A bill to require the Secretary of Agriculture to convene a blue ribbon panel to review the forest inventory and analysis program of the Forest Service, and for other purposes.
Bill: S.2440 | Sponsor: Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. (I-ME)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to convene a blue ribbon panel to review the forest inventory and analysis program (a program that accounts for public and private forests and their resources in the United States).
The panel shall conduct a review of the past progress, current priorities, and future needs of such program with respect to forest carbon, climate change, forest health, and sustainable wood products.

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convene a blue ribbon panel 
   to review the forest inventory and analysis program of the Forest 
                    Service, 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. FOREST INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS PROGRAM BLUE RIBBON PANEL.

    Section 3 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research 
Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1642) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
    ``(f) Forest Inventory and Analysis Program Blue Ribbon Panel.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        enactment of this subsection, the Secretary, in consultation 
        with the National Association of State Foresters, shall convene 
        a blue ribbon panel (referred to in this subsection as the 
        `Panel') to review the forest inventory and analysis program 
        established under this section.
            ``(2) Composition.--The Panel shall be composed of not 
        fewer than 20, and not more than 30, members, including 1 or 
        more of each of the following:
                    ``(A) State foresters.
                    ``(B) Representatives from the Environmental 
                Protection Agency.
                    ``(C) Representatives from the Department of the 
                Interior.
                    ``(D) Academic experts in forest health, 
                management, and economics.
                    ``(E) Forest industry representatives throughout 
                the supply chain, including representatives of large 
                forest landowners and small forest landowners.
                    ``(F) Representatives from environmental groups.
                    ``(G) Representatives from regional greenhouse gas 
                trading organizations.
                    ``(H) Experts in carbon accounting and carbon 
                offset markets.
            ``(3) Duties.--
                    ``(A) Review.--The Panel shall conduct a review of 
                the past progress, current priorities, and future needs 
                of the forest inventory and analysis program with 
                respect to forest carbon, climate change, forest 
                health, and sustainable wood products.
                    ``(B) Report.--Not later than March 31, 2022, the 
                Panel shall submit to the Secretary, the Secretary of 
                the Interior, and Congress a report describing the 
                review conducted under subparagraph (A).
            ``(4) Administrative matters.--
                    ``(A) Chairperson and vice chairperson.--The Panel 
                shall select a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from 
                among the nongovernmental members of the Panel.
                    ``(B) Committees.--The Panel may establish 1 or 
                more committees within the Panel as the Panel 
                determines to be appropriate.
                    ``(C) Compensation.--A member of the Panel shall 
                serve without compensation.
                    ``(D) Administrative support.--The Secretary shall 
                provide such administrative support as is necessary for 
                the Panel to carry out its duties.
                    ``(E) Federal advisory committee act.--The Panel 
                shall be exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
                (5 U.S.C. App.).''.
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