A bill to amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to authorize certain construction activities on public lands, and for other purposes.
Bill: S.4891 | Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard (I-VT)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
This bill provides for the construction of nurseries on public lands.
Using funds made available under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to restore native vegetation and mitigate environmental hazards on mined land on federal and nonfederal lands, the Department of the Interior shall carry out a pilot program to establish and operate nurseries on lands under its jurisdiction.
Likewise, the Forest Service shall carry out a pilot program to establish and operate nurseries on National Forest System lands.
Interior shall carry out its pilot program in (1) four of the eleven contiguous Western states, and (2) one state that is not one of the eleven contiguous Western states.
The Forest Service shall carry out its pilot program in (1) four of the eleven contiguous Western states; and (2) one state, including Vermont, that is not one of the eleven contiguous Western states.

To amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to 
  authorize certain construction activities on public lands, 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. NURSERIES.

    Title VI of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 
U.S.C. 1781 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 604. NURSERIES.

    ``(a) In General.--Using funds made available under section 
40804(b)(8) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (16 U.S.C. 
6592a(b)(8))--
            ``(1) the Secretary shall carry out a pilot program to 
        establish and operate nurseries on public lands and other 
        Federal land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary; and
            ``(2) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the 
        Chief of the Forest Service, shall carry out a pilot program to 
        establish and operate nurseries on National Forest System land.
    ``(b) Locations.--
            ``(1) Department of the interior.--The Secretary shall 
        carry out the pilot program established under subsection (a)(1) 
        in--
                    ``(A) 4 of the eleven contiguous Western States; 
                and
                    ``(B) 1 State that is not 1 of the eleven 
                contiguous Western States.
            ``(2) Forest service.--The Secretary of Agriculture, acting 
        through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall carry out the 
        pilot program established under subsection (a)(2) in--
                    ``(A) 4 of the eleven contiguous Western States; 
                and
                    ``(B) 1 State, including the State of Vermont, that 
                is not 1 of the eleven contiguous Western States.
    ``(c) Activities.--
            ``(1) Definition of secretary concerned.--In this 
        subsection, the term `Secretary concerned' means--
                    ``(A) the Secretary, with respect to public lands 
                and other Federal land under the jurisdiction of the 
                Secretary; and
                    ``(B) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through 
                the Chief of the Forest Service, with respect to 
                National Forest System land.
            ``(2) Authorizations.--In carrying out a pilot program 
        established under subsection (a), the Secretary concerned may--
                    ``(A) establish a tree nursery on Federal land 
                under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned, and 
                develop the infrastructure necessary to support that 
                nursery, to address Federal and regional conservation 
                tree planting needs, consistent with the Bureau of Land 
                Management National Seed Strategy;
                    ``(B) purchase necessary equipment and machinery 
                and construct the necessary facilities on Federal land 
                under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned to 
                store material, equipment, and machinery authorized 
                under this section;
                    ``(C) enter into cooperative agreements with non-
                Federal entities to use trees produced in nurseries 
                established under the pilot program;
                    ``(D) conduct necessary research on grazing and 
                forest management on Federal land under the 
                jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned, ensuring the 
                long-term sustainability of such grazing and forest 
                management, to maximize the ability--
                            ``(i) to sequester carbon;
                            ``(ii) to prevent soil erosion; and
                            ``(iii) to improve air and water quality; 
                        and
                    ``(E) hire and train personnel to carry out the 
                activities described in this section.''.
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