
(ii) that involve any proposed mechan-
ical treatments shall be designed to pro-
mote— 
(I) the restoration of reference 
conditions in areas that lack ecological 
integrity, with a focus on the reduc-
tion of surface and ladder fuels; and 
(II) the establishment of condi-
tions that will facilitate prescribed fire 
or managed wildfire; 
(iii) shall— 
(I) fully maintain or contribute 
to the restoration of reference old for-
est conditions, taking into account the 
current and projected impacts of cli-
mate change; and 
(II) protect or increase the num-
ber and distribution of large old trees, 
consistent with reference conditions, 
excepting any de minimis losses of
large old trees from prescribed fire or 
hazardous tree removal; and 
(iv) that involve prescribed fire shall 
provide advance notification, in accordance 
with notification procedures developed by 
the Secretary of Agriculture, to the owner 
or operator of critical infrastructure, such 
as a power line right-of-way, of any pre-
scribed fire treatments within close prox-
imity to the infrastructure. 
(E) The project shall be consistent with all 
applicable environmental laws, including— 
(i) the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); 
(ii) the Endangered Species Act of 
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); and 
(iii) the Forest and Rangeland Renew-
able Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 
U.S.C. 1600 et seq.). 
(F) The project shall be consistent with 
section 208. 
(G) The project shall require multiparty 
monitoring, including opportunities for public 
engagement, and an adaptive management ap-
proach that—
(i) conditions the future implementa-
tion of the project on the satisfactory com-
pletion of— 
(I) priority restoration actions; 
and 
(II) required monitoring after im-
plementation; 
(ii) validates conditions projected to 
occur in the environmental analysis for the 
project; and 
(iii) requires modifications to the 
project if monitoring reveals impacts be-
yond the anticipated impacts of the 
project. 
(H)(i) No new permanent road may be 
built as part of the project. 
(ii) Any new temporary roads needed to 
implement the project shall be decommissioned 
not later than 3 years after completion of the 
project. 
(I) The project shall use an efficient ap-
proach to landscape-scale analysis and decision-
making that is consistent with the National En-
vironmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.), which may include—
(i) the preparation of a single environ-
mental impact statement or environmental 
assessment, as applicable, for the entire 
project, incorporating the landscape assess-
ment described in subparagraph (C); 
(ii) the use of, as applicable— 
(I) multiple records of decision to 
implement a single environmental im-
pact statement; or 
(II) multiple decision notices to 
implement a single environmental as-
sessment; 
(iii) 
the 
preparation 
of 
a 
pro-
grammatic environmental impact state-
ment or environmental assessment, as ap-
plicable, for the entire project, incor-
porating the landscape assessment de-
scribed in subparagraph (C), followed by 
focused, concise, and site-specific— 
(I) environmental assessments; or 
(II) categorical exclusions con-
sistent with the National Environ-
mental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.); or
(iv) the use of the landscape assess-
ment described in subparagraph (C), 
through incorporation by reference and 
similar approaches, to support focused, 
concise, and site-specific— 
(I) environmental assessments; or 
(II) categorical exclusions con-
sistent with the National Environ-
mental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.). 
(2) EXCEPTION.—If the Secretary of Agri-
culture determines that there are an insufficient 
number of projects that fully comply with the re-
quirements described in paragraph (1) to implement 
based on all available funding, then the Secretary of 
Agriculture may, during the 2-year period beginning 
on the date of enactment of this Act, select under 
subsection (a) not more than a total of 5 landscape- 
scale forest restoration projects to implement that 
do not fully comply with those requirements if the 
projects— 
(A) fully comply with the requirements de-
scribed in subparagraphs (B), (D), (E), (F), 
(G), (H), and (I) of that paragraph;
(B) in the determination of the Secretary 
of Agriculture, have purposes and needs that 
are consistent with the purposes and needs de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) of that paragraph; 
and 
(C) are supported by landscape assess-
ments that are substantially (if not completely) 
consistent with the requirements described in 
subparagraph (C) of that paragraph, subject to 
the condition that the applicable landscape as-
sessments fully comply with the requirements 
described in clauses (i) and (v) of that subpara-
graph. 
(d) EVALUATION OF ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In determining which land-
scape-scale forest restoration projects to select under 
subsection (a), the Secretary of Agriculture shall 
consider— 
(A) the criteria described in paragraph (2); 
(B) the extent to which the project utilizes 
the approaches to project implementation de-
scribed in paragraph (3); and 
(C) the recommendations of the advisory 
panel established under subsection (e).
(2) CRITERIA.—The criteria referred to in 
paragraph (1)(A) are— 
(A) the demonstrated need, based on the 
best available science, to restore ecological in-
tegrity to degraded or departed areas within the 
landscape covered by the project, taking into 
account the current and projected impacts of 
climate change; 
(B)(i) the importance of watersheds in the 
area covered by the project for downstream 
waters supply; and 
(ii) the opportunity to improve the ec-
ological integrity and ecological conditions 
of those watersheds and reduce risks to 
water resources through landscape-scale 
forest restoration; 
(C)(i) the potential extent of cost sharing 
for the development and implementation of the 
project from diverse sources, such as State or 
local governments, water or electric utilities, 
carbon credits, or private entities; and 
(ii) the proportion of the non-Federal 
cost share that is in the form of cash con-
tributions;
(D) whether the area covered by the 
project has high-resolution, remote-sensing data 
and other information available that enables a 
landscape assessment and a robust analysis and 
disclosure of the effects and outcomes of imple-
menting restoration activities; 
(E) whether the project is using, or will 
use, innovative approaches to completing re-
source surveys that are less costly and less 
time-consuming than usual practices while pro-
viding the information necessary for project de-
sign and analysis; 
(F) whether the project will reduce the 
number of miles of permanent roads on Na-
tional Forest System land that are not nec-
essary for resource management or recreational 
access; 
(G) whether the project will assess or 
quantify the ecosystem service benefits of forest 
restoration within the landscape covered by the 
project, such as water, carbon, biodiversity, fire 
risk reduction, public health, and community 
safety; 
(H) whether the project has the potential 
to support new or existing wood processing in-
frastructure that can make economic use of the 
byproducts of forest restoration; 
(I) whether the project has the potential to 
support local employment and investment op-
portunities, particularly in economically dis-
advantaged communities; 
(J) the scale of the landscape assessment 
for the project, with a preference for projects 
for which the landscape assessment covers a 
larger area; and 
(K) whether the project— 
(i) strives to restore ecological integ-
rity and ecological conditions within areas 
across land ownerships, including State 
and private land; and 
(ii) 
will 
reduce 
the 
risk 
of 
uncharacteristic wildfire, and, to the extent 
practicable, restore ecological integrity, 
within the wildland-urban interface. 
(3) COLLABORATION.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture may coordinate with Federal, State, local, 
and Tribal agencies with respect to selection and im-
plementation under subsection (a), a landscape-scale 
forest restoration project. 
(e) ADVISORY PANEL.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture 
shall establish and maintain an advisory panel com-
posed of not more than 15 members to evaluate, and 
provide recommendations on— 
(A) each landscape-scale forest restoration 
project that the Secretary of Agriculture is re-
viewing for potential selection under subsection 
(a); and 
(B) proposals for planning and developing 
landscape-scale forest restoration projects. 
(2) REPRESENTATION.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture shall ensure that the membership of the ad-
visory panel established under paragraph (1) is fair-
ly balanced in terms of the points of view rep-
resented and the functions to be performed by the 
advisory panel. 
(3) INCLUSION.—The advisory panel estab-
lished under paragraph (1) shall include experts in 
ecological forest restoration, fire ecology, fire man-
agement, rural economic and workforce development, 
strategies for ecological adaptation to climate 
change, fish and wildlife ecology, and woody biomass 
and small-diameter tree utilization.
(4) EXEMPTION.—The advisory panel estab-
lished under paragraph (1) shall be exempt from the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.). 
SEC. 204. YOUTH AND CONSERVATION CORPS ASSISTANCE 
WITH PROJECTS UNDER THE PLAN. 
In carrying out projects under the Plan, the Secre-
taries shall, to the maximum extent practicable— 
(1) identify appropriate projects to be carried 
out by, and enter into cooperative agreements to 
carry out such projects with— 
(A) qualified youth or conservation corps 
(as defined in section 203 of the Public Lands 
Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1722)); or 
(B) nonprofit wilderness and trails stew-
ardship organizations, including— 
(i) the Corps Network; 
(ii) the National Wilderness Steward-
ship Alliance; 
(iii) American Trails; and 
(iv) other public lands stewardship or-
ganizations, as appropriate; and 
(2) waive any matching funds requirements, in-
cluding under section 212(a)(1) of the Public Lands 
Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1729(a)(1)).
SEC. 205. PRESCRIBED FIRE TRAINING EXCHANGES. 
(a) WESTERN PRESCRIBED FIRE CENTERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the Plan, 
the Secretaries shall establish 1 or more centers to 
train individuals in prescribed fire methods and 
other methods relevant to the mitigation of wildfire 
risk (referred to in this subsection as a ‘‘center’’). 
(2) HOST INSTITUTIONS.—The 1 or more cen-
ters shall be— 
(A) located at 1 or more institutions of 
higher education; or 
(B) developed in collaboration with 1 or 
more institutions of higher education. 
(3) GOALS.—The 1 or more centers shall ad-
vance the following goals: 
(A) Training individuals and conducting 
research on prescribed fire methods and other 
restoration methods relevant to the mitigation 
of wildfire risk. 
(B) Developing and advancing interdiscipli-
nary science relating to wildfire, including social 
science and human dimensions of wildfire. 
(C) Conducting ongoing and forward-look-
ing needs assessments among stakeholders, in-
cluding Federal and State agencies and Indian 
Tribes, to determine common need require-
ments and emerging challenges to reduce wild-
fire risk and adapt communities to increased 
risk from wildfire, including the following haz-
ard-related focus areas: 
(i) Increasing disaster resilience. 
(ii) Mitigation and management meth-
ods. 
(iii) Air quality. 
(iv) Firestorm weather forecasting 
and burn-area debris flow forecasting, in-
cluding empirical and modeling research. 
(D) Collaborating with Federal wildfire sci-
entists at the Forest Service, the Department of 
the Interior, and other related Federal agencies. 
(E) Identifying, through a detailed engage-
ment process targeting defined end-users, the 
requirements and delivery mechanisms for prod-
ucts and services that are practical and will 
have an impact on mitigating wildfire risk. 
(F) Promoting technology transfer with 
pathways for dissemination, implementation, 
and application of research results on the 
ground, using and enhancing previous research.
(G) Ensuring the connectivity and inter-
operability of distributed services to maximize 
synergies and benefits across services. 
(H) Developing open digital infrastructure 
to make research data, science, and models 
open for all sectors to use. 
(I) Collaborating with prescribed fire and 
wildfire science programs, including the Joint 
Fire Science Program, Fire Science Exchange 
Networks, and State and Regional Prescribed 
Fire Associations. 
(J) Advancing best practices and training 
for safely pursuing, conducting, and controlling 
prescribed fires. 
(K) Creating processes to facilitate public 
comment prior to prescribed fire implementa-
tion. 
(4) LOCATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The 1 or more centers 
shall be located in any State the entirety of 
which is located west of the 100th meridian. 
(B) 
CONSULTATION.—The 
Secretaries 
shall consult with the Joint Fire Science Pro-
gram to solicit and evaluate proposals for the 
location of the 1 or more centers.
(C) SELECTION.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, based 
on the consultation under subparagraph (B), 
the Secretaries shall select a location for the 1 
or more centers. 
(b) ADDITIONAL TRAINING CENTERS.—Subject to 
the availability of appropriations, not later than Sep-
tember 30, 2023, the Secretary of the Interior, in coopera-
tion with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall— 
(1) establish and operate a prescribed fire 
training center in a western State; 
(2) continue to operate a prescribed fire train-
ing center in an eastern State; 
(3) establish a virtual prescribed fire training 
center; and 
(4) establish and maintain a Strategic Wildfire 
Management Training Center. 
SEC. 
206. 
ECOSYSTEM 
RESTORATION 
GRANT 
FUND 
THROUGH NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE 
FOUNDATION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
enter into a cooperative agreement with the Foundation 
to establish the Community Resilience and Restoration 
Fund at the Foundation to—
(1) improve community safety in the face of cli-
mactic extremes through conservation and protection 
of restoration and resilience lands; 
(2) to protect, conserve, and restore restoration 
and resilience lands in order to help communities re-
spond and adapt to natural threats, including wild-
fire, drought, extreme heat, and other threats posed 
or exacerbated by the impacts of global climate; 
(3) to build the resilience of restoration and re-
silience lands to adapt to, recover from, and with-
stand natural threats, including wildfire, drought, 
extreme heat, and other threats posed or exacer-
bated by the impacts of global climate change; 
(4) to protect and enhance the biodiversity of 
wildlife populations, with special consideration to the 
recovery and conservation of at-risk species, across 
restoration and resilience lands; 
(5) to support the health of restoration and re-
silience lands for the benefit of present and future 
generations; 
(6) to foster innovative, nature-based solutions 
that help meet the goals of this section; and 
(7) to enhance the nation’s natural carbon se-
questration 
capabilities 
and 
help 
communities
strengthen natural carbon sequestration capacity 
where applicable. 
(b) MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND.—The Foundation 
shall manage the Fund— 
(1) pursuant to the National Fish and Wildlife 
Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701 et 
seq.); and 
(2) in such a manner that, to the greatest ex-
tent practicable and consistent with the purposes for 
which the Fund is established— 
(A) ensures that amounts made available 
through the Fund are accessible to historically 
underserved communities, including Tribal com-
munities, communities of color, and rural com-
munities; and 
(B) avoids project selection and funding 
overlap with those projects and activities that 
could otherwise receive funding under— 
(i) the National Oceans and Coastal 
Security Fund, established under the Na-
tional Oceans and Coastal Security Act (16 
U.S.C. 7501); or 
(ii) other coastal management focused 
programs. 
(c) COMPETITIVE GRANTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—To the extent amounts are 
available in the Fund, the Foundation shall award 
grants to eligible entities through a competitive 
grant process in accordance with procedures estab-
lished pursuant to the National Fish and Wildlife 
Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701 et 
seq.) to carry out eligible projects and activities, in-
cluding planning eligible projects and activities. 
(2) PROPOSALS.—The Foundation, in coordina-
tion with the Secretary, shall establish requirements 
for proposals for competitive grants under this sec-
tion. 
(d) USE OF AMOUNTS IN THE FUND.— 
(1) PLANNING.—Not less than 8 percent of 
amounts appropriated annually to the Fund may be 
used to plan eligible projects and activities, including 
capacity building. 
(2) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.— 
(A) Not more than 4 percent of amounts 
appropriated annually to the Fund may be used 
by the Foundation for administrative expenses 
of the Fund or administration of competitive 
grants offered under the Fund. 
(B) Not more than 4 percent of the 
amounts appropriated annually to the Fund
may be used by the United States Fish and 
Wildlife Service for administrative expenses. 
(3) PRIORITY.—Not less than $10,000,000 of 
the amounts appropriated annually to the Fund 
shall be awarded annually to support eligible 
projects and activities for Indian Tribes. 
(4) COORDINATION.—The Secretary and Foun-
dation shall ensure, to the greatest extent prac-
ticable and through meaningful consultation, that 
input from Indian Tribes, including traditional eco-
logical knowledge, is incorporated in the planning 
and execution of eligible projects and activities. 
(e) REPORTS.— 
(1) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Beginning at the end 
the first full fiscal year after the date of enactment 
of this section, and not later than 60 days after the 
end of each fiscal year in which amounts are depos-
ited into the Fund, the Foundation shall submit to 
the Secretary a report on the operation of the Fund 
including— 
(A) an accounting of expenditures made 
under the Fund, including leverage and match 
as applicable; 
(B) an accounting of any grants made 
under the Fund, including a list of recipients
and a brief description of each project and its 
purposes and goals; and 
(C) measures and metrics to track benefits 
created by grants administered under the Fund, 
including enhanced biodiversity, water quality, 
natural carbon sequestration, and resilience. 
(2) 5–YEAR REPORTS.—Not later than 90 days 
after the end of the fifth full fiscal year after the 
date of enactment of this section, and not later than 
90 days after the end every fifth fiscal year there-
after, the Foundation shall submit to the Secretary 
a report containing— 
(A) a description of any socioeconomic, 
biodiversity, community resilience, or climate 
resilience or mitigation (including natural car-
bon 
sequestration), 
impacts 
generated 
by 
projects funded by grants awarded by the 
Fund, including measures and metrics illus-
trating these impacts; 
(B) a description of land health benefits 
derived from projects funded by grants awarded 
by the Fund, including an accounting of— 
(i) lands treated for invasive species; 
(ii) lands treated for wildfire threat 
reduction, including those treated with
controlled burning or other natural fire- 
management techniques; and 
(iii) lands restored either from wildfire 
or other forms or degradation, including 
over-grazing and sedimentation; 
(C) key findings for Congress, including 
any recommended changes to the authorization 
or purposes of the Fund; 
(D) best practices for other Federal agen-
cies in the administration of funds intended for 
land and habitat restoration; 
(E) information on the use and outcome of 
funds specifically set aside for planning and ca-
pacity building pursuant to subsection (d)(1); 
and 
(F) any other information that the Foun-
dation considers relevant. 
(3) SUBMISSION OF REPORTS TO CONGRESS.— 
Not later than 10 days after receiving a report 
under this section, the Secretary shall submit the re-
port to the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on En-
vironment and Public Works of the Senate. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
hereby authorized to be appropriated to the Fund
$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2032 
to carry out this section. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means a Federal 
agency, State, the District of Columbia, a territory 
of the United States, a unit of local government, an 
Indian Tribe, a non-profit organization, or an ac-
credited institution of higher education. 
(2) The term ‘‘eligible projects and activities’’ 
means projects and activities carried out by an eligi-
ble entity on public lands, Tribal lands, or private 
land, or any combination thereof, to further the pur-
poses for which the Fund is established, including 
planning and capacity building and projects and ac-
tivities carried out in coordination with Federal, 
State, or Tribal departments or agencies, or any de-
partment or agency of a subdivision of a State. 
(3) The term ‘‘Foundation’’ means the National 
Fish and Wildlife Foundation established under the 
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establish-
ment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.). 
(4) The term ‘‘Fund’’ means the Community 
Resilience and Restoration Fund established under 
subsection (a).
(5) The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ means the gov-
erning body of any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, 
band, nation, pueblo, village, community, component 
band, or component reservation individually identi-
fied (including parenthetically) on the list published 
by the Secretary under section 104 of the Federally 
Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 
U.S.C. 5131). 
(6) The term ‘‘restoration and resilience lands’’ 
means fish, wildlife, and plant habitats, and other 
important natural areas in the United States, on 
public lands, private land (after obtaining proper 
consent from the landowner), or land of Indian 
Tribes, including grasslands, shrublands, prairies, 
chapparral lands, forest lands, deserts, and riparian 
or wetland areas within or adjacent to these eco-
systems. 
(7) The term ‘‘public lands’’ means lands 
owned or controlled by the United States. 
(8) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 
(9) The term ‘‘State’’ means a State of the 
United States, the District of Columbia, any Indian
Tribe, and any commonwealth, territory, or posses-
sion of the United States. 
SEC. 207. NATIONAL COMMUNITY CAPACITY AND LAND 
STEWARDSHIP GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COMMUNITY
CAPACITY.—The term ‘‘com-
munity capacity’’ means the ability of an eligible en-
tity to carry out or assist in a land stewardship ac-
tivity. 
(2) DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITY.—The term 
‘‘disadvantaged community’’ means— 
(A) a low-income community (as defined in 
section 45D(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986); and 
(B) a community that includes a signifi-
cant population that has been systematically de-
nied a full opportunity to participate in aspects 
of economic, social, and civic life based on a 
particular characteristic, such as Black, Latino, 
Indigenous, and Native American persons, 
Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and other 
persons of color. 
(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means any the following entities that is located 
in or represents a disadvantaged community:
(A) An organization described in section 
501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) 
of that Code. 
(B) A collaborative group fiscally spon-
sored by an organization described in subpara-
graph (A). 
(C) A unit of local government. 
(D) An Indian Tribe. 
(E) A special district government, as de-
fined by the Director of the Bureau of the Cen-
sus. 
(4) ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY.—The term ‘‘eco-
logical integrity’’ has the meaning given the term in 
section 219.19 of title 36, Code of Federal Regula-
tions (as in effect on the date of enactment of this 
Act). 
(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. 5304). 
(6) LAND STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITY.—The term 
‘‘land stewardship activity’’ means any of the fol-
lowing activities, as applied to a qualifying project: 
(A) Planning.
(B) Collaboration and building community 
support. 
(C) Implementation on land other than 
National Forest System land. 
(D) Monitoring, including multiparty moni-
toring, and adaptive management. 
(7) QUALIFYING PROJECT.—The term ‘‘quali-
fying project’’ means any of the following activities 
that takes place at least in substantial part on Na-
tional Forest System land or national grasslands: 
(A) Restoration of the ecological integrity 
of a forest, meadow, grassland, prairie, or other 
habitat. 
(B) Tribal management for aligned cul-
tural and ecological values. 
(C) Enhancing community wildfire resil-
ience in the wildland-urban interface. 
(D) Increasing equitable access to environ-
mental education and volunteerism opportuni-
ties. 
(8) RESTORATION.—The term ‘‘restoration’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 219.19 of 
title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on 
the date of enactment of this Act).
(9) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the 
Chief of the Forest Service. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to sup-
port increasing community capacity, partnerships, and col-
laborations within and involving disadvantaged commu-
nities for land stewardship activities and restoration of ec-
ological integrity on— 
(1) National Forest System land; 
(2) national grasslands; and 
(3) adjacent private, State, and trust land asso-
ciated with the health and resilience of land de-
scribed in paragraphs (1) and (2). 
(c) ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may issue 
grants to eligible entities for increasing community 
capacity for land stewardship activities and related 
activities based on the criteria described in sub-
section (d). 
(2) FEDERAL COST-SHARE.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may 
fund up to 100 percent of the cost of land stew-
ardship activities and related activities carried 
out using a grant issued under paragraph (1).
(B) MATCHING
ELIGIBILITY.—A grant 
issued under this section may be considered a 
non-Federal matching contribution from the eli-
gible entity that received the grant towards 
other sources of Federal funding. 
(3) DURATION.—The Secretary may issue a 
grant under paragraph (1) for a period of 1 or more 
years. 
(4) MAXIMUM GRANT AMOUNT.—The amount of 
a grant issued under paragraph (1) shall be not 
more than $50,000 per year. 
(5) APPLICABLE
LAWS.—The Secretary shall 
administer grants under paragraph (1) in accord-
ance with all applicable Federal and State laws. 
(d) CRITERIA FOR AWARDING GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities 
under subsection (c)(1) on a competitive basis in ac-
cordance with the following criteria: 
(A) The extent to which the proposed land 
stewardship activities benefit units of the Na-
tional Forest System and national grasslands 
over the short and long term. 
(B) The extent to which valuable ecologi-
cal, economic, and social benefits to disadvan-
taged communities, including job creation and 
business development or retention, are likely to 
result from the scope of the land stewardship 
activities. 
(C) The extent to which the grant would 
benefit disadvantaged communities that have 
historically received less investment in collabo-
rative capacity. 
(D) The extent to which the proposal 
brings together diverse interests through plan-
ning, collaboration, implementation, or moni-
toring of land stewardship activities to benefit 
units of the National Forest System or national 
grasslands. 
(E) The extent to which the grant funds 
appear to be critical for the success of the eligi-
ble entity and the identified land stewardship 
activities. 
(F) The extent to which the budget for the 
land stewardship activities is reasonable given 
the anticipated outcomes. 
(2) SET-ASIDE FOR INDIAN TRIBES.—The Sec-
retary shall allocate not less than 10 percent of the 
funding awarded under this section to Indian Tribes 
or eligible entities representing Indian Tribes.
(e) ANNUAL REVIEWS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
and maintain an advisory panel composed of not 
more than 15 members to provide feedback each 
year to the Chief of the Forest Service on the extent 
to which the implementation of this section is ful-
filling the purpose described in subsection (b). 
(2) INCLUSIONS.—The advisory panel estab-
lished under paragraph (1) shall include representa-
tion from a diversity of public land stakeholders 
from across interest groups, including— 
(A) not fewer than 8 members rep-
resenting the interests of a diversity of dis-
advantaged communities; and 
(B) not fewer than 2 members rep-
resenting not fewer than 2 Indian Tribes. 
(3) EXEMPTION.—The advisory panel estab-
lished under paragraph (1) shall be exempt from the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.). 
(f) REPORT EVALUATING PROGRAM IMPLEMENTA-
TION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 4 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, the 
Committee on Natural Resources, and the Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the House of Represent-
atives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
and Forestry, the Committee on Energy and Nat-
ural Resources, and the Committee on Appropria-
tions of the Senate a report evaluating the imple-
mentation of this section, including— 
(A) a list of the eligible entities and land 
stewardship activities selected for funding under 
this section and the accomplishments of those 
activities; and 
(B) an evaluation of the extent to which 
the implementation of this section is fulfilling 
the purpose described in subsection (b). 
(2) CONSULTATION; CONTRACTING.—In pre-
paring the report under paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary— 
(A) shall consult with the advisory panel 
established under subsection (e)(1); and 
(B) may contract with a third party to 
complete an evaluation of the implementation of 
this section to inform the report. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this sec-
tion $50,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2023 
through 2032. 
(2) DISTRIBUTION.—The Secretary shall, to the 
maximum extent practicable, distribute amounts 
made available under paragraph (1) in a geographi-
cally equitable manner. 
(3) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—Not more than 
10 percent of any amounts made available to carry 
out this section may be used for administrative man-
agement and program oversight. 
SEC. 
208. 
PROTECTION 
OF 
INVENTORIED 
ROADLESS 
AREAS. 
The Secretary of Agriculture shall not authorize road 
construction, road reconstruction, or the cutting, sale, or 
removal of timber on National Forest System lands sub-
ject to the Roadless Area Conservation Rule as published 
on January 12, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 3243) except as pro-
vided in— 
(1) subpart B of part 294 of title 36, Code of 
Federal Regulations (as in effect on January 12, 
2001); 
(2) subpart C of part 294 of title 36, Code of 
Federal Regulations (as in effect on October 16, 
2008 for Idaho); and
(3) subpart D of part 294 of title 36, Code of 
Federal Regulations (as provided for Colorado on 
July 3, 2012 and December 19, 2016). 
SEC. 209. STRATEGIC WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN-
NING FOR PRESCRIBED FIRE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than September 30, 
2024, the Secretary concerned shall, in accordance with 
this section, establish a spatial fire management plan for 
any prescribed fire. 
(b) USE OF EXISTING INFORMATION.—To comply 
with this section, the Secretary concerned may use a fire 
management plan in existence on the date of enactment 
of this Act, and information from the Wildland Fire Deci-
sion Support System and the Interagency Fuels Treat-
ment Decision Support System. 
(c) UPDATES.—To be valid, a spatial fire manage-
ment plan established under this section shall not be in 
use for longer than the 10-year period beginning on the 
date on which the plan is established. 
(d) CONTENTS.—For each spatial fire management 
plan established under this section, the Secretary con-
cerned shall— 
(1) base the plans on a landscape-scale risk as-
sessment that includes— 
(A) risks to firefighters;
(B) risks to communities; 
(C) risks to highly valuable resources; and 
(D) other relevant considerations deter-
mined by the Secretary concerned; 
(2) include direction, represented in spatial 
form, from land management plans and resource 
management plans; 
(3) in coordination with States, delineate poten-
tial operational delineations that— 
(A) identify potential prescribed fire or 
wildfire control locations; and 
(B) specify the places in which firefighters 
will not be sent because of the presence of un-
acceptable risk, including areas determined by 
the Secretary concerned as— 
(i) exceeding a certain slope; 
(ii) containing too high of a volume of 
hazardous fuels, under certain weather 
conditions; or 
(iii) containing other known hazards; 
(4) include a determination of average severe 
fire weather for the plan area; 
(5) include prefire planning provisions; 
(6) include a plan for emergency wildfire sup-
pression activities; and
(7) include, at a minimum, any other require-
ment determined to be necessary by the Secretary 
concerned. 
(e) CONSISTENCY WITH MANAGEMENT PLANS.—The 
spatial fire management plans established under this sec-
tion shall, to the maximum extent practicable, be con-
sistent with the fire management objectives and land man-
agement objectives in the applicable land management 
plan or resource management plan. 
(f) REVISIONS TO LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS AND 
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS.—A revision to a land 
management plan or resource management plan shall con-
sider fire ecology and fire management in a manner that 
facilitates the issuance of direction for an incident re-
sponse. 
SEC. 210. LONG-TERM BURNED AREA RECOVERY ACCOUNT. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF ACCOUNT.—There is estab-
lished in the Treasury of the United States the Long- 
Term Burned Area Recovery account for the Department 
of Agriculture. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2023 and 
each fiscal year thereafter for the account established by 
subsection (a) such sums as are necessary to carry out
the activities described in subsection (d), not to exceed 
$100,000,000. 
(c) ANNUAL REQUESTS.—For fiscal year 2023 and 
each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary of Agriculture 
shall submit to Congress and in accordance with sub-
section (b), a request for amounts necessary to carry out 
the activities described in subsection (d). 
(d) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary of Ag-
riculture shall use amounts in the account established by 
subsection (a) for recovery projects— 
(1) that begin not earlier than 1 year after the 
date on which the wildfire was contained; 
(2) that are— 
(A) scheduled to be completed not later 
than 3 years after the date on which the wild-
fire was contained; and 
(B) located at sites impacted by wildfire on 
non-Federal or Federal land; and 
(3) that restore the functions of an ecosystem 
or protect life or property. 
(e) PRIORITIZATION OF FUNDING.—The Secretary of 
Agriculture shall prioritize, on a nationwide basis, projects 
for which funding requests are submitted under this sec-
tion, based on— 
(1) downstream effects on water resources; and
(2) public safety. 
SEC. 211. REPORT ON 10-YEAR NATIONAL WILDFIRE PLAN 
IMPLEMENTATION. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Inspector General 
of the Department of Agriculture shall submit to Congress 
a report on the progress made in the prior year towards 
completing the goals established under the Plan that in-
cludes— 
(1) the amount of funding appropriated to 
carry out the Plan pursuant to the provisions of this 
subtitle with respect to the prior fiscal year; and 
(2) recommendations to improve implementa-
tion of the Plan. 
SEC. 212. PERFORMANCE METRICS TRACKING. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Agri-
culture shall submit to Congress an assessment with re-
spect to the prior year of the following: 
(1) The acres effectively treated by the Depart-
ment of Agriculture on National Forest System 
lands to reduce wildfire risk or improve habitat con-
dition— 
(A) within the wildland urban interface;
(B) within backcountry areas (including 
roadless and wilderness); 
(C) within a priority watershed area; 
(D) within an identified wildlife corridor; 
and 
(E) for which prescribed fire or wildfire 
achieved an ecosystem management goal. 
(2) Watershed assessment of the National For-
est System, including if watershed conditions have 
degraded, improved, or been maintained. 
(3) Carbon emissions and sequestration from 
National Forest System lands. 
Subtitle B—Tribal Biochar 
Promotion 
SEC. 221. TRIBAL AND ALASKA NATIVE BIOCHAR DEM-
ONSTRATION PROJECT. 
The Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 (25 U.S.C. 
3115a et seq.) is amended as follows: 
(1) In section 2— 
(A) by striking subsection (a); 
(B) 
by 
redesignating 
subsections 
(b) 
through (g) as subsections (a) through (f), re-
spectively; 
(C) by striking ‘‘subsection (b)’’ each place 
it appears and inserting ‘‘subsection (a)’’; and
(D) by striking ‘‘subsection (c)’’ each place 
it appears and inserting ‘‘subsection (b)’’. 
(2) By adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 3. TRIBAL AND ALASKA NATIVE BIOCHAR DEM-
ONSTRATION PROJECT. 
‘‘(a) STEWARDSHIP CONTRACTS OR SIMILAR AGREE-
MENTS.—For each of fiscal years 2021 through 2030, the 
Secretary shall enter into stewardship contracts or similar 
agreements (excluding direct service contracts) with In-
dian Tribes or Tribal organizations to carry out dem-
onstration projects to support the development and com-
mercialization of biochar on Indian forest land or range-
land and in nearby communities by providing reliable sup-
plies of feedstock from Federal land. 
‘‘(b) DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.—In each fiscal 
year for which demonstration projects are authorized 
under this section, not less than 4 new demonstration 
projects that meet the eligibility criteria described in sub-
section (c) shall be carried out under contracts or agree-
ments described in subsection (a). 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.—To be eligible to enter 
into a contract or agreement under this section, an Indian 
Tribe shall submit to the Secretary an application that 
includes— 
‘‘(1) a description of—
‘‘(A) the Indian forest land or rangeland 
under the jurisdiction of the Indian Tribe; and 
‘‘(B) the demonstration project proposed 
to be carried out by the Indian Tribe; and 
‘‘(2) such other information as the Secretary 
may require. 
‘‘(d) SELECTION.—In evaluating the applications 
submitted under subsection (c), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) take into consideration whether a proposed 
project— 
‘‘(A) creates new jobs and enhances the 
economic development of the Indian Tribe; 
‘‘(B) demonstrates new and innovative 
uses of biochar, viable markets for cost effective 
biochar-based products, or ecosystem services of 
biochar; 
‘‘(C) improves the forest health or water-
sheds of Federal land or Indian forest land or 
rangeland; 
‘‘(D) demonstrates new investments in 
biochar infrastructure or otherwise promotes 
the development and commercialization of 
biochar; 
‘‘(E) is located in an area with—
‘‘(i) nearby lands identified as having 
a high, very high, or extreme risk of wild-
fire; 
‘‘(ii) availability of sufficient quan-
tities of feedstock; or 
‘‘(iii) a high level of demand for 
biochar or other commercial byproducts of 
biochar; or 
‘‘(F) any combination of purposes specified 
in subparagraphs (A) through (E); and 
‘‘(2) exclude from consideration any merchant-
able logs that have been identified by the Secretary 
for commercial sale. 
‘‘(e) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) ensure that the criteria described in sub-
section (c) are publicly available by not later than 
120 days after the date of the enactment of this sec-
tion; and 
‘‘(2) to the maximum extent practicable, consult 
with Indian Tribes and appropriate intertribal orga-
nizations likely to be affected in developing the ap-
plication and otherwise carrying out this section. 
‘‘(f) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of the enactment of this section and every year thereafter,
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that de-
scribes, with respect to the reporting period— 
‘‘(1) each individual Tribal application received 
under this section; and 
‘‘(2) each contract and agreement entered into 
pursuant to this section. 
‘‘(g) INCORPORATION OF MANAGEMENT PLANS.—To 
the maximum extent practicable, on receipt of a request 
from an Indian Tribe, the Secretary shall incorporate into 
a contract or agreement with that Indian Tribe entered 
into pursuant to this section, management plans (includ-
ing forest management and integrated resource manage-
ment plans and Indian Trust Asset Management Plans) 
in effect on the Indian forest land or rangeland of that 
Indian Tribe. 
‘‘(h) TERM.—A contract or agreement entered into 
under this section— 
‘‘(1) shall be for a term of not more than 10 
years; and 
‘‘(2) may be renewed in accordance with this 
section for not more than an additional 10 years. 
‘‘SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this Act: 
‘‘(1) BIOCHAR.—The term ‘biochar’ means car-
bonized biomass produced by converting feedstock
through reductive thermal processing for non-fuel 
uses. 
‘‘(2) FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘Federal land’ 
means— 
‘‘(A) land of the National Forest System 
(as defined in section 11(a) of the Forest and 
Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act 
of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a)) administered by 
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the 
Chief of the Forest Service; and 
‘‘(B) public lands (as defined in section 
103 of the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702)), the sur-
face of which is administered by the Secretary 
of the Interior, acting through the Director of 
the Bureau of Land Management. 
‘‘(3) FEEDSTOCK.—The term ‘feedstock’ means 
excess biomass in the form of plant matter or mate-
rials that serves as the raw material for the produc-
tion of biochar. 
‘‘(4) INDIAN FOREST LAND OR RANGELAND..— 
The term ‘Indian forest land or rangeland’ means 
land that— 
‘‘(A) is held in trust by, or with a restric-
tion against alienation by, the United States for
an Indian Tribe or a member of an Indian 
Tribe; and 
‘‘(B)(i)(I) is Indian forest land (as defined 
in section 304 of the National Indian Forest 
Resources Management Act (25 U.S.C. 3103)); 
or 
‘‘(II) has a cover of grasses, brush, or any 
similar vegetation; or 
‘‘(ii) formerly had a forest cover or vegeta-
tive cover that is capable of restoration. 
‘‘(5) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘Indian Tribe’ 
has the meaning given that term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
‘‘(6) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘Secretary’ 
means— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with re-
spect to land under the jurisdiction of the For-
est Service; and 
‘‘(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with re-
spect to land under the jurisdiction of the Bu-
reau of Land Management. 
‘‘(7) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘Tribal 
organization’ has the meaning given that term in
101 
NATURE.—Section 104(g)(1) of the Water Resources Re-
search Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10303(g)(1)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘$3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 
through 2025’’ and inserting ‘‘$4,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2023 through 2032’’. 
(c) GRANTS.—Section 104(c) of the Water Resources 
Research Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10303(c)) is amended 
by— 
(1) redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph 
(4); and 
(2) inserting after paragraph (1) the following: 
‘‘(2) ALLOCATION.—From the sums appro-
priated, the Secretary shall allocate a minimum of— 
‘‘(A) 80 percent of the sums to base grants 
consistent with subsection (f)(1); and 
‘‘(B) 20 percent of the sums to research 
focused on water problems of interstate nature 
consistent with subsection (g)(1). 
‘‘(3) ADDITIONAL
SPECIAL
PROJECTS.—Any 
sums Congress delineates for specific topics and 
water priorities shall fall under subsection (g)(1). All 
sums under subsection (g)(1), including congression-
ally delineated sums for specific topics and water 
priorities, shall not exceed 20 percent of the sums
125 
‘‘(II) sponsored or funded by any 
State, department of a State, subdivi-
sion of a State, or public agency orga-
nized pursuant to State law, includ-
ing— 
‘‘(aa) direct sponsorship or 
funding; or 
‘‘(bb) indirect sponsorship or 
funding, such as by paying for 
the water provided by the facility; 
‘‘(ii) provides a Federal benefit in ac-
cordance with the reclamation laws; and 
‘‘(iii) is consistent with all applicable 
State and Federal resource protection 
laws, including the protection of marine 
protected areas. 
‘‘(B) DEFINITION OF DESIGNATED DESALI-
NATION
PROJECT.—The term ‘designated de-
salination project’ means an eligible desalina-
tion project that— 
‘‘(i) is an ocean desalination project 
that uses a subsurface intake; 
‘‘(ii) has a total estimated cost of 
$80,000,000 or less; and