Save Our Forests Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.5341 | Sponsor: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy (D-CA)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Save Our Forests Act of 2021
This bill directs the Forest Service to fill vacancies in National Forests and Grasslands for Forest Service recreation management and planning staff, including recreation technicians, recreation officers, and natural resource managers.
In seeking to fill vacancies, the Forest Service shall prioritize filling vacancies in National Forests and Grasslands that (1) are at high or very high risk of wildfires, and (2) are located in or near the wildland-urban interface.
The Forest Service may provide the opportunity for any individual who fills a vacancy to receive training and certification as a Forest Protection Officer.

To fill vacancies for Forest Service recreation management and planning 
   staff in National Forests and Grasslands, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Save Our Forests Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Between 2016 and 2020, on average, 89 percent of 
        wildfires in the United States have been human-caused.
            (2) Human-caused fires tend to occur in or near the 
        wildland-urban interface (as defined in section 101 of the 
        Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511)), 
        where there is a greater risk to people and communities and a 
        higher cost to suppress fires.
            (3) The wildland-urban interface is the fastest-growing 
        land use type in the United States, posing challenges for fire 
        management and suppression.
            (4) Over the last 10 years, an annual average of 62,805 
        wildfires have impacted 7,516,855 acres. In 2020, 58,950 
        wildfires impacted 10,122,336 acres nationwide. Approximately 
        70 percent of this acreage impacted Federal land, of which 48 
        percent (or 4,800,000 acres) was on National Forest System 
        land.
            (5) Additionally, visitation at National Forests has 
        increased, while staffing has declined. Notably, in fiscal year 
        2020, the Forest Service estimated 168.2 million National 
        Forest recreation visits, an increase of over 18.2 million 
        recreation visits from 2019, which amounts to a 12.1 percent 
        increase.
            (6) The Forest Service continues to suffer from chronic 
        staffing shortages, with several National Forests and 
        Grasslands struggling to maintain their acreage with 
        insufficient recreation management and planning staff.

SEC. 3. FILLING FOREST SERVICE RECREATION MANAGEMENT STAFF VACANCIES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the 
Chief of the Forest Service, shall fill vacancies in National Forests 
and Grasslands for Forest Service recreation management and planning 
staff, including recreation technicians, recreation officers, and 
natural resource managers.
    (b) Priority.--In seeking to fill vacancies under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall prioritize filling vacancies in National Forests 
and Grasslands that--
            (1) are at high or very high risk of wildfires; and
            (2) are located in or near the wildland-urban interface.
    (c) Training and Certification as a Forest Protection Officer.--The 
Secretary may provide the opportunity for any individual who fills a 
vacancy pursuant to subsection (a) to receive training and 
certification as a Forest Protection Officer.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--In addition to other funds that may be 
        available to the Forest Service for the purposes specified in 
        this section, there is authorized to be appropriated to carry 
        out this section $46,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 and 
        2023.
            (2) Administrative expenses.--Of the amounts available 
        under paragraph (1) for each fiscal year, not more than 3 
        percent may be used for administrative expenses incurred in 
        carrying out this section.
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