REPLANT Act
Bill: H.R.2049 | Sponsor: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy (D-CA)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Repairing Existing Public Land by Adding Necessary Trees Act or the REPLANT Act
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) annually for each of the 10 years after enactment of this bill to transmit to Congress an estimate of the sums necessary to be appropriated, in addition to the funds available from other sources, to replant and otherwise treat an acreage equal to the acreage to be cut over that year, plus a sufficient portion of the backlog of lands found to be in need of treatment to eliminate the backlog within the 10-year period.
After such 10-year period, USDA shall transmit annually to Congress an estimate of the sums necessary to replant and otherwise treat all lands being cut over and maintain planned timber production on all other forested lands in the National Forest System to prevent the development of a backlog of needed work larger than the needed work at the beginning of the fiscal year.
Each reforestation activity included in a renewable resource assessment shall be carried out in accordance with applicable Forest Service management practices and definitions, including definitions relating to silvicultural practices and forest management.
The Forest Service shall, based on recommendations from regional foresters, create a priority list of reforestation projects that primarily take place on priority land, promote effective reforestation following unplanned events, and may include activities to ensure adequate and appropriate seed availability.
USDA shall give priority to projects on the priority list.

To amend the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 
  1974 to promote reforestation following unplanned events on Federal 
                     land, 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 ``Repairing Existing Public Land by 
Adding Necessary Trees Act'' or the ``REPLANT Act''.

SEC. 2. REFORESTATION FOLLOWING WILDFIRES AND OTHER UNPLANNED EVENTS.

    (a) Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 
1974.--
            (1) National forest cover policy.--
                    (A) In general.--Section 3 of the Forest and 
                Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 
                U.S.C. 1601) is amended--
                            (i) by redesignating subsection (e) as 
                        subsection (f);
                            (ii) by redesignating the second subsection 
                        (d) (relating to the policy of Congress 
                        regarding forested land in the National Forest 
                        System) as subsection (e); and
                            (iii) in subsection (e) (as so 
                        redesignated)--
                                    (I) in paragraph (2)--
                                            (aa) in the first 
                                        sentence--

                                                    (AA) by striking 
                                                ``9 of this Act, the 
                                                Secretary shall 
                                                annually for eight 
                                                years following the 
                                                enactment of this 
                                                subsection'' and 
                                                inserting ``9, the 
                                                Secretary shall, 
                                                annually during each of 
                                                the 10 years beginning 
                                                after the date of 
                                                enactment of the 
                                                REPLANT Act''; and

                                                    (BB) by striking 
                                                ``eight-year'' and 
                                                inserting ``10-year'';

                                            (bb) in the second 
                                        sentence, by striking ``such 
                                        eight-year period'' and 
                                        inserting ``the 10-year 
                                        period''; and
                                            (cc) in the third sentence, 
                                        by striking ``1978'' and 
                                        inserting ``2021'';
                                    (II) in paragraph (3), in the first 
                                sentence, by striking ``subsection 
                                (d)'' and inserting ``subsection''; and
                                    (III) by adding at the end the 
                                following:
            ``(4) Reforestation requirements.--
                    ``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
                            ``(i) Natural regeneration.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--The term 
                                `natural regeneration' means the 
                                establishment of a tree or tree age 
                                class from natural seeding, sprouting, 
                                or suckering in accordance with the 
                                management objectives of an applicable 
                                land management plan.
                                    ``(II) Inclusion.--The term 
                                `natural regeneration' may include any 
                                site preparation activity to enhance 
                                the success of regeneration to the 
                                desired species composition and 
                                structure.
                            ``(ii) Priority land.--The term `priority 
                        land' means National Forest System land that, 
                        due to an unplanned event--
                                    ``(I) does not meet the conditions 
                                for appropriate forest cover described 
                                in paragraph (1);
                                    ``(II) requires reforestation to 
                                meet the objectives of an applicable 
                                land management plan; and
                                    ``(III) is unlikely to experience 
                                natural regeneration without 
                                assistance.
                            ``(iii) Reforestation.--The term 
                        `reforestation' means the act of renewing tree 
                        cover, taking into consideration species 
                        composition and resilience, by establishing 
                        young trees through--
                                    ``(I) natural regeneration;
                                    ``(II) natural regeneration with 
                                site preparation; or
                                    ``(III) planting or direct seeding.
                            ``(iv) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' 
                        means the Secretary, acting through the Chief 
                        of the Forest Service.
                            ``(v) Unplanned event.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--The term 
                                `unplanned event' means any unplanned 
                                disturbance that--
                                            ``(aa) disrupts ecosystem 
                                        or forest structure or 
                                        composition; or
                                            ``(bb) changes resources, 
                                        substrate availability, or the 
                                        physical environment.
                                    ``(II) Inclusions.--The term 
                                `unplanned event' may include--
                                            ``(aa) a wildfire;
                                            ``(bb) an infestation of 
                                        insects or disease;
                                            ``(cc) a weather event; and
                                            ``(dd) animal damage.
                    ``(B) Requirement.--Each reforestation activity 
                under this section shall be carried out in accordance 
                with applicable Forest Service management practices and 
                definitions, including definitions relating to 
                silvicultural practices and forest management.
                    ``(C) Reforestation priority.--
                            ``(i) In general.--In carrying out this 
                        subsection, the Secretary shall give priority 
                        to projects on the priority list described in 
                        clause (ii).
                            ``(ii) Priority list.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--The Secretary 
                                shall, based on recommendations from 
                                regional foresters, create a priority 
                                list of reforestation projects that--
                                            ``(aa) primarily take place 
                                        on priority land;
                                            ``(bb) promote effective 
                                        reforestation following 
                                        unplanned events; and
                                            ``(cc) may include 
                                        activities to ensure adequate 
                                        and appropriate seed 
                                        availability.
                                    ``(II) Ranking.--The Secretary 
                                shall rank projects on the priority 
                                list under subclause (I) based on--
                                            ``(aa) documentation of an 
                                        effective reforestation project 
                                        plan;
                                            ``(bb) the ability to 
                                        measure the progress and 
                                        success of the project; and
                                            ``(cc) the ability of a 
                                        project to provide benefits 
                                        relating to forest function and 
                                        health, soil health and 
                                        productivity, wildlife habitat, 
                                        improved air and water quality, 
                                        carbon sequestration potential, 
                                        resilience, job creation, and 
                                        enhanced recreational 
                                        opportunities.''.
                    (B) Conforming amendment.--Section 9 of the 
                Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 
                2105) is amended, in the undesignated matter following 
                paragraph (5) of subsection (g)--
                            (i) by striking ``section 3(d)'' and 
                        inserting ``subsection (e) of section 3''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``1601(d)'' and inserting 
                        ``1601''.
            (2) National forest system program elements.--Section 9 of 
        the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 
        1974 (16 U.S.C. 1607) is amended, in the second sentence, by 
        striking ``2000'' and inserting ``2030''.
    (b) Reforestation Trust Fund.--Section 303 of Public Law 96-451 (16 
U.S.C. 1606a) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (2);
                    (B) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) in the second sentence, by striking 
                        ``Proper adjustment'' and inserting the 
                        following:
            ``(3) Adjustment of estimates.--Proper adjustment''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``(3) The amounts'' and 
                        inserting the following:
            ``(2) Frequency.--The amounts''; and
                    (C) by striking the subsection designation and all 
                that follows through ``the Secretary'' in paragraph (1) 
                and inserting the following:
    ``(b) Transfers to Trust Fund.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary''; and
            (2) in subsection (d)(1)--
                    (A) by striking ``section 3(d)'' and inserting 
                ``subsection (e) of section 3''; and
                    (B) by striking ``1601(d)'' and inserting ``1601''.

SEC. 3. REPORT.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
annually thereafter, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the 
Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and make 
publicly available on the website of the Forest Service, a report that 
describes, with respect to the preceding year--
            (1) an evaluation of the degree to which the Secretary has 
        achieved compliance with the requirements contained in the 
        amendments made by this Act, including, as a result of those 
        amendments, the number of acres covered by reforestation 
        projects that follow unplanned events (such as wildfires);
            (2) the total number of acres of land reforested under each 
        authority of the Secretary under which reforestation projects 
        have been carried out;
            (3) the number of acres of National Forest System land 
        affected by, and the substance of reforestation needs on that 
        land resulting from, unplanned events; and
            (4) the number of acres in need of reforestation under 
        subsection (e)(1) of section 3 of the Forest and Rangeland 
        Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1601).
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